178 ELIZABETH GARY AGASSIZ 



ion, and while he was in Boston did nothing without 

 him. As he is an active party Alex found his place 

 no sinecure; but, of course, he was glad to do all in 

 his power, and Alex never appeared more charmingly. 

 The same day I passed a long time with them both; 

 I am really with them, when there are no outside 

 ceremonies to be observed, as old friends, and the 

 Empress is so sweet and sympathetic. The Emperor 

 proposed to come to breakfast the next morning, — 

 as he took the initiative in everything it made the 

 arrangements easier, — and we had a few guests to 

 meet him. The one of honor was Longfellow, and it 

 was a pleasm*e to me that they met under our roof. 

 The Emperor has long been an affectionate admirer 

 of him. The whole occasion was pleasant, the weather 

 lovely — a beautiful June morning, — every one was 

 sociable, and I think there was as little awkwardness 

 as possible. Then he went all over the college, the 

 Museum, etc., then to Mt. Auburn, then closed the 

 day by dining with Longfellow — only he and Alex, 

 Holmes, Emerson and the family. . . . 



The next day in the afternoon the Emperor and 

 Empress went to drive with us, but the weather was 

 gloomy, and if he had n't been very funny and she 

 very cordial and sweet and ready to take every- 

 thing in the pleasantest way, I should have felt it 

 rather a failure; however, they would go and insisted 

 it was all right. I saw them every day afterward, 

 and the Emperor came out to bid me good-bye 

 the last hour before leaving. He seemed delighted 

 with his visit in Boston. He said he thought Boston 



