rs
afford evidence that he was once surrounded by comparative affluence and
respectability. A picture of his deceased wife hung over the chimney-piece.
The back-ground evinced a gaily furnished apartment. "Yes, Sir, (said
M.W.--on observing that I noticed it) such was _once_ my room, and its
_chief ornament_"--Of course I construed the latter to be his late wife.
"Alas! (resumed he) in better days, I had six splendid cabinets filled with
curiosities. I have now--not a single one! Such is life." He admitted that
his publication brought him a very trifling profit; and that, out of his
own country, he considered the _London_ market as the most advantageous to
him. A large broken phial, containing water and a fleur-de-lis in full
bloom, was the only, ornament of his mantle piece. "Have you no curiosities
of any kind--(said I to him) for sale?" "None--" replied he; but he had
_drawings_ of a few. "Have the kindness to shew me some of these
drawings"--and forthwith appeared the case and _pocket-knife of Diane de
Poictiers_, drawn from the original by Langlois. "Where is the original?"
observed I, hastily. "Ha, Sir, you are not singular in your question. A
nobleman of your country was almost losing his wits because he could not
purchase it:--and yet, this original was once to be obtained for _twenty
louis_!" I confess I was glad to obtain the drawing of Langlois for two
napoleons. It is minutely and prettily executed, and apparently with great
fidelity.

M. Willemin proceeded to shew me a few more drawings for his national work,
telling me precisely what he _meant_, and what he did _not_ mean, to
publish. His own drawings with a pen are, some of them, of a masterly
execution; and although of a less brilliant and less classical style than
those of LE NOIR, M. Willemin is still an artist of whom his country will
always have reason to be proud. I bought several drawings of him.[192] One
represents the sculptured figures upon the outside of the _grand portal_ of
the _Cathedral of Chartres._ These figures seem to be of the thirteenth
century. The other drawing is of a rich piece of _fayence_, or of painted
and glazed earthenware dish, and about the middle of the sixteenth century:
of which I remember to have seen some very curious specimens at Denon's.
But nothing can be more singular, and at the same time more beautiful of
its kind, than the present specimen--supposed to be the work of the famous
Bernard Palissy. Paris is full of s