eHotel de Vouillemont Rue des
Champs Elysees July 25. 1859
Sunday.
My dearest Frances,
I handed a letter for you to Hugh
Hastings who will sail in the Persia on Wednesday
next. He also takes my court sword which I
thought Fanny might like to keep as a souvenir.
I hope that she will live long enough to
see England renounce the absurd etiquette of
requiring a sword to be worn as a badge
of a gentleman.
Yesterday morning I went to the
Louvre. My only previous visit to that great
museum of paintings was made twenty six
years ago and lasted only one hour. Short
as it was it sufficed to instruct me in regard
to the Art so that I have been ever since
able to distinguish a good work from a
bad one, and one school from another. Yes-
terday I assigned the day. I gazed with
intent and delight on the treasures of every
modern age and school, and began to be

2
able to
distinguish the
hands of the different
masters of the same school.
I ceased only when I could
stand no longer. I think I was on
my feet four hours. I think that the
pictures which satisfied me best, were Murillos
heads, Claudes landscapes and Flemish scenes
Those which satisfied me least were Historical pieces of
Grecian and Roman subjects. Allegorical paintings which
require a Key and battle scenes which I have no
love for. At night I attended the Opera Comique
Society in Europe is full of paradoxes. England is
a free country, yet the division of ranks is painfully
apparent on every side. France lives under a military
despotism - yet the equality of the people is as great
as in the United States. Who shall account for this?
Perhaps the truth is that the first Republic achieved
the great ends of equality in society and political
equality in political rights, leaving freedom
yet to be attained. Does this
portend that a bloody revolu-
tion must occur in
England before
Equality

3
can be secured in addition to the liberty
already enjoyed.
Paris is full of Americans. I dine to day
with the Grinnells, who are at housekeep-
ing here. I have just met Mrs Thayer
of Boston who is leaving town for London.
The Americans constitute a society of their
own here, and affiliate remarkably.
I have spent several hours already on returning
their visits.
All the business of Paris seems diminutive
in comparison with that of London or of
New York. The shops are infinitely busy
but the merchandise seems chiefly to
consist of articles for the supply of the
present wants of a gay people.
Most of our countrymen arriving here become
Napoleonists. They dwell with delight in
his improvements of the city and its thousand
monuments. They forget that even if he is now
so fine and good that all the advantages
of the system depend on the caprice of one

4
man not to
speak of the caprice
of fortune in regard to him.
For myself I think France
is unfortunately too bad for a better
system, and yet quite too good for this
one. I do not yet hear from S Mr Sartiges. I
had a very kind letter from Lady Napier last night.