Chapter I (2)

_Paris, April 13, 1836._--I took Pauline yesterday evening to a charity lottery at the house of the Duchesse de Montmorency, where there was a crowd. All the Faubourg Saint-Germain were there, including even the Duchesse de Gontaut, formerly governess to the Duc de Bordeaux; she condescended so far as to bow to me very politely. Pauline was interested by everything, as girls of fifteen usually are. She was very pretty; her hair was simply done, but dressed by the great Edouard; she wore a sky-blue dress, and looked fresh as a rose, with her calm and dainty bearing and her happy little face; in short, she met with general approval, consequently I felt well disposed to every one; the slights formerly inflicted upon me by this or that person were forgotten when a pleasant word or a kind look was addressed to Pauline. It is certainly better not to live in hostility with society, and if one is so wrong-headed or unfortunate it is very pleasant to make one's daughter a means of reconciliation.

I have letters from England telling me that the Duchess of Gloucester has become the happiest person in the world; Lady Georgiana Bathurst is her lady of honour; she is at home every evening, and her house is the meeting-place of the high Tories; all the news is to be heard there, and gossip goes on, with which the Duchess delights the King every morning. The King of England sees his Ministers only on business, and has no social intercourse with them. Lord Melbourne does not care or complain, and goes his own way without worrying the King, which seems to me to be a sound plan.

Yesterday morning, thanks to a special ticket, for which I sent to ask the Archbishop, I was able to hear the last of the series of lectures given at Notre-Dame by the Abbé Lacordaire. He is starting for Rome to-day, and will be absent for two years. There were at least five thousand persons in the church, nearly all schoolboys and girls. Among the men who came in with the Archbishop and were favoured with seats on the Banc de l'OEuvre I recognised the Marquis de Vérac, the Duc de Noailles, and M. de Tocqueville. I was placed just behind this bench, with some fifty ladies, none of whom I knew; I was opposite to the pulpit and did not lose a single word. Imagination, vigour, and a style far removed from that of the seminary are the distinctive qualities of the Abbé Lacordaire; he is a young man with a good delivery. His use of metaphor, however, seemed to me to be slightly confused and somewhat too daring, while his doctrine allowed no room for the beautiful and humble theory of grace. I think that St. Augustine, the great apostle of grace, would have found matter for criticism in his words. On the whole, I was interested and struck with the attentive attitude of his audience. The Archbishop concluded the lecture with some suitable words of thanks and farewell to the young preacher, and with a blessing at once appropriate, simple, and gentle upon the congregation, which was received with surprising respect by his young hearers. It must be said that when the Archbishop avoids politics and the commonplaces of the seminary he can produce, as he did yesterday, a noble and touching effect, with his fine face and gestures and his appealing tone, in his splendid cathedral and from his exalted position, whence he looked down upon these many young faces. M. de Tocqueville, who called upon me towards the end of the morning, was even then moved by the scene.

_Paris, April 13, 1836._--MM. Hyde de Neuville, de Jumilhac, de Cossé, Jacques de Fitz-James, and de Montbreton have all started for Prague, to ask Charles X. to give up the Duc de Bordeaux. In the event of a refusal they have resolved to carry him off, and flatter themselves that they will have the co-operation of the young Prince in the attempt. They wish to find a home for him in Switzerland, where he is to be educated, and so brought nearer to France in every sense of the term. This project, which is in itself somewhat visionary, is reduced to absurdity by the boasting and gossip with which it has been announced. Another plan, of which the police have been informed, is to carry off one of the young princes of royal blood and to keep him as a hostage. The Minister of the Interior has been somewhat disturbed by this proposal.

_Paris, April 21, 1836._--A courier arrived yesterday from Vienna bringing a reply conceived in the most gracious terms to the insinuations which have been made concerning the Duc d'Orléans and his proposed journey in Austria. All that was avoided under the Duc de Broglie has been welcomed under M. Thiers, to whom personally the reply referred in very kind terms. Something of the same kind is now expected from Berlin. The departure of the Prince and of his brother, the Duc de Nemours, is fixed for May 4, but the fact will not be announced for another five days, when they will have returned from Chantilly. The return journey is to be made by Turin. The Sardinian Court, which feels the want of some support, is inclined, after much hesitation, to look to France. My son, Valençay, will accompany the Princes; he will be the only unattached member of their suite with them. It was proposed to give him a title and an official position, but I objected, as my son is sure to be well received anywhere.

Yesterday at dinner at the house of M. de Talleyrand a quarrel arose between M. Thiers and M. Bertin de Veaux, the result of which, I think, has been the opposite of what was expected: instead of pacific explanations a duel became the consequence. I was on tenterhooks, and eventually checked the dissension almost brutally. Every one, I think, approved my action, which I would have taken earlier if I had not thought that M. de Talleyrand was the proper person to intervene; he, however, did not even exert himself to change the conversation. Bertin de Veaux was constantly aggressive, while Thiers for a long time was perfectly calm, until he grew excited and angry, and at length they hurled political defiance at one another.

_Paris, April 23, 1836._--Mrs. Norton has written a letter to Mr. Ellice, which is a kind of manifesto, and has sent it to me with orders to communicate it to her foreign compatriots. I have read the letter, and, if her words are to be believed, she emerges from this foul story as pure as Desdemona.[15] I hope indeed that it is so. The whole business seems to me very vulgar and in very bad taste.

[15] Reference is here made to an action for divorce brought
against Mrs. Norton by her husband, which made a great stir in
England at this time. The intimacy of Mrs. Norton with Lord
Melbourne was well known. However, the verdict given in the
following June acquitted Lord Melbourne, but Mrs. Norton and her
husband separated.

The Duchesse de Coigny, who has always come to England for her confinements, in order to ensure the birth of girls, was to start this morning to London for the same reason, but owing to mistaken calculations she was yesterday confined of a fine boy, which is a bitter disappointment.

_Paris, April 26, 1836._--Visitors returning from Chantilly were most enthusiastic yesterday about the beauty of the spot, the extensive society to be found there, the excitement of the races, the brilliancy of the hunt, and, in the case of those who were at the Château, the graciousness of the Prince Royal. The English say that apart from the races themselves, which, however, are by no means bad, these three days at Chantilly are much superior to Ascot, Epsom, and any meeting of the kind in England.

Hunting was carried on with the pack of the Prince of Wagram, and some four hundred young men rode out; but only thirty were in at the death of the stag.

The Prince Royal is to start on the 3rd or 4th, and will go straight to Metz to visit the School of Artillery; he will not stop at any of the small Courts, which he proposes carefully to avoid by taking all kinds of unusual routes under the pretext that they are more direct.

Yesterday I dined with Madame de la Redorte, and met several people, including General Alava, who told us the story of the duel between Mendizabal and Isturitz, in which neither combatant received a scratch.

He seemed to expect a Ministerial crisis at Madrid which might affect his position as ambassador.

Alava is so inclined to exaggerate that when he was at the house of M. Dupin at a reception of Deputies the host asked him, touching M. Berryer on the shoulder, whether he knew this Deputy. Alava straightway exclaimed: "Certainly I know M. Berryer, and _I share all his opinions_."

_Paris, April 27, 1836._--The route of the Prince Royal passes through Verdun, Metz, Trèves, Düsseldorf, Hildesheim, Magdeburg, Potsdam, and Berlin. All the Ministers of Saxony, Hanover, and Bavaria have brought pressing invitations from their Sovereigns asking the Prince to make a stay with them. These have been declined under the pretext of want of time, but in reality owing to some ill-feeling caused by the continued affronts and insults from Munich; if the Prince refused one invitation he obviously could not accept others without a declaration of hostility. He is sorry, however, to hurry by Dresden, whence there has never been any cause of complaint. From Berlin he will proceed to Vienna, by way of Breslau and Brünn.

For some days I have been reading a few volumes of the "Essais de Morale" by Nicole; our curiosity concerning this work was aroused by Madame de Sévigné. They are doubtless excellent, but I think one must be somewhat more advanced than I am to admire them keenly. There is a certain dry austerity apparent which somewhat repels me. To these many philosophical arguments I prefer the touching phrase of St. Augustine: "If you are afraid of God, throw yourself into the arms of God." Eventually, perhaps, I shall learn to appreciate Nicole, as one's mental tastes change with one's age and circumstances.

_Paris, April 28, 1836._--Pozzo has received the order of St. Andrew in diamonds, and at the same time unlimited leave of absence to travel in Italy. I imagine that he will soon pass this way.

The journey of the Prince Royal has been arranged to begin a day earlier, and he is to start on the 2nd. Berlin will not be reached for ten days, as he is to put up every night, while each day's journey will not be too long, as they wish him to arrive fresh and alert and ready to undergo military fatigues, the manœuvres, festivities, and other duties. This seems to me very sensible. The Prince Royal has received a formal invitation to the manœuvres at Berlin. Hence his reception cannot be anything but excellent. The invitation has certainly been sought, but it is undoubtedly an invitation, and accusations of importunity or rashness are therefore out of place. The Duc and the Duchesse d'Angoulême will naturally have left Vienna when the two Princes arrive there.

Yesterday I accompanied the Comtesse de Castellane to a reading given by M. de Rémusat upon historical incidents in the style of the "Barricades"; "The Night of St. Bartholomew" was his subject. It was clearly and brightly treated, and the author assures us that much historical research has been devoted to it, but it was so long that the second part had to be postponed until Tuesday. To sit through a reading is an exhausting business.

_Paris, May 1, 1836._--Yesterday was Pauline's ball--a pretty scene and entirely successful. There was no crowd, plenty of light, young and pretty people in full gaiety, and polite young men acting as partners to the ladies, all in excellent style and taste, and the company most carefully selected. It was not exactly exclusive, but the Faubourg Saint-Germain were in preponderant numbers. My cousin, Madame de Chastellux, for instance, went to the trouble of coming. In short, I was well pleased with our little success and with the delight of Pauline.

_Paris, May 2, 1836._--Yesterday news arrived from Berlin of the preparations made to receive the young Princes. The King said that they should have the kind of reception given to his son-in-law, the Emperor. They are to stay at the old palace. An hour after their arrival all the princes will come to pay their first calls; in short, everything is to go off as well as possible. The Carlist faction is overwhelmed, and the aggressive members of it are quite ill in consequence; the moderate members are casting tender glances at the Château des Tuileries, and yesterday M. de Chabrol, formerly Naval Minister, and M. Mounier went to the Château. M. de Noailles would be ready to do the same were it not for his wife, whose feelings he has to consider--and reasonably, for she, though a most worthy person, is very extravagant in her political ideas.

_Paris, May 4, 1836._--Yesterday I went to hear the conclusion of M. de Rémusat's "Night of St. Bartholomew."[16] It is clever and talented, but I repeat that this style of performance is a mistake, and a good historical narrative would be much more interesting to me.

[16] This work was published after the death of the Comte de
Rémusat in 1878, by his son Paul.

I have seen M. Royer-Collard, and also M. Thiers. The former said that the doctrinaires were decisively defeated in the Dupin dispute, as the Chamber had pronounced against them. The second is very pleased with his reports from the Russian Ambassador and from the Court of St. Petersburg, which are beginning to become flattering. I believe he is on the way to another reconciliation which he thinks of more importance, with Bertin de Veaux, but this is still a profound secret.

_Paris, May 6, 1836._--I have been deeply affected by the death of the good Abbé Girolet. He followed the fine precept of Bossuet, and the only precaution which he took against the attacks of death was the innocence of his life, for all his interests were so neglected that he has left me a fine complication to unravel, which demands my immediate presence at Rochecotte. I shall start the day after to-morrow, and they are only waiting for me to take the seals off his property. A will in which he has left me everything has been found, but where or what may this everything be? This is as yet unknown, and there is some fear that there may be more debts than property, which fact would prevent me from beginning the charitable foundations which I promised to take in hand after his death. I shall find a very obvious void at Rochecotte, and shall miss that gentle look which clung so affectionately to me. And then how sad are the details of his death!

_Rochecotte, May 10, 1836._--No interesting news can be expected from me in this retired corner of the world, where I can boast only of peace and silence and of solitude--three excellent things which I appreciate the more as I have left, in the words of the "Imitation," "the tumultuous commerce of men, which arouses vanity even in the simple-minded, and eventually enslaves the soul."

I spent the evening with M. Vestier, my good architect, over plans and arrangements for the vault of the Abbé and for my own. This will be arranged quite simply in the parish cemetery on the hillside before that beautiful view, in the pure air, looking out upon the rising sun. The vaults are to be very simply surrounded by shrubs and an iron railing; there will be nothing more than names and dates. Thus his last resting-place will be as simple as was his mind, and I trust that mine will be equally so. The wishes of men are so rarely performed after their deaths that during our lifetime we should act as far as we can. I had considerable difficulty in inducing Vestier to undertake this simple work. He says it is horrible to be giving orders for the digging of my grave, and at length the poor fellow began to weep, but he yielded at last, for he is very obedient to me.[17]

[17] This plan was not entirely carried out; the Abbé alone was
buried at Saint-Patrice.

_Rochecotte, May 13, 1836._--Yesterday I received a long letter from my son, Valençay, from Coblenz. Full honour has been done to the Princes; M. the Duc d'Orléans has invariably invited to dinner the authorities commissioned to welcome him. He speaks German with a fluency which is much appreciated. In every town regimental bands are constantly playing under the windows of the Princes, and, in short, all due attention is shown to them.

_Valençay, May 18, 1836._--I have been here since the day before yesterday, and am expecting M. de Talleyrand and Pauline to-morrow.

I have been reading a narrative written by one of the chief nuns of Port Royal, about the reform of their establishment, which was carried out by the Mother Marie Angélique de Sainte-Madeleine Arnauld, and about their persecution, in the time of their celebrated abbess, the Mother Angélique de Saint-Jean Arnauld, a niece of the foregoing and a daughter of M. d'Andilly. They were great minds and strong souls, and how remarkable are the details of the story! What a race were these Arnaulds, and M. Nicole and the Abbé de Saint-Cyran! All these names are to be found in the writings of Madame de Sévigné. Her friend, M. de Pomponne, was Arnauld, the son of M. d'Andilly. This was a peculiar family, even in its own time, and it was said that Pascal was quite a nonentity compared with Antoine Arnauld. They must have been giants indeed; and if giants at their time, what would they seem now?

_Valençay, May 22, 1836._--Yesterday I had a letter from my son, Valençay, from Berlin. He is delighted, and with reason, for apart from the generally satisfactory character of the journey, he is treated with especial kindness, which is particularly touching to me as it is due to consideration for myself. The Prince Royal told him that he had always regarded me as his sister, that he would treat him as a nephew, and that my letter was delightful. He objected, however, that there was not enough of the nursery about him. The Duchess of Cumberland and my godmother, Princess Louise,[18] have been quite motherly, and the Queen of the Low Countries has also been very kind, together with M. Ancillon, Herr von Humboldt, and the Countess of Redern. M. de Valençay assures me that the Crown Prince of Prussia was neither cold nor repellent in his reception of the Duc d'Orléans, but, on the contrary, kind and cordial; the Crown Princess and Princess William the younger were equally charming; every one else behaved very properly, as also did the sight-seers along the routes, and our Princes showed perfect prudence. There was some trouble in inducing the young French officers to take off their Belgian decorations; the Duc d'Orléans was anxious that they should not wear them at all at Berlin, but they showed some reluctance, and eventually it was agreed that they should remove them when meeting the Queen of the Low Countries.[19] A courier came to Berlin with an urgent letter from the King of Saxony inviting the Princes to pass through Dresden. I do not know whether that will induce them to change their route. The two Princes attended service in a Catholic church in Berlin on Sunday, and their action produced an excellent effect.

[18] The Princess Louise was the daughter of Prince Ferdinand of
Prussia, the youngest brother of Frederick the Great. She married
Prince Antoine Radziwill in 1796.

[19] Queen Wilhelmina of the Low Countries was the daughter of
King Frederick William II. of Prussia, and sister of the king
then reigning, Frederick William III.

_Valençay, May 23, 1836._--Yesterday, the Day of Pentecost, was spent as follows, and will give an idea of our usual mode of life in this place: First of all came high mass at the parish church, which lasted for two full hours, thanks to a sermon from the vicar, who took the more pains as he saw me in the Castle pew. The heat was extreme, and the smell unpleasant, while the crowd was almost as great as at Saint-Roch. The result for me was a severe headache, which passed off to some extent during a long drive which I took with M. de Talleyrand, to the ponds in the Forest of Gâtines. Several people from the town dined with us. I walked for a little after dinner, while Pauline went for a drive with her uncle; I wrote until nine o'clock, when the post goes, and when M. de Talleyrand came in. The day was concluded with newspapers, tea, and piquet.

These days are very pleasant when I am not alarmed about M. de Talleyrand's health, and I thank God for them as I go to bed. I no longer consider the amount of amusement or interest or pleasure to be gained; one day perhaps that will return; now that M. de Talleyrand and my children are well and my mind is free from anxiety, and my temper sufficiently kind to make life pleasant for those around me, I ask for nothing more. When we are able to perform a complete renunciation of self, we find our burden lightened, and the low and heavy flight of selfishness is replaced by the rapid sweep of outstretched wings, which is a pleasure in itself. My courage and my self-possession only disappear when I see sickness threatening or striking down my family, for I have only reached the threshold of that stage of resignation in which one sacrifices one's self to the things of heaven. I doubt if I shall ever pass within it. But enough of this, or I shall be thought as religious as a lady of the Faubourg Saint-Germain. I am very far from that point, which I shall never entirely reach, for my independence will never allow me to follow the beaten track or confine myself to particular practices, attitudes, and observances; at the same time, given my natural taste for good books, the natural seriousness of my mind, my wide experience, and the sincerity of my judgments upon myself, it will be hard if I do not learn to draw consolation at least from the one perennial source.

The Carnavalet residence is for sale at a price of a hundred and forty thousand francs. If I dared, I would buy it, and I am, indeed, extremely tempted.

_Valençay, May 26, 1836._--The correspondence between M. de Talleyrand and Madame Adélaïde continues animated and very affectionate, and gives me some work.

The following news reached us from Paris by letters of yesterday's date: Alava is overthrown, and Miraflores proclaims himself the successor; Alava says that the affairs of his country reduce him to despair. As a matter of fact the newspapers mention some strange affairs in the Assembly of the Procuradores, and great is the confusion caused by the whole business of the change of Ministry. Some people who declare themselves well informed, assert that Isturitz, to relieve himself of embarrassment, would be inclined to come to an understanding with Don Carlos and to arrange a marriage between Queen Isabella and her cousin.

Lady Jersey has given orders for copies of her correspondence with Lady Pembroke to be sent to her. It seems that this correspondence is beyond all that could be imagined in maid-servant style. She also wishes M. de Talleyrand to read all these details.

I have a letter from Princess Louise of Prussia, my godmother, which speaks in very high terms of the young French Princes. Princess Louise is a clever woman, naturally inclined to sarcasm and severity, and her appreciation is therefore the more valuable. M. de Valençay writes to me that he has been greatly struck by the beauty of the Princesses, by their jewels and the elegance of their dress. Herr von Humboldt took the Princes and their suite to see the museums and the artists' studios. The Crown Prince of Prussia has a taste for art, and has greatly stimulated these matters in Berlin. The Duc d'Orléans has given great pleasure by ordering a statue from Rauch, the chief sculptor in Prussia, and the King's favourite. The shyness of the Queen of the Low Countries is even greater than that of the Duc de Nemours. This mutual defect seems to have brought them together, for I am told that the Queen has conceived a friendship for the young Prince and that long conversations have taken place between them.

_Valençay, May 29, 1836._--Yesterday I read the new play of M. Casimir Delavigne, _Une Famille au Temps de Luther_. The work contains some fine lines, but is quite unsuited for the stage, and nothing is colder than its theological discussions, even when they conclude with crime; moreover, these forms of fanaticism are somewhat wearisome, discordant as they are with the spirit of our time. Finally, the dreadful massacre of St. Bartholomew has become even tiresome, and the best proof of the fact that both it and the atrocities of the Atrides have lost their power to thrill, is their recitation with songs and dances.

Madame Adélaïde informs M. de Talleyrand that the Crown Princess of Prussia has written to her mother, the Queen-Dowager of Bavaria, saying that she was _forced to agree_ to the proposal to show honour to the French Princes, and that a very good friend of Louis-Philippe had advised them to show themselves in public.

The King of Naples has now left home, some say to marry a princess of Modena, and others to pay court to the daughter of the Archduke Charles, and others, again, to have a look at the young princesses of Paris.

The King is having a full-length portrait of François I. painted for Valençay, and another of the Grande Mademoiselle; the former built the Castle, and the latter visited it and praised it in her memoirs. The King is also sending M. de Talleyrand the chair in which Louis XVIII. was wheeled about, and he has informed us through Madame that if he should go to Bordeaux, as is possible, he would pass this way.

_Valençay, May 31, 1836._--It seems that neither intellect nor years can shelter people from foolishness, and a great act of folly has been committed by M. Ancillon in his marriage with Mlle. de Verquignieulle, if what we hear from Berlin is true. M. de Valençay also informs me that the entertainment given by M. Bresson,[20] at which the King of Prussia was present, was a very brilliant affair; all the servants were in full livery, blue, gold, and red, and Bresson said to him: "These are my colours," an amusing remark, and one worthy of the present time. "We shall see," as M. de Talleyrand says.

[20] M. Bresson was the French Minister at Berlin.

_Valençay, June 1, 1836._--The young French gentlemen who went to Prague have returned after a very short stay. They were especially struck by the atmosphere of boredom which is the environment of life in that town. They said the Duc de Bordeaux had a very pleasant face, but his figure was not attractive and his mind but little developed, like that of a child brought up in the midst of old men.

At a dinner given on May 22 to the two French Princes by the Crown Prince of Prussia, Princess Albert,[21] to the great rage of Bresson, the great disgust of the King, and the general horror of the company, appeared with an enormous garland of lilies in her hair; up to that point her behaviour had been quite proper.

[21] Princess Albert of Prussia was a princess of the Low
Countries.

The presents distributed by the Duc d'Orléans at Berlin were most expensive, and in money and diamonds amounted to more than a hundred thousand francs. It is rather too much than not enough. Prince Wittgenstein received a box containing not only the portrait of the Prince Royal, but also that of the King and Queen--a very marked attention. M. Ancillon, plastered with the great Cross of the Legion of Honour, swelled himself out and strutted about, and appeared ready to trample upon any one and every one. His behaviour is explained by his middle-class origin and his Calvinistic views.

The parting was affectionate, some professing to love the Princes as their sons and others as their brothers; in short, no success was ever more complete. The ladies were all struck with the handsome appearance of the Duc d'Orléans. My authorities for these statements are reliable, as I quote not merely M. de Valençay, but other letters which came in yesterday, written moreover by natives of Berlin. The accident which nearly befell the Duc d'Orléans at the manœuvres was caused by his politeness to the Princesses; he was reining in his horse near them, when he was nearly thrown, but the skill with which he recovered himself gained him many compliments; and on this question the Duchess of Cumberland writes as follows: "Imagine what would have become of us if any misfortune had happened to him; I should be ready to leave my sick body upon my bed and be changed into a guardian angel to hover over them during their stay at Berlin, and thus to answer the confidence of your Queen, who begged me in a charming letter to treat her sons as my own."

Upon the day when our Princes were at home to the Diplomatic Body M. de Ribeaupierre, the Russian Minister, sent his excuses, alleging a swollen face. Contrary to the old etiquette of Berlin, the whole of the Diplomatic Body was invited to a ball at the house of Prince William, the King's brother. Of this entertainment I am informed: "The ball given to the French mission by order of the King, Louis-Philippe, was a great success; the French Princes were so tactful as to do the honours themselves, and received the King and the Princesses at the foot of the staircase."

_Valençay, June 2, 1836._--The Princess de Lieven arrived here yesterday in a feeble state of health. We took her in and looked after her as well as we could, but towards the evening I began to feel that she had some presentiments of a tiresome stay, and that if the journey hither lay before her at this moment she would hesitate to undertake it. This I can understand. Here she will have no news and will not be able to see the shadow-show of life, which are both necessities to her. The novelty of the outer world, recollections and historical traditions, natural beauties, the domestic life of a household, reading, thought, and work are by no means to her taste, and in other respects Valençay has never been more poverty-stricken than at this moment.

The verses which M. de Peyronnet has sent to me are not very excellent, but that point is of no account in comparison with the actual circumstance and the whole question. During the winter I worked pretty hard for these poor people, and obtained some definite alleviation for M. Peyronnet, who was the worst of all in health, and this he found very agreeable; I hope that I may be able to do more for him as soon as the session is over. It was this charitable work which inspired the verses in question.[22]

[22] We have been unable to find them.

My sister writes to me from Vienna saying that great preparations are made to receive the French Princes, and in particular Paul Esterhazy is working for that purpose; there will be an entertainment at his house at Eisenstadt. Unfortunately many people are in the country and many in mourning.

_Valençay, June 4, 1836._--We have had two days of bad weather, but yesterday morning a better prospect fortunately allowed us to take Madame de Lieven for a drive in the forest and past the warren, the quarries, &c. In the evening, however, M. de Talleyrand had an attack of palpitation, which was but slight, though it is evident that the enemy is still there. Madame de Lieven yawned to desperation. The poor woman is bored, which fact I can very well understand and pardon. The truth is that, with her frame of mind and habits, she is not likely to endure our solitude or the dull and quiet atmosphere of the household which is due to the mental and physical state of M. de Talleyrand. Moreover, the Princess is not an easy guest from a material point of view; she has twice changed her room, and now wants to go back to the first room she occupied, in which is the bed of Madame de Staël. Lady Holland could not have given us more trouble, and Pauline says that the Princess is "rather whimsical."

A caricature has appeared in London of Lord Melbourne and Mrs. Norton on the very day of the eclipse; it represents the sun and Mrs. Norton as the moon passing over it, while beneath is the word "Eclipse." The reference is to the scandalous law-suit which Mr. Norton is bringing against his wife, and in which Lord Melbourne is unpleasantly compromised.

_Valençay, June 5, 1836._--The poor Princess de Lieven is greatly bored, and expresses herself on the subject with strange openness. Yesterday she asked me, as if she were talking to herself, why we had invited her at a time when we had no one staying in the house. I began to laugh, and replied very gently: "But, dear Princess, you yourself were so kind as to ask to come. We would have invited the whole world, but the session is not yet finished, so that diplomatists, peers, and Deputies cannot leave Paris." "That is true," she replied, and later on, when she saw that M. de Sercey had just arrived at Paris, she was full of regret that she could not be there to ask him questions; she also thought her _salon_ would have been very interesting that evening during the discussion of the foreign service vote. I like straightforward persons, because with them at any rate one knows exactly where one is.

_Valençay, June 10, 1836._--The Princess de Lieven received letters yesterday from her husband, telling her that she has been represented in a very bad light to the Emperor Nicholas. Conversations and whole speeches have been sent to St. Petersburg as though they emanated from the Princess, which are certainly fictitious, for she is very zealous in her master's service; but those who talk a great deal and see many people are always compromised sooner or later. The Princess is greatly agitated in consequence.

The Prince d'Orange is quite obviously showing signs of madness, which take the form of such sordid economy that his wife and children have not even enough to eat; he keeps the key of the pantry himself, and the Princess has to send out her chambermaid to buy cutlets. The eldest son is said to be a young scamp. He is now at London with his younger brother, where they are known as the "unripe Oranges." The Dutch are said to be much perturbed about the future of their country, and are praying that the life of the present King may be prolonged.

_Valençay, June 13, 1836._--Yesterday I had a long letter from the Crown Prince of Prussia, with a kind sentence concerning the French Princes and their father, the King, though with a qualification against revolutions which shows his true opinion. It is a curious letter. I have had another from M. Ancillon in most laudatory terms, with no qualification, concerning the travellers, the union, the peace, and M. de Talleyrand; also a curious letter. Finally I have two very long letters from M. de Valençay written from Vienna; he had stopped at Günthersdorf, of which he gives full details.[23] At Vienna he had seen the Count of Clam at the house of his aunt of Sagan, from whom he had learnt that the first interview had given great satisfaction and that our Princes had said everything that was proper. The Archduchess Sophie spoke very kindly of her remembrance of me and treated my son very well. He thinks that the Austrian princesses lack that grace and distinction which is so striking in the princesses of the Prussian royal family. Princess Metternich was at the first evening reception given by M. and Madame de Sainte-Aulaire; she behaved most discreetly, and stayed very late; the Duc d'Orange only talked to her for five minutes, and then upon the subject of homeopathy! She deserved a small lesson.[24]

[23] An estate belonging to the Duchesse de Dino in Silesia.

[24] Princess Metternich had used some discourteous terms
concerning the assumption of the crown by Louis-Philippe in 1830.

The great diplomatic reception of the nobility and the garrison seems to have been superb. M. de Valençay was especially delighted by the races at Baden, where he was entertained by the Archduke Charles, who spoke to him very warmly of M. de Talleyrand. The Archduke received all the Frenchmen most cordially. They dined with the Archduchess Theresa, who is described by M. de Valençay as of an agreeable appearance, with pretty manners, and an attractive face. She is very dark and small. The Duc d'Orléans was seated near her at dinner, and their conversation was vivacious. Prince Metternich was also there. He has been reconciled, at any rate outwardly, with the Archduke.[25] The latter has retired to the pretty town of Baden, where he grows flowers; he told M. de Valençay that, like all old soldiers, he loved his garden. The Duc d'Orléans was to dine there again by himself two days later. The Archduke adores his daughter, and will leave her free to choose her own husband; she has refused the Crown Prince of Bavaria, and is to inspect the Kings of Naples and Greece. The Russian alliance alone causes her father some fears.

[25] The Liberal ideas of the Archduke Charles had induced Prince
Metternich to remove this prince from the Court and to regard him
with suspicion. They had almost quarrelled.

M. de Valençay was also delighted with the entertainment at Laxemburg, and the water-parties, with music everywhere, which reminded him of Virginia Water. All the society of Vienna was there informally, and the scene was correspondingly animated.

It is quite clear that all this causes ill-feeling at Prague. The Dauphine was speaking to some one who asked her, when she was about to start for Vienna, at what time they would have the honour of seeing her again; she replied that any one who wanted to see her henceforward would have to come and fetch her. A Vienna lady, a strong political opponent of France, said before M. de Valençay, in speaking of our Prince Royal, that he was so kind and gracious it was to be hoped that he was not something else!

The travellers are to start on the 11th and make their way to Milan through Verona, devoting ten days to the journey.

The Prince of Capua and Miss Penelope are at Paris. The former has seen the Queen; he will go to Rome, and there open negotiations for a reconciliation with Naples.

All the Coburg family and the Belgian King and Queen are coming to Neuilly.

_Valençay, June 17, 1836._--It seems that every day must be marked by some tribulation. Yesterday evening we had a terrible fright, the consequences of which might have been most serious; they seem to have been but slight, though the doctor says that we cannot be certain for nine days that no internal shock has been sustained. M. de Talleyrand's mania for staying out late brought him back yesterday in his little carriage when it was pitch-dark; moreover, he childishly amused himself by steering a zigzag course, so that he twisted the front wheel. This checked his progress, and he could not perceive the cause in the darkness, so he told the servant to push harder, which he did. The result was a violent jolt, which shot him out of the carriage and threw him head first with his face on the ground upon the gravel of the Orange Court at the entry of the _donjon_. His face was badly bruised, but fortunately his nose bled freely; he did not lose consciousness, and wished to sit in the drawing-room and play piquet. At midnight he put his feet in hot mustard and water, and is now asleep. But what a terrible nervous shock at his age and with his weight, and when he is suffering from a malady which demands that he should be spared every emotion and disturbance!

_Valençay, June 18, 1836._--M. de Talleyrand's face has suffered considerably, but otherwise he seems to have escaped miraculously from this remarkable fall.

_Valençay, June 21, 1836._[26]--Do you remember that it was you who refused any form of conversation upon the subject of religion? Only upon one occasion at Rochecotte did you give me any outline of your ideas upon this subject; at that time you were more advanced than myself in respect of certain beliefs. My experiences since that date have brought me more rapidly along the road, but my starting-point has been my recollection of that conversation, in which I saw that you admitted certain fundamental principles of which I was not sure. In any case, my speculations have not advanced beyond that point, and only in points of practice do I attempt to guide my movements by this compass; I have never busied myself with dogmas or mysteries, and if I prefer the Roman Catholic religion I do so because I think it most useful to society in general and to States; individual religion is a different matter, and I think any religion based upon the Gospel is equally good and divine. Since I have seen all supports falling away around me, I have felt my own weakness and the necessity of some support and guide; I have sought and found; I have knocked and it has been opened to me; I have asked and it has been given to me; and yet all very incompletely hitherto, for when one thus walks alone and ill prepared it is impossible to avoid wrong paths, or to avoid slipping in the ruts with continual stumbles. Nor would it have been wise to arouse myself to excessive zeal and fervour, which would have prepared a reaction, perhaps fatal; I therefore advance step by step, and when I consider my progress am humiliated to see how little I have risen; a little more kindness, patience, and self-command is all that I have acquired. I have the same delight in the things that please me, the same repugnance for those that weary me, my dislikes are not extinct and enmity remains keen, my mental anxiety is often wearing, my energies are inconsistent, my speech often too hasty and its expression inconsiderate. I have, too, a thousand modes of self-flattery; I am wounded by blame, and too pleased by approbation, which I sometimes seek and would be ready to arouse at necessity; in fact, there is no task so long and difficult and none that demands more exertion and perseverance than to satisfy one's conscience.

[26] Extract from a letter.

Apart from the practical methods which I have felt must be followed as a thread to guide me through the labyrinth, I have also been helped by a great sense of gratitude. One day in England I was suddenly struck by the thought of the innumerable favours which had been granted to me, though I had made so ill a use of my powers and my advantages. I admire the patience of God and the long-suffering of Providence towards me; to have found what I have found seems to me so real a blessing and so ill-deserved that it has filled me with gratitude. This sense has continually increased, and partially supports me in accomplishing the sacrifices which I am making. The deep instruction to be daily derived from the old age of M. de Talleyrand; the death of Marie Suchet;[27] her mother's grief; the successive deaths of so many of my acquaintances of different ages, sexes, and positions; of the granddaughter whose eyes I have closed,[28] and who brought death so near to me; the close reading of good books; the lofty conversation of M. de Royer-Collard, who is ready to throw aside philosophic doubts and is slowly succeeding--all these influences have made me consider a thousand matters hitherto unnoticed, and have directed me towards a lofty and a certain goal. Such is the story of this side of my life. My attitude, however, is not that of outward profession, and I can say that I am more advanced in reality than in form; in the latter respect, I doubt if I shall ever change.

[27] Daughter of the Marshal of Albuféra.

[28] Yolande de Valençay.

What a long answer this is to one small page of your letter! If it seems to you too long, say so, and we will reserve all these revelations for evenings at Rochecotte.

The Duc d'Orléans gives a glowing account of a conversation with Prince Metternich, by which he was delighted.

The Princesse de Lieven has just gone away, to the general relief. I think that the Princess and her proud niece[29] came to feel that they had been somewhat ridiculous here, as they went to some trouble on their last day to utter innumerable thanks and excuses for the inconvenience they had caused, &c.

[29] The Baroness of Mengden, niece of the Princesse de Lieven,
afterwards lived at Carlsruhe, where she was abbess of a noble
chapter. She was very tall, especially in the upper part of her
body, and any one seated by her side at dinner was obliged to
raise his head in order to see her face. As she was very
good-natured, she became to some extent her aunt's drudge; at
Valençay, when the Princesse de Lieven stayed there, she gave her
niece her jewel-box to keep when she was out driving, so that the
Baroness of Mengden could rarely take part in these excursions.

_Valençay, June 24, 1836._--How stupid ill-nature is! Madame de Lieven has been unkind enough to write to Paris groaning and lamenting over the profound boredom which she felt here, and her correspondents have been laughing at us or using her words against us; the fact is widely known and commented upon. Our friends told us of it with great indignation. This small ingratitude on the part of Madame de Lieven, which apparently arises on this occasion from want of social experience, is real stupidity; in any case, I am not surprised; I would have made a bet that it was so; her weariness was too profound to be concealed, and I clearly saw that the need of revenge was felt in her correspondence. I do not reproach her for being bored, for saying so, or even for writing the fact, but for prolonging her stay here under the pretext of illness. She was afraid of travelling alone, afraid to be isolated at Baden, and dared not stay longer at Paris, and so she stayed here, to die of inanition and to rouse our ill-feeling. This did not prevent her from weeping like a penitent when she went away; her tears were sincere, for she shed them, not for us, but for herself, her wandering and lonely life. On that point I am not deceived.

Yesterday I had a letter from M. de Valençay from Leoben. They were very pleased with Vienna in every respect. However, the Prussian royal family showed to better advantage than the Imperial royal family. The Prussian princesses were thought more striking for their youth, their beauty and good style, and notwithstanding the garland of lilies, which seems to have been the result of a teasing or coquettish conversation, our Prince Royal and Princess Albert began an obvious flirtation. The Empress of Austria and the Duchess of Lucca, her sister, are very beautiful, but in a cold, austere, and imposing style. Our Princes distributed the same presents at Vienna as at Berlin, but instead of the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour which was given to Ancillon, Prince Metternich, who has long possessed all the French orders, was given a magnificent service of Sèvres china.

_Valençay, June 25, 1836._--M. de Barante[30] writes from St. Petersburg saying that there is great feeling against Madame de Lieven, on account of her long stay in France. Some ill-temper has also been aroused by the successful journey of our Princes, but nothing of the kind has been shown to our ambassador, who is treated personally with great politeness.

[30] French Ambassador at St. Petersburg.

It is said that Mrs. Norton was most angry, in the course of the strange trial--of which _Galignani_ gives a far too detailed account--because the servants who were called to give evidence said that she rouged and dyed her eyebrows.

_Valençay, June 27, 1836._--Another attempt upon the King's life.[31] What a dreadful mania it is, and will it be always futile? Such is the sad question which one cannot help asking. We know nothing yet beyond the news telegraphed to the centres of the neighbouring departments, whence the prefects have sent messengers for our information.

[31] On the evening of June 25, 1836, a young man aged
twenty-six, named Louis Alibaud, shot at the king in the court of
the Tuileries when Louis-Philippe was reviewing the National
Guard and the drummers were beating a march.

_Valençay, June 28, 1836._--Our Princes have been told by letter not to hasten their return on account of the attempt upon the King's life. They should reach Turin to-day, and are expected at Paris on the 8th. It seems that Lord Ponsonby[32] has gone mad. He insists upon the dismissal of Reis Effendi[33] and the chief of the Guard. He has written two notes to the Ottoman Porte in which he even threatens the Ottoman Empire with disruption if satisfaction is refused. Admiral Roussin himself writes that Lord Ponsonby is mad. All the Ministers, including the Russian Minister, are working to prevent a rupture; the Court of Vienna is explaining the matter to the English Government in London, and it is hoped that Lord Ponsonby will be recalled.

[32] English Ambassador at Constantinople.

[33] Reis Effendi was the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Turkey.

_Valençay, June 29, 1836._--Yesterday I had a letter from our travellers, dated from Roveredo, where they were detained by the indisposition of the Duc de Nemours. It was a somewhat serious attack, of which they made light in their letters to his parents, but which greatly frightened the Duc d'Orléans. He was also greatly vexed by the hurried departure of General Baudrand. It seems that this departure was provoked not so much by the necessity of a rapid journey to the waters as by some ill-temper at the fact that the Prince Royal did not show sufficient confidence in him.

The Princes were about to make their way to Florence, as the Grand Duke of Tuscany had been especially pertinacious in asking for a visit, but the illness of the Duc de Nemours stopped their journey. They have met the Archduchess Marie Louise,[34] cousin-german of our Prince Royal. She asked M. de Valençay for news of us, as she is his godmother. He thought she was not so aged as she has been described. They have also seen the Princess of Salerno and the King of Naples. The latter is described as having a fine head, but a coarse and clumsy figure. He is in despair at the death of his wife, with whom he lived on very bad terms until she was with child, in giving birth to whom she died. He is said to be very whimsical.

[34] The widow of Napoleon I.

The Archbishop of Paris was at Neuilly at eleven o'clock on the day when the King's life was attempted. It is unfortunate that he can never appear before the King except immediately after an attempt at assassination, and I therefore think that his visits are not very popular, as they are made under conditions with which one would readily dispense. He refused to admit the body of Sieyès to the church, and it was taken straight to the cemetery.[35]

[35] Sieyès died at Paris, June 28, 1836.

My deepest grief concerning the attempted assassination of the 25th is that I fear the pistol-shot has killed our Princess Royal. Many say that Alibaud is another Louvel, an isolated fanatic, a natural product of newspaper extravagances and bad teaching. The King wishes to pardon the assassin, but it is thought that the Cabinet will not suffer him to do so. General Fagel[36] has been at Neuilly, notwithstanding the presence of the Belgian King and Queen; the King treated him very kindly.

[36] General Fagel had been the ambassador of the King of the Low
Countries in France under the Restoration.