THE EUROPEAN JOURNALS 327 



Chairs and benches were to be hired in abundance, and 

 we each took one. At one o'clock squadrons of gens 

 d' amies and whole regiments of infantry made their 

 appearance from different points, and in a few minutes the 

 whole ground was well protected. The King was ex- 

 pected, but I saw nothing of him, nor, indeed, of any of 

 the royal family, and cannot even assert that they came. 

 At two every seat was filled, and several hundreds of men 

 on horseback had taken the centre of the plain divided 

 from the race track by a line of ropes. The horses for 

 the course made their appearance, — long-legged, slender- 

 bodied, necks straight, light of foot, and fiery-eyed. They 

 were soon mounted, and started, but I saw none that 

 I considered swift; not one could have run half as fast 

 as a buck in our woods. Five different sets were run, one 

 after another, but I must say I paid much greater attention 

 to a Mameluke on a dark Arab steed, which with wonder- 

 ful ease leaped over the ground like a Squirrel ; going at 

 times like the wind, then, being suddenly checked by his 

 rider, almost sat on his haunches, wheeled on his hind legs, 

 and cut all sorts of mad tricks at a word from his skilful 

 master. I would rather see him again than all the races 

 in the world ; horse racing, like gambling, can only amuse 

 people who have nothing better to attend to ; however, I 

 have seen a race ! 



September 30. I saw Constant, the g^reat engraver. Rue 

 Percie, No. 12; he was at work, and I thought he worked 

 well. I told him the purpose of my visit, and he dropped 

 his work at once to see mine. How he stared ! how often 

 he exclaimed, " Oh, mon Dieu, quel ouvrage ! " I showed 

 him all, and he began calculating, but did so, far too largely 

 for me, and we concluded no bargain. Old Redoute" visited 

 me and brought me a letter from the Due d'Orleans, whom 

 I was to call upon at one o'clock. Now, dearest friend, as 

 I do not see Dukes every day I will give thee a circum- 

 stantial account of my visit. The Palais of the Due 



