him with
reproaches, and it required the exercise of all his diplomatic skill to
allay the storm he had raised. The affair became the general topic of
conversation at Paris; and when, the day after the event, the Prince
waited on Louis the Eighteenth on affairs of state, the King, who loved
a joke, congratulated him on the unexpected arrival of Madame la
Princesse.

Prince Talleyrand felt the sarcasm, and noticed it by one of those
smiles so peculiar to him--a shake of the head and shrug of the
shoulders, while he uttered "_Que voulez-vous, Sire, chacun a son vingt
Mars_?" referring to the unexpected arrival of the Emperor Napoleon.

I have been reading _Yes and No_, a very clever and, interesting novel
from the pen of Lord Normanby. His writings evince great knowledge of
the world, the work-o'-day world, as well as the _beau monde_; yet
there is no bitterness in his satire, which is always just and happily
pointed. His style, too, is easy, fluent, and polished, without being
disfigured by the slightest affectation or pedantry.

Had a long visit to-day from Dr. P----, who has lent me the works of
Bichat and Broussais, which he recommends me to read. He is a most
agreeable companion, and as vivacious as if he was only twenty. He
reminds me sometimes of my old friend Lady Dysart, whose juvenility of
mind and manner always pleased as much as it surprised me.

Old people like these appear to forget, as they are forgotten by, time;
and, like trees marked to be cut down, but which escape the memory of
the marker, they continue to flourish though the lines traced for their
destruction are visible.

The more I see of Count Waleski the more I am pleased with him. He has
an acute mind, great quickness of perception, and exceedingly good
manners. I always consider it a good sign of a young man to be partial
to the society of the old, and I observe that Count Waleski evinces a
preference for that of men old enough to be his father. People are not
generally aware of the advantages which agreeable manners confer, and
the influence they exercise over society. I have seen great abilities
fail in producing the effect accomplished by prepossessing manners,
which are even more serviceable to their owner than is a fine
countenance, that best of all letters of recommendation.

Half the unpopularity of people proceeds from a disagreeable manner;
and though we may be aware of the good qualities of persons who have
this defect, we cann