She was placed between the Count du Moustier, the French Ambassador, in his red-healed shoes and earrings, and the grave, polite, and formally bowing Mr.Van Birket, the learned and able envoy of Holland.

There, too, was Chancellor Livingston, then still in the prime of life, so deaf as to make conversation with him difficult, yet so overflowing with wit, eloquence and information that while listening to him the difficulty was forgotten.

The rest were members of Congress, and of our Legislature, some of them no inconsiderable men.

Being able to talk French, a rare accomplishment in America at that time, a place was assigned to me next the count." Verplanck goes on to describe the dinner.

He says that it was a very grand affair, bountiful and elaborately served, but the French Ambassador would taste nothing.