disappointments. I
went to the Sorbonne to hear him lecture, not dreaming that the old
pedantic and theological character of those halls was strictly kept up
in these days of light. An old guardian of the inner temple seeing me
approach, had his speech all ready, and, manning the entrance, said,
with a disdainful air, before we had time to utter a word, "Monsieur
may enter if he pleases, but madame must remain here" (_i.e._, in
the court-yard). After some exclamations of surprise, I found an
alternative in the Hotel de Clugny, where I passed an hour very
delightfully, while waiting for my companion.

I was more fortunate in hearing Arago, and he justified all my
expectations. Clear, rapid, full, and equal, his discourse is worthy
its celebrity, and I felt repaid for the four hours one is obliged to
spend in going, in waiting, and in hearing, for the lecture begins at
half past one, and you must be there before twelve to get a seat, so
constant and animated is his popularity.

I was present on one good occasion, at the Academy,--the day that M.
Remusat was received there, in the place of Royer Collard. I looked
down, from one of the tribunes, upon the flower of the celebrities of
France; that is to say, of the celebrities which are authentic, _comme
il faut_. Among them were many marked faces, many fine heads; but,
in reading the works of poets, we always fancy them about the age of
Apollo himself, and I found with pain some of my favorites quite old,
and very unlike the company on Parnassus, as represented by Raphael.
Some, however, were venerable, even noble to behold.

The poorer classes have suffered from hunger this winter. All signs of
this are kept out of sight in Paris. A pamphlet called "The Voice of
Famine," stating facts, though in a tone of vulgar and exaggerated
declamation, was suppressed as soon as published. While Louis Philippe
lives, the gases may not burst up to flame, but the need of radical
measures of reform is strongly felt in France; and the time will come,
before long, when such will be imperatively demanded.

FOURIER.

The doctrines of Fourier are making progress, and wherever they
spread, the necessity of some practical application of the precepts of
Christ, in lieu of the mummeries of a worn-out ritual, cannot fail
to be felt. The more I see of the terrible ills which infest the body
politic of Europe, the more indignation I feel at the selfishness
or stupidity of those in my own