THE EUROPEAN JOURNALS 321 



September 20. I had the pleasure of seeing old Redoute 

 this morning, the flower-painter par excellence. After read- 

 ing Le Sueur's note to him, dated five years ago, he looked 

 at me fixedly, and said, " Well, sir, I am truly glad to be- 

 come acquainted with you," and without further ceremony 

 showed me his best works. His flowers are grouped with 

 peculiar taste, well drawn and precise in the outlines, and 

 colored with a pure brilliancy that depicts nature incom- 

 parably better than I ever saw it before. Old Redoute dis- 

 likes all that is not nature alone ; he cannot bear either the 

 drawings of stuffed birds or of quadrupeds, and evinced a 

 strong desire to see a work wherein nature was delineated 

 in an animated manner. He said that as he dined every 

 Friday at the Duke of Orleans', he would take my work 

 there next week, and procure his subscription, if not also 

 that of the Duchess, and requested me to give him a pro- 

 spectus. I looked over hundreds of his drawings, and found 

 out that he sold them well; he showed me some worth 

 two hundred and fifty guineas. On my way to the Comte 

 de Lasterie, I met the under secretary of the King's private 

 library, who told me that the Baron de la Bouillerie had 

 given orders to have my work inspected and if approved of 

 to subscribe to it. I reached the Comte de Lasterie's 

 house, found him half dressed, very dirty, and not very 

 civil. He was at breakfast with several gentlemen, and 

 told me to call again, which I will take into consideration. 

 I must not forget that in crossing the city this morning I 

 passed through the flower market, a beautiful exhibition to 

 me at all times. This market is abundantly supplied twice 

 a week with exotics and flowers of all sorts, which are sold 

 at a cheap rate. 



September 21. The weather is still beautiful, and Parker 

 and I took the omnibus at the Pont des Arts, which vehicle, 

 being Sunday, was crowded. I left Parker to make a 

 second sitting with Cuvier, and went to the Jardin du Roi, 

 already filled with pleasure-seekers. I took a seat beside 



VOL. I. 21 



