uette of the duke on horseback, the first copy of which, in bronze, was carefully retouched and polished by the artist. The work is remarkable for its mingled grace and sprightliness. The duke, sitting firmly back in his saddle, is reining in a pawing charger, charmingly modeled, and a peculiar effect is obtained by the rider dividing the reins, and stretching that on the left side completely back over the thigh. The portrait is good, particularly that of the full face, and very carefully finished, and the costume is a characteristically closely-fitting military undress, with hanging cavalry sabre.* Altogether, indeed, the statuette forms a most agreeable memorial, not only of the duke, but, in some degree, of the gifted artist.”+

No. VI.

DEDICATORY LETTER OF SIR E. B. LYTTON TO COUNT ALFRED

D'ORSAY.

"MY DEAR COUNT D'ORSAY,-When the parentage of Godolphin was still unconfessed and unknown, you were pleased to encourage his first struggles with the world. Now, will you permit the father he has just discovered to reintroduce him to your notice? I am sorry to say, however, that my unfilial offspring, having been so long disowned, is not sufficiently grateful for being acknowledged at last: he says that he belongs to a very numerous family, and, wishing to be distinguished from his brothers, desires not only to reclaim your acquaintance, but to borrow your name. Nothing less will content his ambition than the most public opportunity in his power of parading his obligations to the most accomplished gentleman of our time. Will you, then, allow him to make his new appearance in the world under your wing, and thus suffer the son, as well as the father, to attest the kindness of your heart, and to boast the honor of your friendship?

"Believe me, my dear Count D'Orsay, with the sincerest regard, yours very faithfully and truly, E. L. B."

No. VII.

MEMORANDUM OF LADY BLESSINGTON RESPECTING THE EXPECTED APPOINTMENT OF COUNT D'ORSAY.

In 1841, an effort was made to have Count D'Orsay appointed to the office of secretary of the French embassy in London. All the influence of Lady Blessington was brought to bear on those persons with whom the appointment rested, especially on the Count St. Aulaire, the French embassador at the court of St. James's. In opposition to these views, it was believed by

* Mr. Walesby, of 5 Waterloo Place, London, has published Count D'Orsay's smaller and last equestrian statuette of the Duke of Wellington, in bronze. The statuette is sixteen inches in height, on a black marble pedestal, eighteen inches in height by twenty in width at the base, surrounding the edges of which are reposing lions, and a richly foliated wreath in bronze. † Morning Chronicle, December 23d, 1852.

Lady Blessington that parties had represented to the British sovereign the Count D'Orsay in so unfavorable a light, that her majesty had rayé the count's name when a list of invitations to a ball had been presented to her.

Among the papers of Lady Blessington, there is a memorandum of hers, embodying the objections which had been raised to the proposed appointment, and her views in relation to them.

"With regard to the inventions relative to our count, there is not even a shadow of truth in them. Alfred never was presented here at court, and never would, though I, as well as his other friends, urged it; his motive (for declining) being, never having left his name at any of the French embassadors of Louis Philippe (not even at Count Sebastiani's, a connection of his own), or at Marshal Soult's, also nearly connected wirh his family, he could not ask to be presented at court by the French embassador, and did not think it right to be presented by any one else. consequently could not be presented by him; and the etiquette of not having Prince Ernest he never knew, and been engaged to meet the queen unless previously presented at court is too well known to admit of any mistake. The Countess Nesselrode, could not be invited to a ball given by the Beauforts because she the daughter of had not previously been presented at court. to show the utter falsehoods which have been listened to against Alfred. Now, I enter into these details merely with regard to his creditors, his embarrassments have been greatly exaggerated; and when the sale of the northern estates in Ireland shall have been effected, which must be within a year, he will be released from all his difficulties. In the mean time, he has arranged matters by getting time from his creditors. So that all the fuss made by the nomination being only sought as a protection from them, falls to the ground. There has been much hypocritical prudery in the affair. When the Duc de D― fled London, and was lodged in a sponging-house, my old friend, the Duc de Laval Montmorency, paid the debt, 100,000 francs, and released him. He then, after this public exposure of his embarrassment, got himself named as attaché here to protect himself; and Lord Aberdeen, then, as now, at the Foreign Office, when appealed to on the subject, said he would do all in his power to save him from annoyance. I mention all these facts to show how ill Alfred has been treated. If the appointment in London is still deemed impracticable, why should not they offer him the secretaryship at Madrid, which is vacant?

"Alfred intrusted the affair (of the appointment) to MHe received positive assurances from both that he would receive an appointand W ment in the French embassy here, and that it was only necessary, as a mere matter of etiquette, that St. Aulaire was to ask for his nomination to have it granted. The assurances were so positive that he could not dount them, and he accordingly acted on them. The highest eulogies on Alfred's abilities, and power of rendering service to the French government, were voluntarily pronounced to St. Aulaire by Lord B, the Duke of B, and other persons of distinction. M. St. Aulaire, not satisfied with these honorable testimonies,

consulted a coterie of foolish women, and, listening to their malicious gossiping, he concluded that the nomination would not be popular in London, and so was afraid to ask for it.

"It now appears that the Foreign Office at Paris is an inquisition into the private affairs of those who have the misfortune to have any reference to it; a bad plan, when clever men are so scarce in France, and particularly those well born and well connected: a government like the present should be glad to catch any such that could be had. MARGT. BLESSINGTON."

No. VIII.

COUNT D'ORSAY AND RICHARD J. LANE.

The most eminent of English lithographic artists, Richard J. Lane, Esq., was a very intimate friend of the count. The portrait drawings by the late Count D'Orsay, to the extent of one hundred and forty representations of the Villa Belvidere, the Palazzo Negroni, the Hotel Ney, Seamore Place, and Gore House, were lithographed by Mr. Lane, and published by Mr. Mitchell, of Bond Street. This collection is so remarkable, and includes so many portraits of eminent persons, which are in vain to be sought for elsewhere, that it would appear desirable to have a correct list of those admirably executed portraits laid before the public.

COUNT D'ORSAY'S PORTRAITS.

Mr. Mitchell, of Bond Street, has published a series of the portrait drawings by the late Count D'Orsay, hitherto limited to private circulation: the entire series, with the exception of about twenty, is now given to the public, and has been received with general admiration.

The number after the portrait denotes more than one drawing of the same person

Each portrait may be had separately, price 5s., but the work complete at 4s. each. Size-14 inches high, 10 inches wide.

Knowing the great esteem and respect in which Mr. Lane was deservedly held by Count D'Orsay, on account of his worth and probity, no less than on account of his great merit as an artist and lithographer, I addressed a note to him, stating I was aware how intimately acquainted he had long been with Count D'Orsay, and requesting such aid and information as might help to enable me to set D'Orsay before the English public in a better light than that of a mere man of fashion, an arbiter elegantiarum of modish circles—a wit even, or a quasi artist, feeling he could jump into art with as much ease and elegance as he could vault into his saddle. And as the world had plenty of evidence of that sort of eminence and agility, I sought such testimony rather as might show him to have been something more and better than an exquisite or a dilettante—of his being an original thinking man, of some noble qualities, of a large heart, and a kindly, generous disposition.

LETTER FROM RICHARD J. LANE, ESQ., TO R. R. MADDEN, ESQ.

"3 Osnaburgh Terrace, October 27th, 1854.

"DEAR SIR,-The request that you have made imposes on me a duty which I will endeavor to fulfill in a manner to do justice to the memory of Count D'Orsay on those points on which you have asked my opinion.

“As a patron, his kind consideration for my interest, and prompt fulfillment of every engagement, never failed me for the more than twenty years of my association with him; and the friendship that arose out of our intercourse (and which I attest with gratitude) proceeded at a steady pace, without the smallest check, during the same period, and remained unbroken, when, on his final departure from England, he continued to give me such evidence of the constancy of his regard as will be found conveyed in his letters.

"In the sketches of the celebrities of Lady Blessington's salons which he brought to me (amounting to some hundred and fifty or more), there was generally an appropriate expression and character that I found difficult to retain in the process of elaboration; and although I may have improved upon them in the qualities for which I was trained, I often found that the final touches of his own hand alone made the work satisfactory.

"Of the amount and character of the assistance of which the count availed himself in the production of his pictures and models I have a clear notion, and I rejoice to think that you will make evident before your readers what I believe I have already impressed on you.

"When a gentleman would rush into the practice of that which, in its mechanism, demands experience and instruction, he avails himself of the