nce, of any gentleman I ever saw. The first time I saw
him I was prejudiced in his favor, for his countenance commands your
good opinion: it is animated, intelligent, sensible, affable, and
without being perfectly beautiful, is most perfectly agreeable; add to
this a fine figure, and who can fail in being charmed with the Baron de
Stael? He lives in a grand hotel, and his suite of apartments, his
furniture, and his table, are the most elegant of anything I have seen.
Although you dine upon plate in every noble house in France, I cannot
say that you may see your face in it; but here the whole furniture of
the table was burnished, and shone with regal splendor. Seventy thousand
livres in plate will make no small figure; and that is what his Majesty
gave him. The dessert was served on the richest china, with knives,
forks, and spoons of gold. As you enter his apartments, you pass through
files of servants into his ante-chamber, in which is a throne covered
with green velvet, upon which is a chair of state, over which hangs the
picture of his royal master. These thrones are common to all ambassadors
of the first order, as they are immediate representatives of the king.
Through this ante-chamber you pass into the grand salon, which is
elegantly adorned with architecture, a beautiful lustre hanging from the
middle. Settees, chairs, and hangings of the richest silk, embroidered
with gold; marble slabs upon Muted pillars, round which wreaths of
artificial flowers in gold entwine. It is usual to find in all houses of
fashion, as in this, several dozens of chairs, all of which have stuffed
backs and cushions, standing in double rows round the rooms. The
dining-room was equally beautiful, being hung with Gobelin tapestry, the
colors and figures of which resemble the most elegant painting. In this
room were hair-bottom mahogany-backed chairs, and the first I have seen
since I came to France. Two small statues of a Venus de Medicis, and a
Venus de ---- (ask Miss Paine for the other name), were upon the
mantelpiece. The latter, however, was the most modest of the kind,
having something like a loose robe thrown partly over her. From the
Swedish Ambassador's we went to visit the Duchess d'Enville, who is
mother to the Duke de Rochefoucault. We found the old lady sitting in an
easy-chair; around her sat a circle of Academicians, and by her side a
young lady. Your uncle presented us, and the old lady rose, and, as
usual, gave us a salute.