dinner on Monday and wished us to come in afterwards. This is
universal here, and is the easiest and most agreeable form of
society. She had Lord Brougham and Colonel and Mrs. Dawson-Damer,
etc., to dine. . . . Mrs. Damer wished us to come the next evening
to her in the same way, just to get our cup of tea. These nice
little teas are what you need in Boston. There is no supper, no
expense, nothing but society. Mrs. Damer is the granddaughter of
the beautiful Lady Waldegrave, the niece of Horace Walpole, who
married the Duke of Gloucester. She was left an orphan at a year
old and was confided by her mother to the care of Mrs. Fitzherbert.
She lived with her until her marriage and was a great pet of George
IV, and tells a great many interesting stories of him and Mrs.
Fitzherbert, who was five years older than he.



LETTER: To W.D.B.
LONDON, December 30, 1847



Dear W.: Your father left me on the 18th to go to Paris. This is
the best of all seasons for him to be there, for the Ministers are
all out of town at Christmas, and in Paris everything is at its
height. My friends are very kind to me--those who remain in town. .
. . One day I dined at Sir Francis Simpkinson's and found a pleasant
party. Lady Simpkinson is a sister of Lady Franklin, whom I was
very glad to meet, as she has been in America and knows many
Americans, Mrs. Kirkland for one. . . . Then I have passed one
evening for the first time at Mr. Tagent's, the Unitarian clergyman,