hich the agility peculiar to youth formerly
enabled her to execute almost _con amore_; while the haggard face, and
distorted smile revealing yellow teeth, tell a sad tale of departed
youth. Yes, an old _danseuse_ is a melancholy object; more so, because
less cared for, than the broken-down racer, or worn-out hunter.

Went to Tivoli last night, and was amused by the scene of gaiety it
presented. How unlike, and how superior to, our Vauxhall! People of all
stations, of all ages, and of both sexes, threading the mazy dance with
a sprightliness that evinced the pleasure it gave them.

We paused to look at group after group, all equally enjoying
themselves; and the Duchesse de Guiche, from her perfect knowledge of
Paris, was enabled, by a glance, to name the station in life occupied
by each: a somewhat difficult task for a stranger, as the remarkably
good taste of every class of women in Paris in dress, precludes those
striking contrasts between the appearance of a _modiste_ and a
_marquise_, the wife of a _boutiquier_ and a _duchesse_, to be met with
in all other countries.

But it is not in dress alone that a similarity exists in the exteriors
of Parisian women. The air _comme il faut_, the perfect freedom from
all _gaucherie_, the ease of demeanour, the mode of walking, and, above
all, the decent dignity equally removed from _mauvaise honte_ and
effrontery, appertain nearly alike to all. The class denominated
_grisettes_ alone offered an exception, as their demonstrations of
gaiety, though free from boisterousness, betrayed stronger symptoms of
hilarity than were evinced by women belonging to a more elevated class
in society.

The dancing, too, surprised as well as pleased me; and in this
accomplishment the French still maintain their long-acknowledged
superiority, for among the many groups I did not see a single bad
dancer.

Around one quadrille party a more numerous audience was collected than
around the others, and the _entrechats_ of one of the gentlemen were
much applauded. Nods and smiles passing between the dancers and the
Duchesse de Guiche, revealed to me that they were among the circle of
her acquaintance; and, approaching nearer, I recognised in the
gentleman whose _entrechats_ were so much admired, my new acquaintance
the Marquis l'Esperance de l'Aigle, of whose excellence in the mazy
dance I now had an opportunity of seeing that Fame had not said too
much.

The ladies who formed the quadrille were la