BARON CUVIER. 123 



natiere solide,car il m'a tresbien fait remarquer ce matin,que 

 ies betes en gravure ne pouvaient pas se tenir debout. Ce 

 pauvre enfant ne se doute pas combien il pourrait rencontrer 

 chaque jour des betes qui se tiendraient (lebout. Ma bonne 

 amie, nous nous portons bien ; nous avons parcouru un pays 

 agreable; nous sommes dans un auberge supportable; notre 

 voitue parait vouloir resister : ainsi jusqu'a ce moment tout 

 s'an nonce bien. Prie Dieu que eel a dure : tu es si bonne 

 qu'il ne peut te refuser. Adieu. Mille tendres baisers. 



G. C. 



LETTER I. 



Ponte Sainte Maxence, 

 Sunday evening, 19th May, 1811. 



My tender Friend, 



The weather, the road, the horses, and the postilions, have 

 proved so excellent, that we have reached Pont Sainte 

 Maxence before six o'clock ; and I have bitterly regretted 

 the two or three good hours that I could still have passed 

 with thee, without in the least retarding the end of my 

 journey. At least, believe that I have passed them in my 

 imagination, and that the remembrance of thy caresses and 

 tender friendship will form the happiness of my whole way. 

 I beg of thee to tell Sophie how sensible I was to her adieus ; 

 say the same to my good Clementine : as to George, he 

 only thought of the unhappiness of not having any more 

 betes every evening, but I ask of thee to promise him some, 

 and even to give him some occasionally, as from me, in 

 wood, in lead, or any other solid substance ; for he aptly 

 remarked to me this morning, that the betes in engravings 

 could not stand upright. The poor child does not think 

 how often he may daily meet with betes who do hold them- 

 selves upright. We are quite well my good friend ; we 

 have traversed an agreeable country ; and we are in a 

 tolerable inn. Our carriage appears to be quite able to bear 

 the journey ; thus, up to this moment, all goes well. Pray 

 to God that this may last ; thou art so good that he cannot 

 refuse thee. Adieu. A thousand tender kisses. 



