chere, vous etes perdue de
reputation, et pour jamais!"

To retrieve my lost reputation, I sat down to read Le Solitaire, and
as I read my amazement grew, and I did in "gaping wonderment abound,"
to think that fashion, like the insane root of old, had power to drive
a whole city mad with nonsense; for such a tissue of abominable
absurdities, bombast and blasphemy, bad taste and bad language, was
never surely indited by any madman, in or out of Bedlam: not Maturin
himself, that king of fustian,

"----ever wrote or borrowed
Any thing half so horrid!"

and this is the book which has turned the brains of half Paris, which
has gone through fifteen editions in a few weeks, which not to admire
is "_pitoyable_," and not to have read "_quelque chose d'inouie_."

The objects at Paris which have most struck me, have been those least
vaunted.

The view of the city from the Pont des Arts, to-night, enchanted me.
As every body who goes to Rome views the Coliseum by moonlight, so
nobody should leave Paris without seeing the effect from the Pont des
Arts, on a fine moonlight night:--

"Earth hath not any thing to show more fair."

It is singular I should have felt its influence at such a moment: it
appears to me that those who, from feeling too strongly, have learnt
to consider too deeply, become less sensible to the works of art, and
more alive to nature. Are there not times when we turn with
indifference from the finest picture or statue--the most improving
book--the most amusing poem; and when the very commonest, and
every-day beauties of nature, a soft evening, a lovely landscape, the
moon riding in her glory through a clouded sky, without forcing or
asking attention, sink into our hearts? They do not console,--they
sometimes add poignancy to pain; but still they have a power, and do
not speak in vain: they become a part of us; and never are we so
inclined to claim kindred with nature, as when sorrow has lent us her
mournful experience. At the time I felt this (and how many have felt
it as deeply, and expressed it better!) I did not _think_ it, still
less could I have _said it_; but I have pleasure in recording the past
impression. "On rend mieux compte de ce qu'on a senti que de ce qu'on
sent."

_September 8._--Paris is crowded with English; and I do not wonder at
it; it is, on the whole, a pleasant place to live in. I like Paris,
though I shall quit it without regret as soon as I have strength to
travel. H