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

To-night was his first soiree for the season, and I found his rooms filled with books, curiosities, and interesting people. Among those I was most glad to see, and with whom I chiefly talked, were Aime Martin, the editor of Moliere, who was outrageous in his ignorance of America; and Ternaux,¹ whose acquaintance I made diligently, because Fauriel tells me he has one of the finest libraries of Spanish literature in the world. It was more of a meeting for learned men than any I have seen in Paris.

December 26.—I spent an hour this morning with Mignet, at the Affaires Étrangeres, where, since 1830, he has had a comfortable and agreeable office at the head of the Archives. Considering the part he took in the Revolution, and the length of time that has elapsed since he published his History, he looks to me very young. In fact, he does not seem to be thirty-five years old; but he must be older, and is one of the finest-looking men I have seen in France. He is, too, acute, and has winning manners. I do not wonder, therefore, that he is popular. This morning, after some general conversation, he was curious to learn from me any particulars I could give him about Mr. Edward Livingston, on whom it is his duty, as Secretary of the Academy of Moral Sciences, to pronounce an éloge next spring.

Count Balbo, who is here from Turin, on account of the death of Villeneuve, father of his late wife, dined with me; and we had a great deal of agreeable talk upon old matters and old recollections, as well as upon things passing.

Afterwards I went with him to see Mad. de Pastoret, the Mad. de Fleury of Miss Edgeworth.² She is, of course, much altered since I knew her in 1818-19; but she is well, and able to devote herself, as she always has done, to works of most faithful and wise charity. Her fortune, and that of her family, is large; but being Carlists, and sincerely and conscientiously so, they gave up offices in 1830, to the aggregate amount of 180,000 francs a year, including the dignity of Chancellor of France. The Marquis de Pastoret is now the legal guardian of the Duke de Bordeaux,³ though from his great age the duties of the office are chiefly exercised by his son, the Count. Once a week, however, he holds publicly, in his hotel, a Council on the