nd strong passions, but
not in the least coarse; the complexion olive, and the air of the
whole head Spanish (as indeed she was born at Madrid, and is only on
one side of French blood). All these I saw at a glance; but what fixed
my attention was the expression of _goodness_, nobleness, and power
that pervaded the whole,--the truly human heart and nature that shone
in the eyes. As our eyes met, she said, "C'est vous," and held out her
hand. I took it, and went into her little study; we sat down a moment;
then I said, "Il me fait de bien de vous voir," and I am sure I said
it with my whole heart, for it made me very happy to see such a woman,
so large and so developed in character, and everything that _is_ good
in it so _really_ good. I loved, shall always love her.

She looked away, and said, "Ah! vous m'avez ecrit une lettre
charmante." This was all the preliminary of our talk, which then went
on as if we had always known one another.... Her way of talking is
just like her writing,--lively, picturesque, with an undertone of deep
feeling, and the same happiness in striking the nail on the head every
now and then with a blow.... I heartily enjoyed the sense of so rich,
so prolific, so ardent a genius. I liked the woman in her, too, very
much; I never liked a woman better.... For the rest, she holds her
place in the literary and social world of France like a man, and seems
full of energy and courage in it. I suppose she has suffered much, but
she has also enjoyed and done much.

AMERICANS ABROAD IN EUROPE

From 'At Home and Abroad'

The American in Europe, if a thinking mind, can only become more
American. In some respects it is a great pleasure to be here. Although
we have an independent political existence, our position toward Europe
as to literature and the arts is still that of a colony, and one feels
the same joy here that is experienced by the colonist in returning to
the parent home. What was but picture to us becomes reality; remote
allusions and derivations trouble no more; we see the pattern of the
stuff, and understand the whole tapestry. There is a gradual clearing
up on many points, and many baseless notions and crude fancies are
dropped. Even the post-haste passage of the business American through
the great cities, escorted by cheating couriers and ignorant _valets
de place_, unable to hold intercourse with the natives of the country,
and passing all his leisure hours with his countrymen, who kno