es Cavendish Greville. _Pro gratias
receptas nuper._ April 27, 1830.']

Took H. de Ros to see the Cenci and the skeleton friars, not
exactly birds of a feather; was obliged to squabble with the monk
to get a sight of my old friends the skeletons, who at last let
us in, but would not take any money, which I thought monks never
refused, but my _laquais de place_ said, 'Lo conosco bene, c'e
molto superbo.' Rode along the Via Appia and to Maxentius's
Circus.

[Page Head: ACCESSION OF THE EMPEROR NICHOLAS]

May 24th, 1830 {p.372}

Called on Sir William Gell at his eggshell of a house and pretty
garden, which he planted himself ten years ago, and calls it the
Boschetto Gellio. He was very agreeable, with stories of Pompeii,
old walls, and ruined cities, besides having a great deal to say
on living objects and passing events.

Dined with M. de la Ferronays--a great party--and was desired to
hand out Madame la Comtesse de Maistre, wife to the Comte Xavier
de Maistre, author of the 'Voyage autour de ma Chambre' and
'Le Lepreux,' to which works I gave a prodigious number of
compliments. The Dalbergs and Aldobrandinis dined there, and some
French whom I did not know. The Duc de Dalberg and his wife are a
perpetual source of amusement to me, she with her devotion and
believing everything, he with his air _moqueur_ and believing
nothing; she so merry, he so shrewd, and so they squabble
about religion. 'Qui est cet homme?' I said to him when a
ludicrous-looking abbe, broader than he was long, came into the
room. 'Que sais-je? quelque magot.' 'Ah, je m'en vais dire cela a
la Duchesse.' 'Ah, mon cher, n'allez pas me brouiller avec ma
famille.'

He had been talking to me about La Ferronays the day before, and
said he was a sensible, right-headed man, 'mais diablement
russe;' and last night La Ferronays gave us an account of the
revolt of the Guards on the Emperor Nicholas's accession, of
which he had been a witness--of the Emperor's firmness and
his subsequent conversations with him, all which was very
interesting, and he recounted it with great energy. He said
that the day after the affair of the Guards all the _Corps
Diplomatique_ had gone to him, that he had addressed them in an
admirable discourse and with a firm and placid countenance. He
told them that they had witnessed what had passed, and he had no
doubt would give a faithful relation of it to their several
Courts; that on dismissing them, he had taken hi