ssed, and yet the whole
had a simple, lady-like, appearance. She wore a magnificent tiara of
diamonds, and large circular diamond ear rings: but it was her _necklace_,
composed of the largest and choicest of the same kind of precious stones,
which flashed a radiance on the eyes of the beholder, that could scarcely
be exceeded even in the court-circles of St. Petersburg. Her hair was
quietly and most becomingly dressed; and with a small white fan in her
hand, which she occasionally opened and shut, she saluted, and discoursed
with, each visitor, as gracefully and as naturally as if she had been
accustomed to the ceremony from her earliest youth. Her dark eyes surveyed
each figure, quickly, from head to foot--while ...

"_Favours_ to none, to all she _smiles_ extends."

Among the gentlemen, I observed a young man of a very prepossessing form
and manners--having seven orders, or marks of distinction hanging from his
button-holes. Every body seemed anxious to exchange a word with him; and he
might be at farthest in his thirtieth year. I could not learn his name, but
I learnt that his _character_ was quite in harmony with his _person_: that
he was gay, brave, courteous and polite: that his courage knew no bounds:
that he would storm a citadel, traverse a morass, or lead on to a charge,
with equal coolness, courage, and intrepidity: that repose and inaction
were painful to him--but that humanity to the unfortunate, and the most
inflexible attachment to relations and friends, formed, equally,
distinctive marks of his character. This intelligence quite won my heart in
favour of the stranger, then standing and smiling immediately before me;
and I rejoiced that the chivalrous race of the _Peterboroughs_ was not yet
extinct, but had taken root, and "borne branch and flower," in the soil of
Suabia.

When it came to my turn to be addressed, the king at once asked--"if I had
not been much gratified with the books in the Public Library, and
particularly with two _ancient editions_ of Virgil?" I merely indicated an
assent to the truth of this remark, waiting for the conclusion to be drawn
from the premises. "There has been some mention made to me (resumed his
Majesty) about a proposed exchange on the part of Lord Spencer, for these
two ancient editions, which appear to be wanting in his Lordship's
magnificent collection. For my part, I see no objection to the final
arrangement of this business--if it can be settled upon terms sati