186 Mary Somerville. 



To my infinite regret, La Place had been dead 

 some time ; the Marquise was still at Arcoeuil, and 

 we went to see her. She received us with the 

 greatest warmth, and devoted herself to us the 

 whole time we were in Paris. As soon as she came 

 to town, we went to make a morning visit ; it was 

 past five o'clock ; we were shown into a beautiful 

 drawing-room, and the man-servant, without knock- 

 ing at the door, went into the room which was 

 adjacent, and we heard her call out, " J'irai la voir ! 

 j'irai la voir ! " and when the man-servant came 

 out, he said, " Madame est de'sole'e, mais elle est en 

 chemise." Madame de La Place was exceedingly 

 agreeable, the life of every party, with her cheerful 

 gay manner. She was in great favour with the 

 Royal Family, and was always welcome when she 

 went to visit them in an evening. She received 

 once a week, and her grand-daughter, only nineteen, 

 lovely and graceful, was an ornament to her parties. 

 She was already married to M. de Colbert, whose 

 father fell at Corunna. 



No one was more attentive to me than Dr. 

 Milne-Edwards, the celebrated natural historian. 

 He was the first Englishman who was elected 

 a member of the Institute. I was indebted 

 to him for the acquaintance of MM. Ampere and 

 BecquereL I believe Dr. Edwards was at that time 



