VALPARAISO. 



71 



The people who dine at the table d^hote of 

 the inn are nearly all French, of every imagin- 

 able variety of political opinion ; and great is 

 the hubbub and confusion every day, between 

 republicans, royalists, juste-milieu-men^ and 

 anarchists. An Englishman, who dines here, 

 amuses himself by starting an opinion on some 

 political subject, in order to watch its effect 

 on the tetes exaltes. The moment the bone of 

 contention is thrown down, they all seize it ; 

 and the Englishman, having backed out quietly, 

 listens to the uproar resulting from such oppo- 

 site opinions, maintained with an energy bor- 

 dering on fury. 



I have been so fortunate as to purchase 

 some Chilean flower-seeds, and some bulbs 

 which had been collected for Lady Tankerville^s 

 garden, at Walton ; but not being ready for a 

 ship of war when she sailed, became disposable ; 



