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

[130] to the theatre rather than to real life. After dinner I talked a long time with him about Vienna, Prince Metternich, etc., and found him very amusing. Nothing, however, of his conversation indicates in him the author of the; ‘Histoire de la Fronde,’ while in de Barante it is quite different. Afterwards Count Montalembert, Tourgueneff, Villemain, and a crowd of other people came in, as it was grande reception, and I came home . . . .

February 3.—I divided the evening between the Princess Belgiojoso's and the Duchess de Rauzan's; both their saloons were full. In both, too, I found Berryer, the leader of the Carlists in the Chamber of Deputies, and their most able agent and defender in France. He talked well. Before I knew who he was, I had a long conversation with him, Mignet, and the Princess, on the present state of the French theatre, and was much struck with his acuteness. But the hours kept at these fashionable places are intolerable . . . .

February 5.—I dined to-day at Baron De Gerando's, with a tolerably large party of men of letters, whom he had asked to meet me, or at least he had asked Fauriel and one or two others on my account; Patin, the Professor of Latin at the College de France, the remplacant of Villemain; Droz, of the Academy of Moral Sciences, etc. The talk was, of course, all on literary subjects, and Fauriel was clearly the first spirit at table. In the evening, it being De Gerando's reception evening, a crowd came in; members of the Institute, peers, deputies, and men of letters in abundance. At ten I went to the de Broglies', where I found only Guizot and four or five others, and had a most agreeable time. . . . .

February 6.—This evening I went with Mignet, and was introduced at Thiers' house. He lives in a good deal of splendor, with his father-in-law, the banker Dosne, and his rooms to-night were full, chiefly of deputies, among whom, however, I distinguished no considerable notabilitye, except Marshal Maison and the Count Montalembert, who is of the Chamber of Peers. However, I went only to see Thiers, and looked but little about me. He is a short man, wearing spectacles, a little gray-headed, though hardly above forty years old, and with a very natural and earnest, but somewhat nervous manner. He talked to me for half an hour, wholly about his projected history of Florence to the time of Cosmo dea Medici, and talked with great spirit and knowledge. He intends it as a development of the character of the Middle Ages, and means to divide it into four parts, viz. Political History, History of the Laws and Constitution, History of the Commune, and History of the Arts and Letters. Thiers, I ought