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new to us, and I do firmly believe it a gross calumny. M. de N.
was of her society, which contained ten or twelve of the first
people in Paris, and, occasionally, almost all Paris ! she loves
him even tenderly, but so openly, so simply, so unaffectedly, and
with such utter freedom from all coquetry, that, if they were two
men, or two women, the affection could not, I think, be more
obviously undesi,gning. She is very plain, he is very handsome ;
her intellectual endowments must be with him her sole attraction.
M. de Talleyrand was another of her society, and she seems
equally attached to him. M. le Viscomte de Montmorenci she loves,
she says, as her brother: he is another of this bright
constellation, and esteemed of excellent capacity. She says, if
she continues in England he will certainly come, for he loves her
too well to stay away. In short, her whole coterie live together
as brethren. Madame la Marquise de la Chƒtre, who has lately
returned to France, to endeavour to obtain de quoi vivre en
Angleterre,(73) and who had been of this colony for two or three
months since the 10th of August, Is a bosom friend of Madame de
Stael and of all this circle : she is reckoned a very estimable
as well as fashionable woman ; and a daughter of the unhappy
Montmorin, who was killed on the 1st of September(74) is another
of this set. Indeed, I think you could not spend a day with them
and not see that their commerce is that of pure, but exalted and
most elegant, friendship.

I would, nevertheless, give the world to avoid being a guest
under their roof, now I have heard even the shadow of such a
rumour; and I will, if it be possible without hurting or