He had large and singularly expressive eyes; too
much so, perhaps, for their brilliancy was not of good augury;
and I was not surprised at hearing subsequently that his reason
had abandoned him, altho' he possessed and exerted his wit most
perfectly during our conversation, in which he displayed the
greatest gallantry. I could not reproach him with one single
expression that was objectionable, altho' the subject of conversation
was delicate. He discoursed of the feelings of the king towards
me, and yet said not a word that was unsuited or out of place,
nothing but what was in the best taste, and expressed with the
utmost delicacy. I asked him if the ladies of Denmark were
handsome. "I thought, madame," was his reply, "until now, that
the ladies of my kingdom were the most lovely in Europe."
We did not talk of myself only: Christian VII spoke of Paris with
enthusiasm. "It is the capital of the world," he remarked, "and
our states are but the provinces." He sought out our most celebrated
and , and was particularly delighted with
d'Alembert, Diderot, la Harpe, and M. the comte de Buffon. He
greatly regretted that Voltaire was not in Paris, and expressed
his great desire to see at Ferney the great genius (as he termed
him) who instructed and amused the world. He appeared weary of
the fetes which were given, and especially with the deadly-lively
company of the two Duras.
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