the audience.  The whole theatre resounded with applause, expressed in such a way as to mark that it was to the queen’s brother, fully as much as to the emperor, that the homage was paid.  The opera was “Iphigenie,” the chorus in which, “Chantons, celebrons notre reine,” had by this time been almost as fully adopted, as the expression of the national loyalty, as “God save the Queen” is in England.  But even on its first performance it had not been hailed with more rapturous cheering than shook the whole house on this occasion; and Joseph had the satisfaction of believing that his sister’s hold on the affection and on the respect of the Parisians was securely established.

He was less pleased at the races in the Bois de Boulogne, which he visited the next day.  No inconsiderable part of Mercy’s disapproval of such gatherings had been founded on the impropriety of gentlemen appearing in the queen’s presence in top-boots and leather breeches, instead of in court dress; and the emperor’s displeasure appears to have been chiefly excited by the hurry and want of stately order which were inseparable from the excitement of a race-course, and which, indifferent as he was to many points of etiquette, seemed even to him derogatory to the majesty of a queen to witness so closely.  But he was far more dissatisfied with the company at the Princess de Guimenee’s, to which the queen, with not quite her usual judgment, persuaded him one evening to accompany her.  He saw not only gambling for much higher stakes than could be right for any lady to venture (the queen did not play herself), but he saw those who took part in the play lose their tempers over their cards and quarrel with one another; while he heard the hostess herself accused of cheating, the gamesters forgetting the respect due to their queen in their excitement and intemperance.  He spoke strongly on the subject to Marie Antoinette, declaring that the apartment was no better than a common gaming-house; but was greatly mortified to see that his reproofs on this subject were received with less than the usual attention, and that she allowed her partiality for those whom she called her friends to outweigh her feeling of the impropriety of disorders of which she could not deny the existence.

But entertainments and amusements were not permitted to engross much of his time.  If he visited the king and queen as a brother, he was visiting France and Paris as a sovereign and a statesman, and as such he made a careful inspection of all that Paris had most worthy of his attention—­of the barracks, the arsenals, the hospitals, the manufactories.  And he acquired a very high idea of the capabilities and resources of the country, though, at the same time, a very low opinion of the talents and integrity of the existing ministers.  Of the king himself he conceived a favorable estimate.  Of his desire to do his duty to his people he had always been convinced, but, in a long conversation which he had held with