She Was A Woman Of Strong
Intellect And Character, And Her Brother, The King, Was Very Much
Attached To Her As A Counsellor And Friend.
.
. . There were more
than 100 Americans to be presented on New Year's Day at Paris, and,
as Madam Adelaide's death took place without a day's warning, you
can imagine the embroidered coats and finery which were laid on the
shelf.
Saturday, January 7th
Yesterday, my dear son, I had a delightful dinner at the dear Miss
Berrys. They drove to the door on Thursday and left a little note
to say, "Can you forgive a poor sick soul for not coming to you
before, when you were all alone," and begging me to come the next
day at seven, to dine. There was Lady Charlotte and Lady Stuart de
Rothesay, who was many years ambassadress at Paris, and very
agreeable. Then there was Dr. Holland and Mr. Stanley, the under-
Secretary of State, etc. In the evening came quite an additional
party, and I passed it most pleasantly. . . . Your father writes
that on Friday he dined at Thiers' with Mignet, Cousin, Pontois, and
Lord Normanby. He says such a dinner is "unique in a man's life."
"Mignet is delightful, frank, open, gay, full of intelligence, and
of that grace which makes society charming." . . . Your father to-
day gives me some account of Thiers. He is now fifty: he rises at
five o'clock every morning, toils till twelve, breakfasts, makes
researches, and then goes to the Chambers. In the evening he always
receives his friends except Wednesdays and Thursdays, when he
attends his wife to the opera and to the Academie.
LETTER: To Mr. and Mrs. I.P.D.
LONDON, January 28th, 1848
My dear Uncle and Aunt: . . . Last Monday I received [this] note
from George Sumner, which I thought might interest you: "My dear
Mrs. Bancroft: I hasten to congratulate you upon an event most
honorable to Mr. Bancroft and to our country. The highest honor
which can be bestowed in France upon a foreigner has just been
conferred on him. He was chosen this afternoon a Corresponding
Member of the Institute. Five names were presented for the vacant
chair of History. Every vote but one was in favor of Mr. Bancroft
(that one for Mr. Grote of London, author of the 'History of
Greece'). A gratifying fact in regard to this election is that it
comes without the knowledge of Mr. Bancroft, and without any of
those preliminary visits on his part, and those appeals to
academicians whose votes are desired, that are so common with
candidates for vacancies at the Institute. The honor acquires
double value for being unsought, and I have heard with no small
satisfaction several Members of the Academy contrast the modest
reserve of Mr. Bancroft with the restless manoeuvres to which they
have been accustomed. Prescott, you know, is already a member, and
I think America may be satisfied with two out of seven of a class of
History which is selected from the world."
LETTER:
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