108 Mary Somerville. 



to the Prince there was a different uniform worn by 

 him and his court. 



At Paris we were received with the kindest hos- 

 pitality by M. and Mme. Arago. I liked her 

 much, she was so gentle and ladylike ; he was tall 

 and good-looking, with an animated countenance 

 and black eyes. His character was noble, generous, 

 and singularly energetic ; his manners lively and even 

 gay. He was a man of very general information, 

 and, from his excitable temperament, he entered as 

 ardently into the politics and passing events of the 

 time as into science, in which few had more exten- 

 sive knowledge. On this account I thought his 

 conversation more brilliant than that of any of the 

 French savans with whom I was acquainted. They 

 were living at the Observatory, and M. Arago 

 showed me all the instruments of that magnificent 

 establishment in. the minutest detail, which was 

 highly interesting at the time, and proved more 

 useful to me than I was aware of. M. Arago made 

 us acquainted with the Marquis de la Place, and the 

 Marquise, who was quite an elegante. The Marquis 

 was not tall, but thin, upright, and rather formal. 

 He was distinguished in his manners, and I thought 

 there was a little of the courtier in them, perhaps from 

 having been so much at the court of the Emperor 

 Napoleon, who had the highest regard for him. 



