“I was not disappointed, for, in less than half a minute he came to the window, which was open, before which I was.  I was so near him I could have touched him.  He stayed nearly ten minutes, during which time I observed him carefully.  He is very corpulent, a round face, dark eyes, prominent features; the character of countenance much like the portraits of the other Louises; a pleasant face, but, above all, such an expression of the moment as, I shall never forget, and in vain attempt to describe.

“His eyes were suffused with tears, his mouth slightly open with an unaffected smile full of gratitude, and seemed to say to every one, ‘Bless you.’  His hands were a little extended sometimes as if in adoration to heaven, at others as if blessing the people.  I entered into his feelings.  I saw a monarch who, for five-and-twenty years, had been an exile from his country, deprived of his throne, and, until within a few months, not a shadow of a hope remaining of ever returning to it again.  I saw him raised, as if by magic, from a private station in an instant to his throne, to reign over a nation which has made itself the most conspicuous of any nation on the globe.  I tried to think as he did, and, in the heat of my enthusiasm, I joined with heart and soul in the cries of ’Vive le roi!’ ’Vive Louis!’ which rent the air from the mouths of thousands.  As soon as he left the window, I returned home much fatigued, but well satisfied that my labor had not been for naught....

“Mr. Wilberforce is an excellent man; his whole soul is bent on doing good to his fellow men.  Not a moment of his time is lost.  He is always planning some benevolent scheme or other, and not only planning but executing; he is made up altogether of affectionate feeling.  What I saw of him in private gave me the most exalted opinion of him as a Christian.  Oh, that such men as Mr. Wilberforce were more common in this world.  So much human blood would not then be shed to gratify the malice and revenge of a few wicked, interested men.

“I hope Cousin Samuel Breese will distinguish himself under so gallant a commander as Captain Perry.  I shall look with anxiety for the sailing of the Guerriere.  There will be plenty of opportunity for him, for peace with us is deprecated by the people here, and it only remains for us to fight it out gallantly, as we are able to do, or submit slavishly to any terms which they please to offer us.  A number of humane schemes are under contemplation, such as burning New London for the sake of the frigates there; arming the blacks in the Southern States; burning all of our principal cities, and such like plans, which, from the supineness of the New England people, may be easily carried into effect.  But no, the humane, generous English cannot do such base things—­I hope not; let the event show it.  It is perhaps well I am here, for, with my present opinions, if I were at home, I should most certainly be in the army or navy.  My mite is small, but, when my country’s honor demands it, it might help to sustain it.