MR. SAMUEL WELLES. 147 Shortly after his reception at Roux's we read of a similar experience at Breschet's. In fact, no door seems to have been closed to him, social or professional, and he thus made many new and profitable acquaintances. From Monsieur Baffos, "a student of Dubois at the same time with my father," he received numerous courtesies, and also from Mr. Niles, who was in the habit of entertaining on a large and splendid scale. Here, on the evening of Jan. 16, 1833, he met Mrs. Patterson Bonaparte, then in the prime of her beauty, wit, and ambition. "Feb. 22, 1833.- Grand ball at Mrs. Welles's, one of the most brilliant I ever attended, and with the greatest display of 1 Mr. Samuel Welles was at this time the only prominent American banker in Paris, where he had lived since 1815. He was universally esteemed and trusted; and his honorable enterprise and integrity had gradually resulted in wealth which enabled him to indulge without stint in that benevolence for which thousands had come to be his debtors. Much more was expected of a foreign banker in those days than now; and the attentions so freely claimed by his friends and patrons he as freely bestowed, with the cordial fulness of a kindly nature. His popularity was great; and so widely extended were his connections and influence that few of his countrymen, when abroad, failed to find their way to his rooms, while he had entertained in his own home nearly every travelled American of note. Numbers yet live to recall with a certain vividness the genial and sumptuous hospitality which he was wont to dispense at his mansion on the Place St. Georges or at his château at Suresne near Paris, - a service in which he was ably seconded by his wife (once Miss Adeline Fowle, as above mentioned), a hostess of peculiar beauty and grace, tact, culture, and refinement. Under their roof Dr. Warren felt himself more at his ease than most of the other guests, being in a measure among his own relations. Long before this time the Welles and Warren families had been brought closely together by the marriage, in 1790, of General Arnold Welles, first cousin of the banker, and Elizabeth, eldest daughter of General Joseph Warren, the first of a series of alliances which, in the lapse of some generations, were to bring the Warrens into a union, more or less intimate, with many of the oldest and most respected families of their native city. A century ago, and more, owing to their wealth and official dignity, the social standing of the Welleses was of the highest, and none outranked them. In their prime they represented the local nobility of Boston. The name of Samuel Welles, father of the banker, who graduated at Harvard in 1744, was placed at the head of his class in the college catalogue; and the same was true of his brother Arnold, an alumnus of the succeeding year, thus exemplifying the rules of social gradation in vogue till 1773 at Harvard, the government of which was then, to use the words of Judge Wingate, "a complete aristocracy." This was at a period when many other families of the Pilgrim metropolis, now thought old and "blue," had not begun to emerge from obscurity. Mr. Welles, the banker, died on the 30th of August, 1841, at Suresne; and about beauty. As we approached the house, a long line of carriages blocked the way. Before the house a large fountain was playing, lighted by hundreds of colored lamps. The interior was finely arranged. There were four large salons on the lower floor, one of which was employed for a reception-room, and the others for dancing. The walls were covered with a species of white crêpe, with a beautiful border at top and bottom. The curtains of one room were formed of the American flag, which offered a splendid contrast to the lining of the walls. In the centre of the house was stationed a fine band of music. Among the guests were Lafayette and his family, with many other eminent persons. Here I met Mr. and Mrs. P. Perkins, of whose presence in town this was my first information. Here also were Mr. and Mrs. Clarke, the latter looking especially handsome and interesting, Cooper the novelist, and many others. Above stairs one saw the chambers, boudoir, and other rooms equally fine. The ball ended with a handsome supper." a year thereafter his widow, having been left with an income of twenty-five thousand pounds, married the Marquis de Lavalette, son of M. Jean L. A. Delavalette, who had assumed that title and was then regarded as a talented and rising diplomate. His subsequent career was destined to realize the mutual hopes and aspirations of himself and his partner; for he lived to achieve some of the loftiest positions at foreign courts in the gift of Napoleon, finally becoming minister of foreign affairs, and, at the last, ambassador to Queen Victoria, when the empire sank in blood and ruin at Sedan, though this humiliation was spared to his wife, through her death, March 21, 1869, at the ripe age of seventy. After this the Marquis lived in retirement till the 4th of May, 1881, when he died, aged seventy-five, leaving a widow, the youngest daughter of the Comte de Flahault and the Baroness of Keith and Nairne, whom he had married en secondes noces Feb. 2, 1871,- the day of the surrender of Paris to the Germans. Samuel Welles, the son and only child of the banker, was born in Boston, March 22, 1834, during a visit of his mother to this city. On coming of age he took the title of Count Welles de Lavalette, finally conferred upon him in 1863, and thus regained his rank as one of "the local nobility," which had, as it were, been in abeyance since his father's departure for Europe. In 1857 he was a deputy to the Corps Legislatif from the Dordogne, and in 1863 obtained letters of naturalization as a French citizen. Aug. 11, 1863, he espoused Mlle. Marie Sophie Léonie, the daughter of Rouher, the famous premier of Napoleon III. On the 14th of November, 1864, his step-father, having six years before made an effort which was decided to be entachée de nullité, secured a decree from the imperial court, which authorized him to carry out his already declared intention of adopting the Count, and confirmed the latter as his son and heir, a decision of much importance under certain aspects, as it settled a question, till then doubtful, as to the right of a French citizen to adopt a person of foreign birth. As the issue of all these transmutations, it may be safely inferred that the Count is definitely lost to Boston, and that the thin and acrid ichor of two centuries of Puritanism has been thoroughly evolved from his system. LAFAYETTE. CHAPTER IX. RAJAH RAMMOHUN ROY. THE CARNIVAL OF 1833 AND OTHER DIVERSIONS. AMONG all the notable men to whom Dr. Warren had letters, there was no one whom he had a more natural desire and curiosity to see than Lafayette. As he had been provided with a complimentary introduction by Daniel Webster, who described him as the nephew of General Warren of Bunker Hill, he was sure of a cordial reception. His journal of Dec. 9, 1832, records his visit as follows: 66 Having yesterday delivered my letter to Lafayette, I received a note from him saying that he would be at home this morning between ten and eleven and would be happy to have me call. Accordingly Morse and I waited upon him at the latter hour. In the anteroom we were asked by a servant for the note the General had sent us, but unfortunately we had not taken it with us. However, he took our names, and showed us into a salon, where Lafayette soon appeared and welcomed us most kindly, asking for our respective fathers, whom he seemed to remember, and saying many agreeable things. We spent fifteen or twenty minutes very pleasantly. He expressed much interest in the progress of Bunker Hill Monument, and inquired if it was finished. He offered us tickets to the Chamber of Deputies, and invited us to visit him in the summer at Lagrange, his country-seat. The General appeared in good health, and but little changed since he was in Boston, though he was much disheartened by the present aspect of political He retained a wonderful recollection of everything events. that occurred to him during his journey in our country. The numbers calling upon him are so great that he finds it absolutely necessary to put some restriction upon their approaches, and certain forms or credentials are required of every visitor before he consents to see him. In fact, he now receives as few visitors as possible, since he has arrived at an age when they are for the most part irksome, especially those who are impelled merely by curiosity; but he is very liberal in his invitations to all to spend a few days with him at Lagrange." Hardly less interesting than Lafayette was another well-known character of that day, whom Dr. Warren met a few weeks after his arrival in Paris. This was Rajah Rammohun Roy, a Brahmin, who had abandoned the faith of his fathers for Christianity and adopted the Unitarian belief. He was then residing in England, where his wonderful learning, high moral tone, and controversial energy had made him famous soon after his first appearance there. When Dr. Warren saw him he was accompanied by the eminent English scholar and linguist, Dr. Bowring, and was attending service at a Unitarian chapel. Dr. Warren was particularly interested in him from the nature of the religious tenets he professed, which were then exciting so fierce a discussion in his own native place. He describes the Rajah as singularly handsome of face, tall and robust, and with most courtly manners. He had a swarthy complexion and features of a certain Egyptian cast. He wore a red robe closely girdled at the waist, while a blue silk handkerchief covered his breast. Over his shoulders he had a superb cashmere shawl, and on his head a blue turban, which he kept on during the service. "Seldom have I been more surprised than at sight of a man with a dark skin and regarded generally as an infidel, speaking the English language with beautiful purity and precision and displaying a familiar acquaintance with all literature, both ancient and modern. He was accompanied by Dr. Bowring, CONSERVATOIRE DE MUSIQUE. 151 author of a little book called 'Matins and Vespers' and of other religious works." A few other extracts from Dr. Warren's journals during the winter of 1832-33 are here given, as interesting reminiscences of his life at that time. "Dec. 15, 1832.- Having bought a ticket this morning for the great Conservatoire de Musique, I attended there at two o'clock, and heard some of the finest music of the kind that could possibly be selected. This day's concert was a selection of the music of the sixteenth century. The orchestra was composed of instruments hitherto unknown to me, except by tradition, the viol, an instrument in the shape of a piano, but with the tones of a harp, and numerous other ancient instruments. We had also five or six violins, ten guitars, harps, organs, etc. The singers were some of the first talent in Paris. After a short history of the music of the sixteenth century by the leader of the choir, the concert was opened by one of the most beautiful pieces of sacred music I have ever heard. The combination of voices was so harmonious that it was impossible to believe that the sounds were not produced by a single person. After the sacred music we had selections from the various Spanish, Italian, and French masters of the time, a concerto of ten guitars, and a fine execution on the violin by Baillot, the best violin-player in Paris. Mlle. Massy was among the first of the female singers." "December 25, Christmas. Messrs. Greene, Jackson, and myself dined together to celebrate the day. Toasts to be remembered next Christmas, when we shall probably all be separated. Visited Dubois." "Jan. 1, 1833. - Paris on this day is remarkably gay. Every one seems to be in the street, offering or receiving the congratulations of his friends. The king holds a great levee for all the officers of State at the Tuileries, and afterwards gives a grand dinner. Morse, Gove, Greene, and I dined at the Trois Frères, the popular restaurant, where we had two days before ordered a dish of frogs with other delicacies. We dined at six, our dinner beginning with soupe à la Turc; afterwards came turbot; and finally the frogs were brought in, or rather their hind-legs, as this is the only part used. I suppose there |