poet.  Meanwhile, M. Dubois still continues his researches among the foundations of the ancient city, from which he has collected a number of valuable relics.  Some of the most pleasant and instructive hours of my tour have been spent in his society; and, whilst it was under his guidance that I visited the antiquities of Lisieux, his learning assisted me in illustrating them.  M. Dubois likewise possesses a large collection of original autograph letters, which I found much pleasure in perusing.

During the reign of Napoleon, he held the office of librarian of Alencon, a situation that afforded him the opportunity of meeting with many literary curiosities of this nature.  Among others, which thus fell into his hands, was the following letter, written by the Princess Borghese, sister to the Emperor, and addressed to the Empress Marie-Louise, by whom it was received, while on a tour through the western departments.  I annex a transcript of this epistle; for, although it has no immediate connection with the main subject of our correspondence, it yet is a very singular contribution towards the private history of the dynasty of Napoleon.—­The odd mixture of caudle-cup compliment and courtly flattery, is sufficiently amusing.  I have copied it, word for word, letter for letter, and point for point; for, as we have no other specimen of the epistles of her imperial highness, I think it right to preserve all the peculiarities of the original; and, by, way of a treat for the collectors of autographs, I have added a fac-simile of her signature.

Madame et tres chere SA"ur,

je recois par le Prince Aldobrandini la lettre de V.M. et la belle tasse dont elle a daigne, le charger pour moi au nom de L’empereur, je remercie mille fois votre aimable bonte, et j’ose vous prier ma tres chere sA"ur d’Aªtre aupres de L’empereur l’interprete de ma reconnaissance pour cette marque de souvenir.—­je fais parler beaucoup le Prince et la Princesse Aldobrandini sur votre sante, sur votre belle grossesse, je ne me lasse pas de les interroger, et je suis heureuse d’apprendre que vous vous portes tres bien, que rien ne vous fatigue, et que vous aves la plus belle grossesse qu’il soit possible de desirer, combien je desire chere sA"ur que tous nos vA"ux soient exaucA(C)s, ne croyA(C)s cependant pas que si vous nous donnes une petite Princesse je ne l’aimerais pas. non, elle nous serait chere, elle resemblerait a V.M. elle aurait sa douceur, son amabilite, et ce joli caractere qui la fait cherir de ceux qui out le bonheur de la Conaitre—­mais ma chA"re sA"ur j’ai tort de m’apesantir sur les qualites dont serait douee cette auguste princesse, vous nous donneres d’abord un prince un petit Roi de Rome, juges combien je le desire nos bons toscans prient pour vous, ils vous aiment et je n’ai pas de peine a leur inspirer ce que je sens si vivement.