132 NOTES OF CONVERSATIONS [1814. 



you were expected on Saturday; and I now learn with 

 real sorrow that you are not able to come not, in- 

 deed, that I ever expected the poor boy's recovery, 

 but because, from his gaining strength, I thought he 

 nrio'ht have eone over the winter, and allowed me to 



o o 



see you in town. My chief desire was to give you 

 any information as to the state of things in France. 

 Bonaparte's popularity, now revived since his banish- 

 ment to Elba, the contempt of the Bourbons, their 

 bad conduct, the hatred of England, inflamed by our 

 folly in sending Wellington there, the state of parties 

 and of individuals, the love of war and horror of 

 losing Belgium, the Slave-Trade, with various other 

 matters. By letter one can't say anything satisfac- 

 tory. The best way is by being questioned, and 



answering. 



" If there is no chance of your being here before 

 Xmas, I must send you a very precious communica- 

 tion namely, full notes of very long and interesting 

 conversations I had with Carnot (by far their greatest 

 and most virtuous man), respecting every curious and 

 important particular of the Revolution times of 

 terror Directory campaigns and Bonaparte and 

 the present state of things. I have already shown 

 this to Eomilly, but now I mean to show it only to 

 yourself, and one, or at most two, others whom I 

 can rely on. I saw the Duke of Orleans also, and La- 

 fayette, with others. 



" My clear conviction is, that you ought to make a 

 run over there for a fortnight, to see with your own 

 eyes. If you'll go at Xmas, I am going to bring back 

 my mother, whose illness unhappily obliged me to 

 leave her behind. 



