I thought of all this to-day, until the tears came
into my eyes, and I almost determined not to hire
the house, so powerfully did the recollection of the
past affect me: but I remembered that such is
the fate of mankind; that there are no houses in which
scenes of misery have not taken place, and in which
breaking hearts have not been ready to prompt the
exclamation “There is no sorrow like mine.”
How is the agony of such moments increased by the
recollection that in the same chamber where such bitter
grief now reigns, joy and pleasure once dwelt, and
that those who shared it can bless us no more!
How like a cruel mockery, then, appear the splendour
and beauty of all that meets the eye, unchanged as
when it was in unison with our feelings, but which
now jars so fearfully with them!
I wonder not that the bereaved wife fled from this
house, where every object reminded her of a husband
so fondly loved, so fearfully lost, to mourn in some
more humble abode over the fate of him who could
no more resist the magical influence of the presence
of that glorious chief, who had so often led him to
victory, than the war-horse can resist being animated
by the sound of that trumpet which has often excited
the proud animal into ardour.
Peace be to thy manes, gallant Ney; and if thy spirit
be permitted to look down on this earth, it will be
soothed by the knowledge that the wife of thy bosom
has remained faithful to thy memory; and that thy
sons, worthy of their sire—brave, noble,
and generous-hearted—are devoted to their
country, for which thou hadst so often fought and
bled!
To my surprise and pleasure, I find that a usage exists
at Paris which I have nowhere else met with, namely,
that of letting out rich and fine furniture by the
quarter, half, or whole year, in any quantity required
for even the largest establishment, and on the shortest
notice.
I feared that we should be compelled to buy furniture,
or else to put up with an inferior sort, little imagining
that the most costly can be procured on hire, and
even a large mansion made ready for the reception
of a family in forty-eight hours. This is really
like Aladdin’s lamp, and is a usage that merits
being adopted in all capitals.
We have made an arrangement, that if we decide on
remaining in Paris more than a year, and wish to purchase
the furniture, the sum agreed to be paid for the year’s
hire is to be allowed in the purchase-money, which
is to be named when the inventory is made out.
We saw the house for the first time yesterday; engaged
it to-day for a year; to-morrow, the upholsterer will
commence placing the furniture in it; and to-morrow
night we are to sleep in it. This is surely being
very expeditious, and saves a world of trouble as well
as of wailing.
Spent last evening at Madame Craufurd’s.
Met there the Prince and Princesse Castelcicala, with
their daughter, who is a very handsome woman.
The Prince was a long time Ambassador from Naples at
the Court of St. James, and he now fills the same
station at that of France.
