Edward L. Pierce, Memoir and letters of Charles Sumner: volume 1

March 14. This morning the Ticknors left Paris for London; and sorry indeed was I to part with them, since their house has been as a home to me in Paris; and I have had their constant counsel and advice, and the results of their long travel and experience. It was with a heavy heart that I saw their carriage roll away. I felt solitary and sad, and endeavored to walk off my gloom by a long stroll; so I visited the churches of St. Eustache and St. Germain l'auxerrois, the Marche des Innocents, the house where Moliere was born, the Mazarine Library in the building of the Institute, and finally the exhibition of paintings of modern French artists in the Louvre. For two months of each year the old masters, crowned by the laurels of many generations, are veiled from view, and the vast gallery of the Louvre is devoted to the exhibition of paintings by living artists. Here was an immense assemblage, but how immeasurably below the old masters! Acres of canvas and paint literally spread themselves before the eye. In all this quantity I saw little that fixed my attention; and the verdict of others better instructed in the subject of paintings than myself has confirmed my untutored judgment. Spent a long evening with Foelix, talking French and law.

March 16 (Friday). Took the diligence this morning at eight o'clock for Versailles, there to attend a criminal trial and to view the palace. An acquaintance, which I have made among the advocates, invited me to be present at a trial in which he was to appear as counsel,¹ and which promised to be very peculiar and important. I was unwilling to let this occasion of commencing my initiation in French criminal procedure pass by. The court opened at ten o'clock. It was a room of quite moderate size, in a very ancient building which, at the same time, contained the prison. It was the Court of Assize, having three judges. The presiding judge, who sat in the middle, conducted the whole trial, neither of the other two once opening his mouth. He was dressed in robes of black and red, the side judges in robes of black; and all of them had high caps, which they wore or not, according to the inclination of the moment, during the trial. The Procureur-General for the district conducted the case on the part of the Government. The court entered with the jury in their train, and also with the prisoner between several of the police. The twelve persons of which the jury consisted had been drawn by the prisoner immediately before entering. A large number of the police, and also of the troops of the line, were in attendance. Three or four or even more of the police sat by the side of the prisoner. The arrangement of the court was entirely different from ours.²