her young advocate
pleaded very well. They both touched, though rather slightly, on the
state of the country; but it was left to Mr Ayeau, the most celebrated
pleader in criminal trials, and a zealous royalist, to develope the real
condition of France, at the time of this last conscription. His speech
was short, but I think it was the most energetic, and the most eloquent
I ever heard. He began in an extraordinary manner, which at once shewed
the scope of his argument, and secured him the attention of every one
present--"Gentlemen, if that pest of society, from whom it has pleased
God to release us, was a usurper and a tyrant, it was lawful to resist
him. If Louis the XVIII. was our legitimate prince, it was lawful to
fight for him." He then shewed, in a most ingenious argument, that the
prisoners at the bar had done no more than this. Some parts of his
speech were exceedingly beautiful. He ended by saying, that "he dared
the Judges to condemn to death those who would have died for "_Louis le
desire_."--It is generally thought here, that they will all be
pardoned.

The situation of the town of Aix, and the scenery in the valley, is
truly beautiful. It is now the middle of December, yet the air is even
warmer, I think, than with us in summer. We sit with open windows, and
when we walk, the heat of the sun is even oppressive. The flowers in the
little gardens in the valley are in full bloom; and the other day we
found the blue scented violet, and observed the strawberries in blossom.
The fields are quite green, and the woods still retain their variegated
foliage. When the mistral (a species of north-west wind, peculiar to
this climate), blows, it is certainly cold; but since our arrival, we
have only twice experienced this chilling interruption to the general
beauty and serenity of our weather. The scenery in the interior of the
hills which surround the valley, is very romantic; and the little grassy
paths which lead through them, are so dry, that our party have had
several delightful expeditions into the hills. Many of our French
friends, although probably themselves no admirers of the country,
profess themselves so fond of English society, that they insist upon
accompanying us; and it is curious to witness the artificial French
manners, and the noisy volubility of French, tongues introduced into
those retired and beautiful scenes, which, in our own country, we
associate with the simplicity and innocence of rural life.