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Thursday July 28
I spent
the morning yesterday
with Jerome Bonaparte
of Baltimore, who concentra-
ting an amb on his son
an ambition which he wisely
suppressed for himself is here studying
how to put that very promising young gentle-
man into the place occupied by his bro half
brother the Prince Jerome, son of as the Baltimore father is also
of the old King Jerome - Then I returned visits of Mr Poussin
former French minister at Washington and of an list of
Americans. So the time ran away until evening when having fortunately
no engagement I rode with Mr Grinnell to and through the Bois de
Boulogne - Just beyond the border or basin of Paris lies a domain
belonging to the government, of about four miles square - covered with woods
or forest as they say here - The Emperor has connected this with
the Elysian fields by a paved avenue and has applied to it
the highest taste and skill in the art of landscape gardening
Water in the forms of rivulets springs, lakes and cascades
Forests with caverns rocks and precipices. Lights in
profusion, and in all forms of circles, squares
pyramids crosses - and of all colors
and hues are profusely yet most
artistically displayed -
a mound is built
pla on the
center

22
from which you overlook city and country,
forts and Churches, Roads paved and winding
paths, flower and shrubs, there is nothing
left to desire. Summer houses in all form of
ruins, temples Oriental, Italian cottages, Swiss
homes. Music, dances, games, wheels of fortune
gypsies, plays operas, juggler shows, Cafes
restaurants. This is the great choir of Paris,
and wonderfully successful it is. Now in mid
summer it is understood that all Paris is desert-
ed by its people- and yet every night not only
the Bois Boulogne but the Elysian Fields the
gardens and Boulevards are full of a people
who have surrendered themselves to recreation and
amusement. Thousands and tens of Thousands are here
from all countries in the world, paying uncon-
sciously the a golden tribute to the aesthetic
genius of France. On my return home I stopped
for an hour at the Chateau des Fleurs - where
thousands were entertained with music and
dances under the trees and amid the colors
of banks of flowers and the blaze of thousands
of lights of various colors. Every other nation
I have seen has one holiday, France has

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a holiday all
the year round
On my return to my
hotel I found your letter and
Fannys on the 9th & 10th instant
I hope that you are not suffering often or
severely from the neuralgia -
I want Frederick to procure all the reports
he can concerning the Institution at Syracuse for the
relief of Idiots and send them by express (not paying post
charges, to "Dr. Castle No. 26 Rue de Penthievre,
Paris."
I am getting along here quite well. The desertion of the
city by the fashionables leaves me opportunity to study Institutions laws
and customs- and I hope to make my stay here profitable and less
tedious than in London. The Court is at Saint Cloud not receiving at
present.
Mr Grin ^n^ ell tells a good story to day illustrative
of life in Paris. Yesterday morning crowds of persons rushed into the street
Champs Elysee attracted by a party calle carrying flags and a band of
music. The ladies at Grinells called up a French ^female^ servant of
his from the kitchen and asked what the excitement was
that had left her alone there - She answered
that the servants thought it was the
beginning of a new revolution. Soon
afterwards the servants came
quietly back and said
that it was only a
pic nic party
going at that
early hour
into the
country -