with being admitted into society as an observer, without a single wish
to become the observed. When one has once outlived the ambition of
fashion I know not a greater affliction than an over-attention; and the
Spectator did just what I should have done in a similar case, when he
left his lodgings "because he was asked every morning how he had slept."
In the immediate vicinity of the court, the King's devotion, age, and
misfortunes threw a damp over society; but there were still some
sparkling circles, who put the King out of the mode, and declared that
the defeats of his generals made capital subjects for epigrams. What a
delicate and subtle air did hang over those /soirees/, where all that
were bright and lovely, and noble and gay, and witty and wise, were
assembled in one brilliant cluster! Imperfect as my rehearsals must be,
I think the few pages I shall devote to a description of these
glittering conversations must still retain something of that original
piquancy which the /soirees/ of no other capital could rival or
appreciate.

One morning, about a week after my interview with Madame de Balzac, I
received a note from her requesting me to visit her that day, and
appointing the hour.

Accordingly I repaired to the house of the fair politician. I found her
with a man in a clerical garb, and of a benevolent and prepossessing
countenance. She introduced him to me as the Bishop of Frejus; and he
received me with an air very uncommon to his countrymen, namely, with an
ease that seemed to result from real good-nature, rather than artificial
grace.

"I shall feel," said he, quietly, and without the least appearance of
paying a compliment, "very glad to mention your wish to his Majesty; and