152 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XIII. houfe, and the celebrated bed of his lady, who was then in London. 3 The little vanities and eccentricities of this elegant and hofpitable woman, will find immediate forgivenefs, when it is known that fhe is now very young, and was married, when a fpoiled child of the age of fourteen to her prefent husband. She is one of Davids's most enthufiaftic admirers, and has carried the rage for Grecian undrefs, to an extremity, which, ev❤ en in the capital, left her without a follower. In the public walks of the Champ Elyfees, flie one evening presented herself in a drefs which almost rivalled the robes of Paradife; the Parifians, who are remarkable for their politeness to women, and are not remarkable for fcrupulous fentiments of delicacy,. were fo difpleafed with her appearance, that they made a lane to the entrance for her, and expelled the modern Eve from the Elyfian Fields, not with a "flaming fword of wrath," but with hiffes foftly uttered, and by gentle tokens of polite difapprobation. She tells her friends, that her cabinet is crowded with letters of the moft impaffioned love, from perfons of the first fame, diftinction, and opulence. In her parties, when converfation begins to paufe, fhe introduces fome of thefe melting epiftles, which fhe is faid to read with a bewitching pathos, and never fails to close the fond recital by expreffions of the tendereft pity for the fufferings of their ill-ftarred authors. She has declared, that fome of her lovers equal thes ABOASTS AND MIX AA30] Belvidere Apollo in beauty, but that she never has yet feen that being, who was perfect enough to be entitled to the poffeffion of her affections. Do not fmile. Madame R is a difciple of Diana, even flander pays inceffant homage to her chastity. Rumor has whispered, in every corner of Paris, that her husband is only admitted to the honor of fupplying the finances of her fplendid and coftly establishment. Madame R has not yet produced any of the beautiful, and eloquent arguments of Cornelia, to difprove the ftrange affertion. Her chamber, which constitutes one of the fights of Paris, and which, after what has been juft mentioned, may be juftly confidered, in or out of France, as a great curiofity, is fitted up in a style of confiderable taste, and even magnificence. The bed upon which this charming statue reposes, is a fuperb fofa, raised upon a pedestal, the afcent to which is by a flight of cedar fteps, on each fide are altars, on which are placed Herculaneum vafes of flowers, and a large antique lamp of gold; the back of the bed is formed by an immenfe pier glåfs, and the curtains, which are of the moft coftly muflia, feftooned with golden taffels, defcend in beautiful drapery from a floral crown of gold. It is faid that the late emperor of Ruffia, after the laborious and fuccefsful diplomatic intrigues of Meffrs. Talleyrand and Sieyes, and a certain lady, became enamored, by defcription, with the immaculate goddefs of Mont Blanc, and that he fent confidential commi We hoopa caval and is emot de boutout BOKAA WI fioners to Paris, to report her daily drefs, and to of der copies of her furniture. The ftory may be believed, when the hero of it was well known to be fully qualified for one of the deepest dungeons of a madhoufe. I hope, for the fake of fociety, and the repofe of the world, that the reft of Madame R -'s admirers have not united to their paffion the bewildered imagination which fatally distinguished, and finally clofed the career of her imperial lover. Mr. R is very polite to the English, and his letters enfure the greatest attentions wherever they are produced. From Mont Blanc I proceeded to the Hotel de Caramand, the refidence of the British Ambaffador, to whom I had a letter of introduction, from a particular friend of his, and who received me with great politenefs. His apartments were handsome, and looked into fome beautiful gardens. Amongst the English, who were at this time in Paris, a little prejudice exifted against the reprefentative of the British monarch, { from a reafon, which within the jurifdiction of the lord mayor of London and of most corporate towns in England, will be confidered to carry confiderable weight. The envoy did not celebrate the late birth day of his fovereign by a jolly, and convivial dinner.. The fact was, Mr. M, who by the fudden re-g turn of Mr. J-, became unexpectedly invefted i with the dignity of an ambaffador, was in c in conftant CHAP. XIII. IN FRANCE. 155 expectation of being recalled, to make room for the intended appointment of lord W to the confular court, in confequence of which, he had not prepared for the difplay of thofe fplendid hofpitalities, which, on fuch occafions, always diftinguish the table of a British houfe of embaffy. On a Sunday evening, I went with a party to Tivoli, a favorite place of amufement with the Parifians. At the entrance we found, as at all the public places, a guard of horfe, and foot. The admiffion is twenty fols. The evening was very fine. We paffed immenfe crowds of people, who were 2 flocking to the fame place. Amongst them were many elegant, well dreffed women, wholly unattended by gentlemen, a circumftance by no means unufual in Paris. This place feemed to be raised by the magic touch of enchantment. We entered upon gravelled walks, which were cut through little winding and interfecting hillocks of box; thofe which formed the fides were furmounted by orange trees, which presented a beautiful colonnade; immediately after we had paffed them, we entered an elegant treillage of honeyfuckles, roses, and eglantine, which formed the grand entrance to the garden. Here a moft animated fcene of feftivity opened upon us. On one fide were rope dancers, people riding at the ring, groups of perfons playing at fhuttlecock, which feemed to be the favorite, and I may add, the most ridiculous diverfion; on the other fide, were dancers, tumblers, mountebanks, and parties all with gay countenances, feated in little bowers enjoying lemonade and ices. In the centre as we advanced, were about three hundred people, who were dancing the favorite waltz. This dance was brought from Germany, where, from its nature, the partners are always engaged lovers; but the French, who think that nothing can be blamable which is fufceptible of elegance, have introduced the German dance, without adhering to the German regulation The attitudes of the waltz are very graceful, but they would not altogether accord with English female notions of delicacy. At a late fashionable Parisian ball, a gentleman present was requested by the lady of the houfe, to waltz with a friend of hers, who was without a partner. The perfon of this neglected fair, was a little inclined to the meagre. The gallant, without the least embarraffinent, declined obferving, "Ah! "C ma chere Madame qu'exigez vous de moi, ne favez "vous pas qu'elle n'a point de fein ?" In the middle of the platform of the dancers, a very fine full band was playing. At the end of this raised stage, a very capacious Indian marquee was erected, which was beautifully illuminated with variegated lamps, and under its broad canopy, a large concourfe of people was feated, fome were enjoying converfation, fome were playing at buillotte, drinking coffee, &c. behind this building, was a noble Corinthian temple, from the doors of which, were covered trellis walks, leading to fpacious gardens, which were formed to dif |