[Paris—Monday, 17 October 1859]
Monday. Exquisite day. Rose early to see trades-people who bother us at breakfast. Bade the Sharpe’s good-bye then drove through the lovely “Bois” to Auteuil and Passy. We saw the pleasant old street and house where Boileau lived. It must have been a sweet place in those days shut away from the din of Paris by those green sheltering trees. Now, it becomes daily more like a suburban village merely. The same gateway through which Franklin so often rode is still standing at Passy & a portion of the house with such a view there from—oh! wise old Franklin! we cried, to seize this great plum, this jewel-view of distant Paris to decorate the front of your fine old mansion!!
As we came in the Empress carriage was standing in front of a lovely house on the Champs Elysées. We drew up & waited a moment soon there was a stir, a tumult, we jumped down & stood a moment with the crowd while the carriages past [sic]. She is a sweet majestic but sad-faced woman.
