1813-1814] Albert de Rocca 49 



order to make the praise more palatable. If Mme de S. 

 would write her a little billet from her own impulse it 

 would be invaluable, but when it is prompted it is nothing 

 and I would rather not receive it it is like the Magician 

 in the Arabian Nights' Entertainments who paid for what 

 he bought in beautiful new coin, but when it was looked at 

 again it was leaves clipped round in the shape of money 

 only. 



Jessie went last Friday with Kitty to one of Mme de 

 StaeTs grand parties, it was very full, and more Stars there 

 than you have had any night this fortnight. Jessie met 

 our neighbour Tom Campbell 1 there, looking very much 

 pleased. He is installed in Mme de Stael's house. The 

 young Baron is gone abroad, for a fortnight, as Mme de 

 Stae'l says, and she very good-naturedly wrote to Campbell 

 to offer him her son's apartments during his absence. 

 Rocca 2 sat at the bottom of the table and they again talk 

 a little, but this is nonsense. Lord Glenbervie told Miss 

 Kinnaird that he saw Lady Mackintosh at Mme de Stael's 

 with a beautiful woman on her arm. This suffices to show 

 Jessie's success. Kitty amused Baugh by assuring him 

 that the Duke of Devonshire looked at Jessie. 



Fanny Allen to her niece Elizabeth Wedgwood. 



DULWICH, March 24th [1814]. 



... I heard from Anne [Caldwell] to-day her letter 

 was written under the influence of joy and grief and it was 

 difficult to say which predominated. The grief 3 you know ; 

 and the joy was caused by Madame de Stael's billet, which 

 you will see. I am delighted it has given her so much 

 pleasure and that it should come at a time when it was so 



1 The poet. He lived for some time at or near Dulwich. 



2 Albert de Rocca, a young Italian officer, whose acquaintance 

 Mme de Stael had made some years before. It became known after 

 her death that she had married him in 1811, she being forty-five 

 years old and he twenty-four. They had one son, who was not 

 acknowledged during her lifetime. 



3 General Skerritt, engaged to her sister, had just been wounded. 

 VOL. i. 



