a little too conspicuous.  For instance, before the examination began, he seated himself close by the Abbe S[icard] and pulling a paper out of his pocket said that he had found it on the ground on his way hither; and that it was part of a leaf from an edition of Cicero which contained a sentence so applicable to the character and talents of his friend the Abbe, that he requested permission to read it aloud and translate it into French for the benefit of those who did not understand Latin.  He then read the sentence.  The Abbe, not to be out-done in compliments, then rose and made a most flaming speech in eulogium of his friend “the heroic defender of St John d’Acre” and pointed him out to the audience as the first person who had foiled the arms of the “Usurper.”

Now this word “Usurper” applied to Napoleon did not at all please the audience, and it shewed a great deal of servility on the part of the Abbe to insult fallen greatness, and in the person too of a man who had rendered such vast services to science.  In fact this episode was received coldly, and somewhat impatiently by the audience; and many thought it was a thing got up between the Admiral and the Abbe to flatter each other’s vanity; indeed my friend Mrs Wallis, next to whom I was placed, and who does not at all agree with the gallant Admiral in politics, intimated this in a whisper, loud enough to be heard by all the audience and added:  “Such a humbug is enough to make one sick.”  Sir Sidney Smith heard all this and seemed a good deal abashed and disconcerted; he, however, had the good sense to say nothing, and the examination began.

PARIS, May 5th.

I formed a party with some friends to visit the cemetery of Pere la Chaise.  We remarked in particular the places where poor Labedoyere and Marshal Ney are buried.  There is no tombstone on the former, but some shrubs have been planted, and a black wooden cross fixed to denote the spot where he lies.

To Marshal Ney there is a stone sepulchre with this inscription:  “Cy-git le Marechal Ney, Prince de la Moskowa.”  This cemetery is most beautifully laid out.  The multitude of tombs, the variety of inscriptions in prose and verse, some of which are very affecting, the yews, the willows, all render this a delightful spot for contemplation; it commands an extensive view of Paris and the surrounding country.  Foreigners of distinction who die in Paris are generally buried here; but it would require a volume to describe to you in detail this interesting cemetery.  I think the practice of strewing flowers over the grave is very touching and classic; it reminded me of the description of Marcellus’s death in Virgil: 

  ...  Manibus date lilia plenis.

We however strewed over the tombs of Labedoyere and Ney not lilies, but violets, for my friend Mrs W[allis], who was of our party, has a great aversion to the lily.