12 _fevrier_, 1852.

The visit must have been mutually satisfactory, for it was repeated two or
three times, and they found her simple, "without a shade of affectation or
consciousness." Another pleasure they had was in meeting Lamartine, who
took the initiative in asking to be allowed to call on them. After their
arrival in Paris Carlyle passed several evenings with them, and Mrs.
Browning felt, with her husband, that he was one of the most interesting
of men, "highly picturesque" in conversation. Her sympathetic insight gave
her always the key and the clue to character, and perhaps no one ever read
Carlyle more truly than she, when she interpreted his bitterness only as
melancholy, and his scorn as sensibility.

The Brownings had not been long in Paris before they were invited to a
reception at Lady Elgin's, where they met Madame Mohl, who at once
cordially urged their coming to her "evenings," to meet her French
celebrities. Lady Elgin was domiciled in the old Faubourg Saint Germain,
and received every Monday evening from eight to twelve, _sans facon_,
people being in morning dress, and being served with simple refreshment of
tea and cakes. Lady Elgin expressed the hope that the Brownings would come
to her on every one of these evenings, Mrs. Browning said that she had
expected "to see Balzac's duchesses and _hommes de lettres_ on all sides,"
but she found it less notable, though very agreeable. The elder Browning
and his daughter pay a visit to them, greatly to Mrs. Browning's
enjoyment. At this time they half contemplated living permanently in
Paris, if it seemed that Mrs. Browning could endure the climate, and she
records, during the visit of her husband's father and sister, that if they
do remain in Paris they hope to induce these beloved members of the family
to also establish themselves there. As it turned out, the Brownings passed
only this one winter in the French capital, but the next spring Mr.
Browning (_pere_) and his daughter Sarianna took up their residence in
Paris, where they remained during the remainder of his life. Mrs. Browning
was always deeply attached to her husband's sister. "Sarianna is full of
accomplishment and admirable sense," she wrote of her, and the visit of
both gave her great pleasure. The _coup d'etat_ took place early in
December, but they felt no alarm. Mrs. Browning expressed her great faith
in the French people, and declared the talk about "military despotism" to
be all nonse