Letters of Gabriel Peignot. 161 Peignot was invited by a M. Didiet to meet Talma and his wife at dinner. When the company met, they were, says the letter- writer, "like the Muses" in number. "Talma," he continues, " is as amiable in society as he is admirable on the stage. Of the five hours that elapsed, through the dinner to the coffee, I had three and a-half to converse with him specially, and the time did not seem to me long. As at the beginning of dinner, M. Demontreau put several questions to me on literature and bibliography, which I answered in a satisfactory manner ; it would seem that Talma was induced to address me in particular. He is very well informed, and he related to me some incidents of his life. He was a pupil of the Abbe Lille ; and he cited an ode of Horace which he had turned into French verse. Intimately connected with Champfort he was with him during the dying hours which the unfortunate poet lived after his attempt at suicide He spoke much of Madame de Stael. In the way of good reading he places Ducis at the head of all. Delille reads only his own works well ; Teissier is feeble ; Laharpe detestable, screaming, biting, and spiteful. Champfort sparkled with wit, but he was very caustic ; and his conversation had the effect of a display of fireworks. I asked Talma how old he was. He would say no more than that he was older than I am. Yet my hair is turning grey, and his locks are a beautiful black. He told me that his hair was very well dyed, and then I saw signs of grey underneath. He spoke of literature, and of his library. He detests novels, and looks out for history, travels and antiquities. He is very strong on costume, and quoted specimens of each reign of our monarchy. He is marvellously well acquainted with manuscripts : and corrected certain anachronisms in the descriptions of mediaeval manuscripts in the Dijon Library. He complained of the fatigue he endured when playing with bad actors, who forced him often to play a double part. He is very short-sighted; for which I pitied him. ' Congratulate me rather,' he said, ' owing to my short- sight ; when I am acting, I see nobody in the theatre, and give myself wholly to the part I am playing.' " His voice is agreeable in conversation ; but when he raises it to the tragic tone he makes the ceiling shake. I should never finish if I were to tell you all that he said during this agreeable evening. With him was a young lady, to whom he seemed very attentive. She is not his wife. I forgot to say he told us many curious stories of Fouche, and spoke much of Buonaparte. Of
