One person found her too tall, another discovered that she had too much _embonpoint_, and a third said her feet were much too large.

A Frenchman, when appealed to for his opinion, declared "_Elle est tres-bien pour une Anglaise_." I ought to add, that there was no English person present when he made this ungallant speech, which was repeated to me by a French lady, who laughed heartily at his notion.
If an Englishwoman enters a glover's, or shoemaker's shop, these worthies will only shew her the largest gloves or shoes they have in their _magasins_, so persuaded are they that she cannot have a small hand or foot; and when they find their wares too large, and are compelled to search for the smallest size, they seem discomposed as well as surprised, and inform the lady that they had no notion "_une dame anglaise_ could want small gloves or shoes." That an Englishwoman can be witty, or brilliant in conversation, the French either doubt or profess to doubt; but if convinced against their will they exclaim, "_C'est drole, mais madame a l'esprit eminemment francais_." Now this no Englishwoman has, or, in my opinion, can have; for it is peculiar, half-natural and half-acquired.
Conversation, in France, is an art successfully studied; to excel in which, not only much natural talent is required, but great fluency and a happy choice of words are indispensable.

No one in Parisian society speaks ill, and many possess a readiness of wit, and a facility of turning it to account, that I have never seen exemplified in women of other countries.
A Frenchwoman talks well on every subject, from those of the most grave political importance, to the _derniere mode_.

Her talent in this art is daily exercised, and consequently becomes perfected; while an Englishwoman, with more various and solid attainments, rarely if ever, arrives at the ease and self-confidence which would enable her to bring the treasures with which her mind is stored into play.

So generally is the art of conversation cultivated in France, that even those with abilities that rise not beyond mediocrity can take their parts in it, not only without exposing the poverty of their intellects, but with even a show of talent that often imposes on strangers.
An Englishwoman, more concentrated in her feelings as well as in her pursuits, seldom devotes the time given by Frenchwomen to the superficial acquisition of a versatility of knowledge, which, though it enables _them_ to converse fluently on various subjects, _she_ would dread entering on, unless well versed in.