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[305] entendront fort bien. Montrez au premier, ces petites pages que nous avons écrites sur ce sujet, en nous separant.1

Vous arrivez á laepoque la plus critique de nos discussions parlementaires: en dehors du cercle de ces interets, vous jugerez sainement, avec un esprit degage de l'influence des partis. Mandez moi vos jugements, vos presages, et vos relations de societe.

Adieu, mon jeune ami. Je vous envoie tous les sentiments, et les benedictions de l'amitie.

M. L.

Mon cousin se chargera de vous introduire pres de M. de Chateaubriand, à qui vous offrirez tous mes souvenirs. Lui et Benjamin Constant, places aux deux extremites de la ligne, combattent avec une égale ardeur, et de grands talents.

From the Duke de Laval.

Madrid, 18 Janvier, 1819.
2Vous ne doutez pas plus, de l'interet que m'a inspire votre lettre, du 18 Decembre, de Paris, que de la constance de mon amitie, mon cher Ticknor. J'ai éte charm d'apprendre la rapidite de votre voyage, et tout le succes de votre expedition.

Comme vous êtes encore dans le cas qu'on vous applique cette hemistiche à Enee: Vastum marts oequor arandum, votre derniere navigation, vous donnera courage pour retourner home.

Tout ce que vous m'avez mande, de vos premiers apercus à Paris, sont deja de vieilles reflexions pour l'histoire; et le theatre est deja bien change; c'est un autre probleme sous vos yeux. Shakespeare dit, que l'on joue toujours la meme piece; et qu'il n'y a que les acteurs qui varient. Vous, qui naetes pas dans le cercle de ces interets,


1 These were manuscript notes, written by each and exchanged, of which the Duke de Laval's part was preserved among Mr. Ticknor's papers.

2

Translation: You no more doubt the interest your letter of the 18th December from Paris excited in me, than the constancy of my friendship, my dear Ticknor. I was delighted to hear of the rapidity of your journey, and the entire success of your expedition. As you are still in a position to have applied to you this stanza applied to Aeneas, Vastum maris oequor arandum, your late voyage will give you courage for returning home.

All that you have given me of your first views of Paris are already antiquated reflections fit for history, and the theatre is already changed; another problem is before your eyes. Shakespeare says it is always the same piece played, only the actors change. You who do not belong in the circle of these interests can contemplate all these things as a philosopher, and regard them as tragedy or as farce according to your fancy, according to the prism through which you look on them. Your friendship, which has, no doubt, as good a memory as your mind, will send me new conclusions. We never judge better than when we can place ourselves on the height of impartiality. You meet, you associate with very influential personages of the centre, and of both extremes. Here all our habits of gayety, our amusements, are transformed into gloomy sadness. We are wrapped in black crepe, and nothing is left to cheer us but a gallop, usually in the pretty meadow on the banks of the Mancaneres, with Lady Georgina, who is quite charming. It was there that we often rode together, busy with many matters; there, that you always exhibited your excellent nature and your vast erudition. Our Caesar seems to have abandoned this exercise. Since he has become charge d'affaires he has grown too grave for us. I had more sympathy with the gentleness of your character, and your singular modesty. The gentlemen of the Embassy send you many compliments, and I beg you to offer an ancient hereditary homage to the pretty Duchesse de Broglie, who now, I think, disdains my remembrance. Preserve for me the fidelity of your friendship, and of your device, Coelum non animum, and accept the assurance of my tender sentiments.

M. L.

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