MEETS THE DUKE OP ORLEANS. 153 



this Duke of Orleans. He had my book brought in, and helped 

 me to untie the strings and arrange the table, and began 

 by saying that he felt a great pleasure in subscribing to the work 

 of an American ; that he had been kindly treated in the United 

 States, and would never forget it. When the portfolio was 

 opened, and I held up the plate of the Baltimore oriole, with a 

 nest swinging amongst the tender twigs of the yellow poplar, 

 he said, ' This surpasses all I have seen, and I am not astonished 

 now at the eulogium of M. Eedonte.' He spoke partly in 

 English and partly in French, and said much of America, of 

 Pittsburg, the Ohio, New Orleans, the Mississippi and its steam- 

 boats ; and then added, ' You are a great and noble nation, a 

 wonderful nation !' The duke promised to write to the Emperor 

 of Austria for me, and to the King of Sweden, and other 

 crowned heads, and to invite them to subscribe, and requested 

 me to send a note to-day to the Minister of the Interior. I re- 

 mained talking with him and his nephew more than an hour. 

 I asked him to give me his own signature on my list of sub- 

 scribers. He smiled, took it, and wrote, in very legible letters, 

 ' Le Due d'Orleans.' I now thought that to remain any longer 

 would be an intrusion, and thanking him respectfully, I bowed, 

 shook hands, and retired. As I passed down the servants stared 

 at me with astonishment, wondering, doubtless, what could 

 have obtained me so long and intimate an interview with their 

 master. 



" October 1. Called to-day on M. Gerard, of whom France 

 may boast without a blush. It was ten o'clock when I reached 

 his hotel ; but as he is an Italian, born at Kome, and retains 

 the habits of his countrymen, keeps late hours, and seldom 

 takes his tea before one o' clock in the morning, I found him 

 just up, and beginning his day's work. When I entered his 

 rooms they were filled with persons of both sexes, and as soon 

 as my name was announced, Gerard, a small, well-formed man, 

 came towards me, took my hand, and said, ' Welcome, brother 

 in arts !' I liked this much, and felt gratified to have broken 

 the ice so easily, and my perspiration subsided. 



" Gerard was all curiosity to see my drawings, and old Eedonte, 

 who was also present, came to me and spoke so highly of them 

 before they were opened, that I feared Gerard would be dis- 



