350 HUMBOLDT AND THE MILLINER'S CARD 



On the 10th of September she writes Lady Clark.', 

 from the chateau of Lafayette, at La Grange, and among 

 other feminine tattle says, "The general has proposed 

 inviting Humboldt and Denon to join us. If they come, 

 Europe could scarcely present sucli another circle of 

 talent and celebrity." 



A month later at Paris she again mentions Humboldt, 

 this time in her diary. 



" Humboldt had called, and, as usual, had written his 

 scrap in the porter's lodge. The poor porter ! had he 

 known the value of this autograph he would have pil- 

 fered it ; and what renders it more curious, it is written 

 on the back of a milliner's card!" 



Where could Humboldt have got that milliner's card, 

 pray ? Had he been buying a new bonnet for some of his 

 lady acquaintances? Or was he thinking of studying the 

 botany of artificial flowers ? If the latter he must have 

 found her Ladyship a rare specimen. 



Another extract from the diary : no date : about the 

 30th of October. 



"Humboldt has been again to-day, and again we 

 were out. How very mortifying ! His visits are none 

 the less ' angels' visits' because they are not ' few or 

 far between ;' and certainly, so far as my acquaint- 

 ance goes with the angelic choir, ' celui-la vaut bien 

 les autres.' He left a precious little billet in the porter's 

 lodge, where he wrote it : ' Alexandre Humboldt tou- 

 jours assez malheureux de ne pas trouver Lady Mor- 

 gan.' " 



Another amusing extract from the diary : some time 

 towards the end of November. 



" Tliursday. — I was sitting this morning for my picture 



