wit
and learning, and had accordingly admitted Voltaire amongst the number
of her household gods; the arch old cynic, with his deathlike sarcastic
face, admirably represented, by a small whole length porcelain statue,
occupied the centre of her chimney piece. Upon finding that I was
disposed to remain in town, she recommended me to a restaurateur, in the
gardens of the Thuilleries, one of the first eating houses in Paris, for
society, and entertainment, to the master of which she sent her servant,
with my name, to inform him, that she had recommended an english
gentleman of her acquaintance to his house, and requested that an
english servant in his service might attend to me, when I dined there.
This was a little valuable civility, truly french. This house has been
lately built under the auspices of the first consul, from a design,
approved of by his own exquisite taste; he has permitted the entrance to
open into the gardens of the consular palace. The whole is from a model
of one of the little palaces of the Herculaneum, it is upon a small
scale, built of a fine white stone, it contains a centre, with a
portico, supported by doric pillars, and two long wings. The front is
upon the terrace of the gardens, and commands an enchanting view of all
its beautiful walks and statues. On the ground floor the house is
divided into three long and spacious apartments, opening into each other
through centre arches, and which are redoubled upon the view by immense
pier glasses at each end. The first room is for dinner parties, the next
for ices, and the third for coffee. In the middle is a flying
staircase, lined on each side with orange trees, which ascends into a
suite of upper dinner rooms, all of which are admirably painted after
the taste of the Herculaneum, and are almost lined with costly pier
glasses.

My fair countrywomen would perhaps be a little surprised to be told,
that elegant women, of the first respectability, superbly dressed for
the promenade, dine here with their friends in the public room, a custom
which renders the scene delightful, and removes from it the accustomed
impressions of grossness. Upon entering, the guest is presented with a
dinner chart, handsomely printed, enumerating the different dishes
provided for that day, with their respective prices affixed. All the
people who frequent this place are considered highly respectable. The
visitor is furnished with ice for his water decanters, with the best
atten