George Ticknor, Life, letters and journals of George Ticknor
George Hillard, Ed.

[372] father, Louis Philippe, and the Duc—who, you know, has the immense Conde fortune—has filled it up with rare and curious books, inherited pictures, manuscripts, etc., etc., all arranged with admirable taste, so that it is like a beautiful museum. This is inside; outside, an English lawn of many acres, with flower-beds and groups of trees scattered all over it, slopes down to the Thames, and leaves nothing to desire; while belts of wood, that look like a forest, exclude whatever would be disagreeable in the neighborhood.

We had for company Sir John Simeon, Van De Weyer, Milman, Hawtrey, Lord Dufferin, etc., etc. The breakfast—at twelve and a half—was, in fact, a dinner of great luxury and many courses . . . . But it did not occupy much above an hour, and then we went out upon the lawn, walked about, talked gayly, smoked, went into the orangery, greenhouses, and one or two other buildings, which are made repositories for works of art and curiosities.

The Duc is very agreeable, and in rare books one of the most knowing men in England, collecting them with care and at great cost, and cataloguing them with curious notes himself. . . . .

By four o'clock we were in town again, and I went to a matinee at Lady Theresa Lewis's. It was music. The large saloon was full, . . . . the Milmans, Lady Head, Lord and Lady Morley, Mrs. Edward Villiers and her three pretty daughters, Hayward, etc. . . . .

I was now—as you may suppose—well tired, and took a good rest . . . . At half past 8 or nine o'clock—for it comes to that nowadays—I dined with Mr. Bates, and met Sparks and his wife, Cary,—a sensible M. P.,—Sir Gore Ouseley and Lady Ouseley, and a Count and Countess Somebody from Brussels. . . . .

I finished the evening at Lady Palmerston's; that is, I was there from eleven to one, and saw great numbers of distinguished people,— Lord Aberdeen, Mad. de Castiglione,—with her hair creped, and built up as high as it used to be in the time of Louis XV., and powdered and full of ribbons,—the Argylls, the Laboucheres, Lord Clarendon, and most of the ministers, . . . . and ever so many more. Mr. Dallas was there, and introduced me diligently to foreign ambassadors, both Christian and heathen, and to General Williams, the hero of Kars, for which last I was much obliged to him, as the General is a most agreeable person. Lord Palmerston was uncommonly civil. . . . . But I was glad when it was over, I was so tired, though Milnes and Lord Wensleydale thought it was very American to go home so early.

I was, however, richly paid for it, . . . . for on the table in the entry lay, most unexpectedly, dear Lizzie's charming letter of July 6