Paris, May 15, 1837.—Yesterday evening I was at the Tuileries. I found the King delighted with a visit that he had paid in the morning to the Botanical Gardens to see the new hothouses they have been setting up. He was well applauded as he went by; in short, he seems to have grown young again. Everybody about him is well pleased. He went there without an escort, and spent two hours walking with the Minister of the Interior and of Education, with the Prefect of Police and one aide-de-camp. The crowd kept on increasing, and these gentlemen, who saw all the horrible faces from the Rue Mouffetard and that quarter thronging round the King, were dying with fear, but the King was delighted, and it was impossible to induce him to go indoors. He was most heartily cheered by all the crowd. I think, however, that it would not be advisable for him often to make such trials of his popularity.
Paris, May 16, 1837.—The Prince de Laval is not getting on well. He has been bled a second time, and the doctors say that his condition is serious.
It is possible that M. Dupanloup is ambitious; I do not know him well enough to be positive. He is gentle, discreet, moderate, with a knowledge of the world, a fine command of language and conversational tact, and, in short, possesses every quality which the spiritual director of a society personage should have. All his penitents and all their mothers think a great deal of him. But this does not exclude ambition. I know that he lays great stress upon keeping apart from politics, but when confronted with the Archbishop he committed the venial sin of urging him to go to the Tuileries and of going with him to the incumbent of Saint-Roch, whose curate and friend he is. But the robe of ambition is like the chameleon's skin, the colours of which change according to the observer's position. I can therefore answer for nothing except that he has refused two important livings at Paris. I know that the Archbishop secretly destines him for the Madeleine when that living becomes vacant, and, in fact, it is a society parish which will suit him best.
Paris, May 18, 1837.—Yesterday morning I was with Madame Adélaïde, where I saw the King. Every one at the Château is busy with preparations for the marriage and for the journey from Fontainebleau, which is to be a splendid affair. I am delighted, and should be still more so if I had not heard that not only the mothers but also the daughters are expected. I have done my best to have my daughter excused, to avoid the infinite vexations which I foresee, but M. de Talleyrand came in to Madame in the middle of our discussion, and instead of supporting my views he opposed me. It is very annoying.
Paris, May 19, 1837.—The death of the poor young Count Putbus is a very sad event for his family and for the unfortunate Countess Buol. I am very sorry for her, and her husband seems to me to be wanting in feeling and tact. In his position with reference to his wife, he may separate from her with as much uproar as he pleases, but if he will not do so from pecuniary considerations he should behave himself quietly or at least humanely. In any case I assert that for her it is better to lament her lover as dead than faithless, and that, unhappy as she is, she would be still more so if Count Putbus had abandoned her. A woman's danger when she finds her lover faithless is that she may be roused to vengeance and may lose those illusions which shelter her, not only against faults, but against hardness of heart and frivolity, properly so called. Death leaves us all our illusions, and even encourages them.
Paris, May 21, 1837.—M. de Talleyrand, M. and Madame de Valençay, Pauline, and myself are invited to stay at Fontainebleau throughout the festivities—that is to say, we are to come on May 29 and to stay till June 3, inclusive. This is a favour, as nearly everybody else has been invited at successive intervals of twenty-four hours.
One of my German friends, a canoness, and a clever and intelligent person, [66] writes to me as follows concerning the Princess Helena of Mecklenburg: "The most amiable, the best educated, the kindest of the German princesses is to adorn the throne of France. I am sure that she will please you greatly. She is as cheerful as a child of fifteen, with as much sense as a person of thirty. She combines the charm of every age."
The Marquis de Praslin and the Duke of Treviso are the two knights-of-honour in subordination to the uncivilised Duc de Coigny, who will lead them.
Paris, May 22, 1837.—The Duc d'Orléans will first go to Verdun, to see without being seen, and then to Melun to be seen. Henry IV. in disguise went to the frontier to see Marie de Medici at supper, and Louis XIV. did the same at Fontarabia.
Among the persons invited to Fontainebleau there is one who certainly could not have been forgotten, in my opinion, and this is the great Mlle. Palmyre, the famous dressmaker. The fact is that she has been working upon a pattern sent from Mecklenburg, but I am by no means certain that this pattern is a good one or well made. Thus the eighty dresses of the trousseau may fit badly, and it is just as well to have some one there to make readjustments when necessary. Merchants, workmen, omnibuses, and post-chaises are all in confusion; the expenditure, the orders, and the activity are inconceivable. It is impossible to get anything, and tradesmen certainly have not the right to complain, for every one is on the move. A crowd of foreigners have also arrived at Paris, most of them English.
The Werther family have resolved to leave immediately after the marriage of the Prince Royal, without waiting for the festivities, for Herr von Werther has agreed to take M. Ancillon's place. They are very good people, who will be regretted at Paris, and who are also very sorry to leave.
Paris, May 25, 1837.—For the 29th and 30th, the days of arrival and marriage, the Marshals have been invited to Fontainebleau, with the officials of the two Chambers, the Ministries of October 11, February 22, September 6, and all the present Cabinet. I have always said that Fontainebleau was a chronological castle. It was resolved not to go further back than October 11, to avoid the necessity of inviting M. Laffitte. All the chief presidents of the courts have also been invited, and of the Diplomatic Body Herr and Frau von Werther, [67] M. and Madame Lehon. [68] The rest are invited for the other days, two at a time.
I must mention an incident concerning Madame Molé, who vegetates rather than lives. The other evening at the Duchesse de Montmorency's people were saying how sorry the Werthers were. She asked why. "At leaving Paris, of course." She replied: "But to go to Fontainebleau is not very sad nor very tiring." "But, madame, Herr von Werther is going to Berlin to take the place of M. Ancillon." "Oh, then M. Ancillon is coming here?" I do not think that after such an experience any one will accuse M. Molé of betraying diplomatic secrets to his wife.
The Queen of England has written a charming letter to the French Queen concerning the marriage of the Prince Royal, and, in view of her close relationship with Princess Helena, has sent her a magnificent Indian shawl, one of the most beautiful that has ever come out of the wealthy storehouses of the Company. It is said to be a marvel. I shall see it at Fontainebleau, where the wedding presents will be displayed.
Paris, May 26, 1837.—The King of England held the last Drawing-room seated; since then he has felt worse, and people are anxious about him. It is said that he wished to live long enough to thwart the desires of the Duchess of Kent, by not leaving her to act as Regent for a single day, and the Princess Victoria attained her majority two days ago.
They say that anarchy is at its height at Madrid, and also that Don Carlos is at his wits' end.
The Duc de Broglie and the gentlemen of his suite are writing enthusiastic letters about the Princess Helena. All say that she has a very pleasant appearance; all seem to be in love with her, and cannot speak enough of her delightful manners, while she is said to be excellently dressed. The trousseau, which has been ordered here, is said to be very magnificent.
Fontainebleau, May 30, 1837.—Writing here is a feat of some ingenuity. The weather was too fine yesterday, and a great storm followed; it burst in the morning, and cleared ten minutes before the arrival of the Princess, who was received in bright sunlight and with much emotion. Her arrival was a fine spectacle; a family scene amid the most royal splendour. The Princess showed much emotion, no embarrassment, nobility and grace, and was equal to the occasion. I do not know if she is pretty; she is so gracious that people have not considered that point. She reminds one a little of Madame de Marescalchi, but is of a much more German type, while the lower part of her face recedes a trifle. She has beautiful hair, a good complexion—in short, she looks very well, and the Prince Royal is well pleased.
Pauline never left my side even at dinner, to which I was taken in by the Baron von Werther. He was placed between the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg and myself. M. de Talleyrand was far from well yesterday, yet by force of will he kept a smiling countenance. I was very anxious about him the whole time.
Until to-morrow we shall number two hundred and eighty at table. Yesterday the day began for me at half-past five in the morning at Paris, and finished here at one o'clock at night. At ten o'clock I must be fully dressed for the Queen's mass.
Fontainebleau, May 31, 1837.—The two most exhausting days have passed, for which I thank heaven, as I have been trembling the whole time for M. de Talleyrand, who has been so incredibly rash as to undergo these severe trials. However, he has seen everything, and has come through with little more than fatigue.
Those who wish to be correct follow the Queen to her private mass in the morning. Pauline has just taken me into a charming little chapel, in memory of Louis VII., the Young.
The two German princesses were not visible yesterday for the whole morning. The time before dinner was filled up by walks, for those who were tempted, of whom I was not one, and the inspection of the wedding presents for the rest, of whom I was one. The presents and the dresses are most fine and magnificent, especially the case by Buhl which contained the shawls, which was one of the finest things I have seen. The whole was exhibited in the rooms of the Queen Mother. The diamonds are beautiful, and the jewels numerous, in different styles, but there are no pearls. The Duc d'Orléans does not like them, and the Princess can also wear the Crown pearls.
The royal family dined in private. Madame de Dolomieu and General Athalin presided at the table of two hundred and eighty guests in the Diana Gallery. Pauline was again near me at dinner, and M. Thiers on the other side.
At half-past eight the civil marriage took place in the room of Henry II., a superb spectacle in the most beautiful surroundings imaginable, and magnificently lighted. The Chancellor, M. Pasquier, who was recently appointed to this post, was in his ermine robes at a great red and gold table, around which stood all who were witnessing the ceremony, with the bridal pair in front of him. We made our way there in procession. Then we went on to the great chapel, ornamented with the shields of France and Navarre. The exhortation given by the Bishop of Meaux [69] was both short and well weighed. Unfortunately, in the case of mixed marriages many ceremonies have to be omitted which would add to the picturesqueness of the scene. The priest of Fontainebleau, who is the famous Abbé Lieutard, and hitherto one of the chief opponents of the present Government, assisted the Bishop, and even claimed to do so as a right. The hall, which was arranged as a Protestant church, could hardly hold us, and the crowd was suffocating; the exhortation of the pastor, M. Cuvier, was very long and very dull, going back to the creation of the world, with continual references to procreation. It was puritanism itself. Before the blessing he asked the bride permission to perform a duty with which he had been entrusted by the Biblical Society, and offered her a Bible, in which he urged her to read constantly. I thought the act quite out of place at such a moment, and very disrespectful to the Queen, who is making a great sacrifice from the religious point of view.
The Princess was perfectly calm the whole time; I noticed no nervousness, and less emotion than at the time of her arrival. She was perfectly well dressed. Unfortunately she has no colour, and thus wants a certain lustre, but in spite of her thinness she is graceful and charmingly simple. Her feet are long and well made and her hands are white and delicate; in short, she is a person of much attraction.
After all these ceremonies we separated. I went to look after M. de Talleyrand, about whom I was anxious, and whom I found very well. M. Molé came in, in a bad temper. It is indeed strange that throughout this affair he has obtained no favours of any kind.
Fontainebleau, June 1, 1837.—There is no political news to be learnt here. The Princes are absorbed in themselves; M. de Salvandy, the only Minister on duty near the King, is in the same state. Curiosity is turned away from politics, and there is enough here to arouse it and satisfy it.
Yesterday was spent as follows: After lunch came a very long drive in the forest; twenty-six carriages, each with four horses, the great royal coach with eight horses, and then eighty riding horses, all conducted by the richly liveried servants of Orléans, were assembled in the great courtyard of the Cheval Blanc, and provided a general opportunity for excursions. We hastened to follow the King and to traverse the most beautiful parts of the forest. Many sightseers who were seen galloping most imprudently among the rocks joined the royal procession, and gave the wood an animated and charming aspect.
I forgot to say that lunch had been preceded by a mass said by the Bishop of Meaux in the great chapel. Every one was there, including the royal family and the Duchesse d'Orléans. I should have been glad yesterday, when there was no mixed marriage to consider and when only the King's mass was being said, if the service had been finely rendered with appropriate music. Instead of that there was nothing of the kind; there were no clergy and not a sound of music; even the bell for the moment of elevation was forgotten. Methodists display much more trickery in their pretentious simplicity and their affected and solemn speech; but at mass, where the words cannot be heard, outward show is necessary, with incense, music, flowers, gold, and bells, and all that can stir the soul by uplifting it to God without the necessity of hearing the words pronounced.
Many people have gone and others have come, including the Turkish Ambassador, [70] who sat by Pauline at dinner. The theatre hall has not been restored, and looks faded; the orchestra, which was not from Paris, was abominable; Mlle. Mars has grown old, and no longer played her parts properly; the other actors were very poor, and the choice of plays was not happy. These were False Confidences and The Unexpected Wager. The Princess Royal was in the great box at the back of the hall, between the King and Queen. She listened attentively, but her face does not express her feelings, and does not change. She is always gentle and calm to the point of immobility, and makes no gestures, which is a mark of distinction. Perfect repose gives a sense of dignity, and when she walks or bows she does it with perfect grace.
M. Humann, when he went away yesterday, was run away with by the post-horses down the hill of Chailly. He jumped out of the carriage, bruised his face, and put his shoulder out.
Fontainebleau, June 2, 1837.—Yesterday was not so full as the preceding days, as after mass, lunch, and the gathering after lunch, we were left with a few hours' freedom. I spent them with M. de Talleyrand or in the town. M. de Talleyrand went to see Madame Adélaïde, to whom he wished to give a piece of news which reached us from the Bauffremont family, who were interested by it, and which, to speak truly, has produced a sad effect here. It is the announcement of the marriage of the Count of Syracuse, brother to the King of Naples, with Philiberte de Carignan. This young person is the granddaughter of the Comte de Villefranche, the prince of the house of Carignan who married, in a fit of folly, the daughter of a boat-builder at St. Malo, Mlle. Magon Laballue. The Sardinian Court only consented to recognise the marriage on condition that the children of it should enter religious orders; the revolution destroyed this obligation, and the son entered the army and married Mlle. de La Vauguyon, sister of the Dowager-Duchess of Bauffremont, who was burnt to death in 1820. It was only after her death and the accession of the present King of Sardinia that the last two children were recognised as princes of the blood and treated as such. The eldest daughter was married before this concession to a private individual of high family, the Prince of Arsoli, a Roman family. Philiberte, the daughter and granddaughter of marriages contested or doubtful, thus becomes Princess of Naples. The marriage, by licence, must have taken place the day before yesterday with much haste and precipitation. The displeasure it will cause here is obvious. The King of Naples is at the bottom of it.
Yesterday after dinner we went to hear Duprez in part of the opera William Tell, and the Esslers danced in a pretty ballet. I was surprised that the Princess Royal never lost her calm, even at the most exciting points of Duprez' acting. I never saw a movement of her head, a gesture, or any greater animation in her face. The same was true during the ballet, which I can better understand.
Fontainebleau, June 3, 1837.—M. de Talleyrand started this morning with Pauline. They wish to keep me here until to-morrow. No one could have been surrounded with greater regard and attention than has been shown to M. de Talleyrand; he was quite overcome as he went away. The King and Madame Adélaïde have insisted that he shall return to Paris for next winter, but I do not think that he will give up his project of going to Nice.
Pauline's stay here has done her no harm. She has always behaved perfectly and pleased me much. She was delighted to be in the same room with me. Her dress was in excellent taste, and she has gone away very pleased to have been here, but also glad to go and in no way dissipated in heart or mind.
Nearly every one has gone, and only those on regular duty and intimate friends remain. I am starting to-morrow at the same time as the Queen and the Duchesse d'Albuféra, who came here yesterday. The country drive was very pretty, animated and popular. We then went into the prettiest part of the forest, called the Calvaire, whence there is an admirable view. From the depths of the ravines over which we hung singers who had been stationed there raised their song. It was delightful, and the weather, wonderful to relate, lent such a charm to the drive that it was prolonged. We eventually returned past the large vine arbour and the canal.
After dinner we had a tiresome comic opera, The Flash, followed by The Caliph of Bagdad, for which the King had asked as an old favourite. It was very late before this was over, and as I stayed up with M. de Talleyrand my sleep was cut short, the more so as his early departure obliged me to be ready in good time. The King and Madame came to say good-bye to him in his room. After lunch the King amused himself by showing the Château to three or four guests. I was delighted both with the Château and with our guide.
Paris, June 5, 1837.—I came back yesterday from Fontainebleau. Mass was said at six o'clock in the morning, and then the departure took place. I was included in the royal company, and thus arrived in excellent time, not leaving them until they turned off for Saint-Cloud. The last day at Fontainebleau, the day before yesterday, was occupied much to my taste, by a historical excursion, and in the evening we had a theatrical performance by actors from the Gymnasium. The whole stay at Fontainebleau was very pleasant, as I received much attention and kindness.
As soon as I arrived yesterday I went to the Champs Elysées to Madame de Flahaut's house; she had urgently begged me to come and see the royal entry, for which the weather was magnificent. There was a vast crowd and a most brilliant procession, the Princess bowing with perfect grace. The view from the Place Louis XV. and the Champs Elysées was magnificent. All went off very well, but there was not enough cheering and more curiosity than enthusiasm. People opened their eyes but not their mouths. The main point is that there were no pistol-shots, and that the King was able to show himself to the crowd without any apparent precautions.
Paris, June 6, 1837.—Yesterday I saw M. Royer-Collard, who was somewhat displeased with the marriage of the Prince Royal, as a man of the Faubourg Saint-Germain might well be. I was vexed with him, and we had a small quarrel. He is partial in his views, and his conversation is intolerant to an extraordinary degree.
The day before yesterday in the garden of the Tuileries there were more than sixty thousand people present from eleven o'clock in the morning to eleven at night, and such real enthusiasm that the King was obliged to leave his state dinner in the Hall of the Marshals and come out upon the balcony with his family, whence he uttered a few words of thanks, which were received with infinite delight. From the moment of entering the garden until the march past of the troops the royal family remained in the Pavillon de l'Horloge, whence there was a magnificent view. The setting sun gilded the top of the Obelisk and the Arc de Triomphe, and was reflected upon the arms and cuirasses of the troops; the benches of the National Guard were adorned with flowers. I am assured that it was a real transformation scene.
There seems to be much inclination towards a dissolution of the Chamber, at any rate on the part of M. Molé. M. Royer-Collard is vigorously urging him in that direction.
The Turkish Ambassador here can speak a few words of French. This discovery is due to myself, for every one took his professed ignorance so literally as not to speak a word to him. He looked so dull that I felt sorry for him, and made a venture. He replied in a few words, and the result is that I have been allowed to see the portrait of Sultan Mahmoud, who seems to be very handsome.
Paris, June 7, 1837.—Yesterday I called upon the Queen to thank her for Fontainebleau. The Duchesse d'Orléans was with her mother-in-law, gracious, pretty, and amiable. She is a real treasure, and is generally popular. She delighted the Council of State, the peers, and the Deputies by adding a kind phrase to the answer which her husband returned to the different speeches. She has spoken individually to each peer, and never in commonplaces. They are all delighted.
My awakening this morning was a sad one, as news was brought to me of the death of Adrien de Laval. He was a sincere friend, and they are scarce. I am very sorry, both for him and for his aunt the good Vicomtesse de Laval, who is hardly able to bear such a shock; and if she also should be carried off it would be a heavy blow to M. de Talleyrand.
Paris, June 8, 1837.—The popularity of the Princess Royal increases steadily. She has even been talking to General Neigre, of the Antwerp Artillery. The Duc d'Orléans is extremely proud and happy at the respect shown to her. It is certain that the personal influence of his wife increases his own importance, and I already see that the Pavillon Marsan will rise superior to the Pavillon de Flore. [71] I am not sure that some small jealousy has not already arisen.
The following story is related as a fact: The Duchesse d'Orléans saw her husband turn his opera-glasses for a long time in the direction of Madame Lehon. She then turned to him and took away the opera-glasses, saying, half jestingly and half seriously: "That is no compliment to me, and is not polite to the person at whom you look." He is said to have offered no objection to her action, and if this is true it is noteworthy.
M. de Flahaut is furious because he has not received the Grand Cordon of the Legion of Honour. He had proposed to resign his post as First Equerry, but has changed his mind. It is said that the Duc de Coigny refuses him any authority except over the stable.
Paris, June 11, 1837.—I cannot give many details concerning yesterday's festivity at Versailles. I started about one o'clock in full dress, with the Duchesse d'Albuféra, and we came back together at four o'clock in the morning. The weather was beautiful, the spot admirable, the gardens in regal state, the inside of the house splendid, and the sight magnificent. It lasted for five hours. My eyes are smarting with the glare of the lights. Fifteen hundred people were invited, and yet some are displeased; I admit that I should have drawn up the lists in another way.
I had the honour of dining at the King's table, for whom it was a great day. At the last set piece there was a tremendous shout of "Long live the King!" and it was well deserved.
Count Rantzau, who is escorting the Dowager Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg, was deeply touched to see in an honourable position the portrait of Marshal Rantzau, who served under Louis XIV., and whose descendant he is. He sat by me at dinner, and I drew a great deal out of him concerning the Princesses, whom I esteem more highly every day.
Paris, June 12, 1837.—I am starting to-morrow to rejoin M. de Talleyrand at Valençay.
The King of England is most seriously ill, and is only kept alive with curaçao and raw meat. He knows that he is dying, and is calling his family round him: the FitzClarences, and even Lord Munster. Mr. Caradoc is said to be taking Sir John Conroy's place with the Duchess of Kent. He sends for presents for her, the cost of which is paid by the Princess Bagration. It is said that if the King dies the Duchess of Kent will summon Lord Moira to the post of Prime Minister, who is a great Radical; others say that King Leopold is advising his niece to take Lord Palmerston, but the little Princess is inclined to Lord Grey.
Valençay, June 14, 1837.—I have just arrived, after a tiring journey in dreadful heat and two thunderstorms. M. de Talleyrand is very well, as also is Pauline.
Valençay, June 17, 1837.—Madame Adélaïde has sent M. de Talleyrand details of the accidents which took place upon the day of the fireworks; twenty-three persons were suffocated in the crowd and thirty-nine are injured. This has naturally caused much grief. The Duchesse d'Orléans was anxious not to go to the entertainment at the Hôtel de Ville and to cancel the balls; but it was pointed out to her that many people would be disappointed and much expense needlessly incurred. Festivities have therefore been postponed until after the funeral of the victims.
It seems that the fireworks, the illuminations, and especially the sham fight, were remarkably beautiful. Popular festivities are hardly ever held without accidents, and I am always afraid of them. The victims all belong to the working class, which makes their case still sadder, and some of them leave their families in poverty.
Valençay, June 18, 1837.—Pauline has made a conquest of the Archbishop of Bourges, Mgr. de Villèle, who called here before my arrival. She is said to have done the honours of the Castle remarkably well, with unusual self-possession, grace, and propriety. I am not sorry that she was obliged to try.
Considerable restorations are being made in our great castle. The northern part of the moat has been cleaned out, and the wretched little gardens which blocked the approach to it have been cleared away; there is now a walk all the way round. The belfry upon the town church looks very well, and in general the place seems improved.
Hostile newspapers try to draw comparisons between the accidents at the fireworks and the sad scenes upon the marriage of Louis XVI., and the catastrophe at the Schwarzenberg ball at the time of the Emperor Napoleon's marriage. They draw omens from these coincidences. But what more disastrous coincidence could there be for the elder branch of the Bourbons than the assassination of the Duc de Berry and the revolution of 1830? Yet no misfortune happened at the marriage of this Prince. It is not in consequence of such special incidents that kings lose their thrones.
The Municipal Council at Paris has voted a hundred and fifty thousand francs for the further expenses of the festivity. Everything is on so large a scale that the hire of glasses and water-bottles costs four thousand francs. Ices and refreshments to the amount of twenty thousand francs were distributed on the day when the festival was postponed to the workmen and to the hospitals. The patients will have a feast, and smart sayings are in circulation concerning the indigestion they are likely to get.
Valençay, June 19, 1837.—A German newspaper has a story of a vision which the Duchesse d'Orléans is said to have seen, and speaks of her idea of playing the part of a second Joan of Arc. All this is doubtless ridiculous; at the same time there is some mysticism in her desire to come to France, for M. Bresson, the most prosaic of men, has several times told me this: "She thinks she has a vocation, and has seen a special call of Providence in this marriage proposal; her mother-in-law, who is inclined to the Pietist sect, was swayed by the same idea."
The following has also been told me by Count Rantzau: Upon the day when he learnt of Meunier's attempted assassination of the King, negotiations for the marriage had been already opened. He was unable to hide from the Princess his fear of the fate towards which she was inclined. She then replied: "Stop, sir; the news that you give me, far from shaking my will, only confirms it. Providence has perhaps destined me to receive a shot intended for the King, and thus to save his life. I shall not shrink from my mission."
There is thus a strong strain of fanaticism in her, which in no way spoils her extreme simplicity of manner or the remarkable calm of her bearing. This is so unusual a combination that I have been more struck by it than by any of her other good qualities.
Valençay, June 22, 1837.—Madame Adélaïde has written a long letter to M. de Talleyrand, with full details of the entertainment at the Town Hall, which seems to have been the most beautiful thing of this kind, and far more magnificent than anything else that has yet been done. The King was admirably received as he passed through the streets and at the Town Hall. There were five thousand persons at this entertainment. Princess Helena thought the diorama of Ludwiglust [72] perfectly like the original.
Valençay, June 25, 1837.—So the old King of England is dead. I was interested to read the manner in which the young Queen was proclaimed at London, in her own presence from the balcony of St. James's Palace. This beautiful and touching scene is marked by a very pleasing restraint.
Valençay, June 28, 1837.—A widely circulated rumour at Paris asserts that Mr. Caradoc intends to secure a divorce from Princess Bagration—an easy process; that he will be made a peer and will become the husband of the young Queen. He asserts his descent from the Kings of Ireland. All this I believe to be nonsense, but meanwhile the young Queen is so charmed with him that she will do and say nothing without his consent.
Here is another story: Charles X. had given the Duc de Maillé a picture for the church of Lormois; the family has just sold it to a dealer for fifty-three thousand francs; the result has been a dispute with the Civil List officials, who assert that Charles X. had no right to present the picture. Pamphlets have been printed setting forth the case on either side. If the dealer is obliged to restore the picture he will force the Maillé family to return the fifty-three thousand francs. Apart from this picture, the family found that the inheritance of the Duc de Maillé consisted solely of debts. It is certain that if the picture came from one of the museums or one of the royal castles Charles X. had no right to give it away. It is all very unpleasant.
Valençay, June 29, 1837.—M. de Sémonville was introduced in the evening by the Queen herself to the Duchesse d'Orléans at the Round Table. He told the Princess that only the kindness of the Queen could have induced him to show her so old a face. "You mean so old a reputation," replied the Princess. The old cat sheathed his claws and was pleased.
Valençay, July 1, 1837.—I hear from Paris that the situation of public affairs is regarded as satisfactory at the moment, although the Ministerial elections have generally shown opposition. At Strasburg, Grenoble, and Montpellier they were absolutely Republican. Many people assert that the Ministry should dissolve the Chamber, as it is worn out. They urge that the marriage of the Prince Royal and the amnesty make the present moment favourable, that later on circumstances will not, perhaps, be so advantageous, but that the King refuses to consider the idea. M. Royer-Collard writes to me on the same subject: "I think that M. Molé is inclined to dissolution, and the King, though he will not yet accept it, will be led to it by force of circumstances. The Chamber is exhausted and can carry on no longer." As a postscript he adds: "I have had a long interview with M. Molé, and I am to see him again; he has decided to propose, and therefore to carry out, the plan of dissolution. I did not urge him, but I am of his opinion. The Chamber can no longer go on, and a dissolution need only be desired and accepted to become necessary."
Finally Madame de Lieven writes to me as follows immediately before starting for England: "M. de Flahaut was anxious to secure the complimentary mission to London. He has been obliged to give way to General Baudrand, which has increased the bad temper both of the husband and the wife. Sébastiani is so ill that he is useless at London; I really do not know who keeps your Court informed. Madame de Flahaut is working as hard as she can to secure the recall of Granville from Paris and the appointment of Lord Durham to his post, with the double idea of removing a competitor from Palmerston's path and having an ambassador at Paris inclined to intrigue. Granville's chief merit was that he had no such tendency. In my opinion Durham will have to have his way, as he will no longer stay at St. Petersburg and wants something better. Your Deputies are said to be dispersing in uneasiness and discontent. M. Molé says that he wants a dissolution, but that the King does not.
"M. Molé's last reception was well attended. A hundred and fifty deputies came to M. Guizot's party. M. Thiers has written from Lucca that his wife suffered severely from sea-sickness."
Valençay, July 6, 1837.—The following is an extract from a letter from Madame de Lieven dated from Boulogne: "I have seen M. Molé and M. Guizot at the last moment; the former had received a letter from Barante. My Sovereign's ill-temper is in no way improved, and is even worse than before. It is a hopeless case, as he is going mad. M. Molé is certainly jealous of Guizot. I have some very amusing things to tell you on that subject, which have all happened since your departure. There are some strange characters in the world, and as I naturally have a sense of humour, I laugh."
I should like to know the details of this rivalry, which seems to me so improbable, from the nature of its object, that I am inclined to think the Princess has been led astray by feminine vanity. She confuses jealousy with the susceptibility native to character.
I have a letter from Baron de Montmorency, the executor of the Prince de Laval, telling me that the latter, in a pencilled note, written the evening before his death, has left me a souvenir which he is sending me. I am deeply touched by it.
Rochecotte, July 11, 1837.—I arrived here yesterday, and am obliged to go out on business. The valley of the Loire is superb. The spring is late this year, and the foliage is therefore unusually green for this season. My plants have all grown very well, the climbers especially, and the flowers are abundant; everything seems in excellent order.
Rochecotte, July 12, 1837.—Yesterday I went round my house; small improvements are slowly being carried out.
I was much struck by the effect of the Sistine Madonna in the drawing-room, which has taken the place of the Corinne, which has gone to the drawing-room of the Abbé's house. The change is almost symbolical, and shows the difference between the spirit of my past and that which now dominates me, or, to speak more accurately, is gaining ground; progress is by no means rapid.
Rochecotte, July 13, 1837.—Yesterday it only rained for half the day, and I was able to go round my little empire, which I found in very good condition. I shall be sorry presently to tear myself away from it. I propose to dine and sleep at Tours, and shall be back at Valençay to-morrow.
I was able yesterday to visit my hydraulic rams. [73] Nothing takes up less room or produces a better result. Many workmen come to see them, and several landowners wish to imitate them; it is really an admirable invention. I have now water for the kitchen, the stables, and everywhere, and next year I shall present myself with a fire-engine.
Valençay, July 15, 1837.—I left Tours yesterday morning. Before starting I saw the sad sight of a man killed by lightning. His companion only had his legs broken, and was being taken to the hospital for a double amputation.
I had lunch at Loches, where I visited everything: the tomb of Agnès Sorel, the oratory of Anne of Brittany, and a curious church, the prison of Ludovico Sforza. I admired the magnificent panorama from the top of the towers. We then stopped at Montrésor, to inspect one of the prettiest Renaissance churches I have seen. It is built by the side of an old castle, which was begun by the famous Foulques Nera, the greatest builder before Louis-Philippe.
At the ironworks of Luçay [74] I found horses from the house, which brought me here very quickly.
Valençay, July 18, 1837.—With regard to the trial of General de Rigny, I can say that the General was deeply hurt, and reasonably so, because the Government wished to punish him after his brilliant acquittal before the Council of War; he declared to the Minister of War that if they chose that moment to deprive him of the command of Lille, he would accuse Marshal Clausel before the civil courts, and without in any way sparing him, as he had felt obliged to do at Marseilles. The Minister of War told him that he had wished to give him the command, but that the King objected. M. Molé and the whole Council said the same, and Baron Louis, uncle of General de Rigny, thought it well to go to Neuilly and demand an explanation from the King. The King said that the General had been proved guilty of insubordination, to which the poor old uncle replied: "But your Majesty is surely ready to recognise the judgment that has been passed; the Council of War admitted that the remarks attributed to my nephew were libellous; all that we can now do is to prosecute the Marshal." The King then replied: "Ah, I did not know that. I will look into the details of the trial, and then we shall see." [75]
The fact is that at the Château anybody called Rigny is in bad odour, for the opposite reason from that which has made the fortune of M. Bresson. It is not enough to be a devoted servant of the Government; one must also be, and always have been, an Orléanist.
I have received Madame de Lieven's first letter from London. She seems delighted with the magnificence of her hosts' style of living, the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland, and also by the attentions of her friends. She says that the young Queen is a marvel of dignity and industry, and is not to be led, even by her mother. She manages her whole Court herself, and as the Duchess of Sutherland is Mistress of the Robes the Princess sees the notes that the Queen writes on the occasion of the Court functions, which are models of good arrangement and propriety. The Duchess of Sutherland is in charge of all arrangements, and is even above the Lord Chamberlain. Apparently she can become a second Duchess of Marlborough if she likes. When the Queen receives addresses on her throne the Duchess of Sutherland stands at her right hand, while the Duchess of Kent, the Queen's mother, is seated below the steps. The Queen wishes to review the troops on horseback, and what she wishes she does. Lord Melbourne is all-powerful and the Whigs are triumphant; the elections will be keenly fought; it is the Tories' last chance. Lord Durham has resumed his power over the Radicals, who flatter him, and the Queen does not share her mother's liking for him.
The English crown has no diamonds. The very beautiful diamonds of the Queen-Dowager are her own property, and came to her from her mother-in-law, the old Queen Charlotte, who bequeathed them to the crown of Hanover. As this crown is now separated from the English crown, the Duke of Cumberland, as King of Hanover, reclaims the diamonds. Thus Queen Victoria has none, and although she is in no hurry to send back these jewels she will not wear them.
Count Orloff has been sent to London to compliment the Queen. Madame de Lieven hopes to learn from him how far she can defy the Emperor, her master.
M. Thiers wrote to her from Florence that he was not satisfied with the treaty concluded with Abd-el-Kader.
Valençay, July 26, 1837.—Letters received this morning seem to show that the resolution to dissolve the Chamber has been retracted, or has given rise at any rate to hesitation. The audacious declaration of the King of Hanover, the success of Don Carlos, and the fear of seeing the English elections turn in a Radical direction is said to give rise to apprehension here of definite mandates and republican tendencies in the coming general elections.
The Court is at the town of Eu, and from thence will go on to Saint-Cloud. The Dowager Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg accompanies its movements. She is liked and respected, and, feeling that her position will not be agreeable in Germany, she is in no hurry to return, and is somewhat afraid of the solitude that there awaits her.
Yesterday I had a letter from M. Royer-Collard, who is in Paris, from which the following is an extract: "Dissolution resounds throughout all correspondence, even in that from the Minister of the Interior. Conditions, however, are laid down: if Don Carlos does not reach Madrid, if the King of Hanover is not overthrown, if the English elections give no cause for terror; these reservations are due to the character and policy of the King, who does not care to run risks, and who spares the Doctrinaires by leaving them some hope. The decision is to come from M. Molé, who would leave them nothing. In neither case is there any consideration as to whether the step in itself is good or bad: 'It will all pass over.' For my part, if I am allowed to express an opinion, it is precisely those cases which are considered capable of postponement that I would never postpone. I do not know what the new Chamber will be like, nor do I expect miracles from it, but I regard the old Chamber as inadequate and entirely incompetent, if any important resolution is required."
I have also a letter from M. Thiers from Florence. He seems to be sad and uneasy about his wife's health; he speaks of her with warm and tender anxiety, and says that this is his only trouble and that he defies politics to disturb his equanimity henceforward. He adds: "I have returned to literature and philosophy; like the classical Bossuet, I enjoy the spectacle of human affairs in monuments and books—that is to say, in the memorials of men of former times. I claim the power of discovering the truth from a mere hint, and as this is the method of historical investigation I believe I have a good knowledge and understanding of the past. This presumption of mine, which harms nobody, neither M. Guizot nor King Louis-Philippe, nor Prince Metternich, would enable me to live very happily and busily if I were spared family cares. I shall therefore do all that I possibly can to remain as I am; I wish to improve, to increase my intellectual and moral powers, and this can be done better in retirement than anywhere else, as one then has time for reflection and study, undisturbed by selfish considerations. If some fine position should appear some day when I have made myself what I can become, well and good; but to spend one's life bandied about between the King and his demands for an appanage and the Chamber with its refusals, to be constantly harassed by the Tuileries and the Palais Bourbon, by people who are never grateful and make you the butt of their grievances without the only recompense for the troubles of position, the power to do good—all this is simply not worth while. I say this with full meaning, and as I am happy enough to see that my feelings are shared by those about me, I shall maintain my point of view; so that this winter you will see me in entire freedom."
Valençay, August 1, 1837.—M. de Vandœuvre came to pay us a visit yesterday. He told us an amusing story of Madame de Boigne, who had been invited to dinner with M. and Madame de Salvandy. When she arrived she found only the lady of the house, who apologised for her husband and said that he could not appear at dinner because he was ill. They sat down without him, but when they went back to the drawing-room they found the young Minister, as he calls himself, carelessly reposing in a long chair, in Turkish slippers and a fine flowered dressing-gown, with a smoking cap embroidered by ladies' hands cocked over one ear. The sharp and prudish face of Madame de Boigne at that moment is said to have been indescribable.
The daughter of the Duchesse de Plaisance has died of typhoid fever at Beyrout, in Syria; her father told me the news. The fate of the unhappy mother, of whom at present I know nothing, causes me grief and anxiety. She was a good friend to me at a time when I had but few friends, and I cannot forget it.
Valençay, August 4, 1837.—I have read the article upon Madame de Krüdener in the Revue des deux Mondes. She was a Courlandaise, and I have seen her at my mother's house, with whom she struck up a small friendship. My mother also thought, and rightly, that it was her duty to take some notice of all her compatriots. Madame de Krüdener was an adventuress by nature, and if she had not been well born she would have been recognised as such long before her final absurdities. From 1814 until her death she lived surrounded by a gang of scoundrels, who followed her about Europe and presented an unpleasant sight which was anything rather than evangelical. They were a strange company of apostles.
People who are easily excited, animated and changeable, ready for anything, attracted in the most opposite directions, are often regarded as hypocrites, simply because they are changeable, and one is always tempted to doubt their sincerity. Such is the case of M. Thiers. I am sure he is very happy as he writes in his villa at Careggi, [76] amid recollections of the Medici, and that he is also entirely disgusted with Paris. Ardent and impetuous natures, equally ready for any enterprise, are unfortunately often misjudged by characters more happily balanced. I know something of this from my own experience. We shall undoubtedly see M. Thiers once more in the arena of politics and ambition, but to-day he sincerely believes that he has left it for ever. The advantage of such natures as his, and perhaps as mine, consists in the fact that they are never wholly cast down and are so supple and elastic that they accommodate themselves to the most different situations; but it must be admitted that corresponding inconveniences are involved. Their judgment of things and of people is often too rapid, and their execution is often too quick and too complete; by springing from rock to rock they are always in danger, and sometimes fall; they then descend to an abyss, which is regarded as their proper position by those who have been able to maintain themselves steadily at one height, are by no means sorry to see their overthrow and are disinclined to offer any help. How many times have I seen and experienced this! The worst part of it is not the accusations of folly, but of hypocrisy. There is, however, for these natures one infallible resource, when they have the strength to fall back upon it: they can force themselves to recover their equilibrium and follow the golden mean. It is a long task, which will continue necessarily throughout their lives, but that is the advantage of it, as the end of it can never be determined.
The Duc de Noailles writes to us that his uncle has died within a few hours, with every symptom of cholera. I do not know whether I am wrong, but for me everything is shrouded in a veil of darkness, and I instinctively fear some catastrophe. If only it does not fall upon M. de Talleyrand or upon my children! For myself I trust in the will of God and prepare myself as well as I can. But how many arrears remain to be paid, and how terror-stricken I should be were it not for my full confidence in the Divine mercy!
Valençay, August 5, 1837.—M. de Montrond writes from Paris to M. de Talleyrand that the following story was told of the young Queen Victoria at the house of the Flahauts: The Duchess of Sutherland had kept the Queen waiting; when she arrived the Queen went up to her and said: "My dear Duchess, pray do not let this happen again, for neither you nor I ought to keep any one waiting." Was not that very well said?
Valençay, August 8, 1837.—Yesterday I had a letter from Madame de Lieven, which was begun in England and finished in France in the course of her journey to Paris. She has seen Orloff in London, and thinks that through him she has settled her business so well that she can venture to return to Paris. She tells me some curious things of the young Queen. "Every one has been taken in by her; she has secretly prepared herself for a long time for her destined position. At the present moment she gives her whole heart to Lord Melbourne. Her mother wished her to enter into obligations with the Radicals, and also with Conroy personally. It seems that Conroy, who dominates the mother, had behaved very rudely to her daughter, and even threatened her with confinement three days before her accession if she did not promise him a peerage and the post held by Sir Herbert Taylor. She gave him a pension of three thousand pounds and forbade him the palace. The mother only comes to see her daughter when she is sent for. The Duchess of Kent complains bitterly, and is obviously overcome by vexation; and Caradoc, who had miscalculated his possibilities in that quarter, has shared in this disgrace and has left England. The young Queen is full of affection and respect for her uncle, King Leopold, who did not like Conroy; he used to take the girl's part against her mother. Melbourne is all-powerful, and adores his young Sovereign. Her self-possession is incredible. People are quite afraid of her; she keeps every one in order, and I assure you that everything looks very different as compared with the old King's time. The Queen wears every day the Order of the Garter as a medal upon her shoulder, and the motto upon her arm. She has never grown tall, and therefore wears a dress with a train even in the morning; she has a distinguished appearance; her face is charming and her shoulders superb. She issues her orders as a queen; her will must be obeyed at once and without contradiction. All the courtiers seem overwhelmed."
Valençay, August 15, 1837.—I knew Madame de Lieven's taste for planting herself at Paris, but I did not think it went so far as to induce her to monopolise the Russian Embassy, and from every point of view this is a false move; with whatever kindness she may meet in her present position, which is regarded as neutral and without influence, an official position would bring her into inextricable difficulties.
Valençay, August 17, 1837.—The following is an extract from a letter from Madame de Lieven received yesterday: "For the moment Conservatism is very fashionable in England. The new House of Commons will be much better composed than the last; I hope and I believe that this will produce an agreement with the moderate Tories; they are prepared for it. I can answer for Sir Robert Peel and the Duke of Wellington, who are ready to give their help and support for the moment without any return. If Lord Melbourne accepts he will lose the support of the Radical Party, and will find himself obliged in a short time to bring Tories into the Cabinet; but that is the best bargain open to him, and Lord Melbourne is more inclined to it than his colleagues. We shall see if he is bold enough to take the step; when I left him he seemed ready for it. The Queen will not be married or think of marrying for a year or two at least. You may rely upon the accuracy of this statement. The Duchess of Kent is a complete nonentity, and even put somewhat on one side by her daughter. Conroy dare not appear before the Queen. The Queen is astounding! Most astounding! With so much power at eighteen, what will she be like at forty?
"The Clanricardes have quarrelled with the Ministry. She is happy, because she can now be as Tory as she pleases.
"Diplomacy is in a poor way at London, since you and I are no longer there. The members look shabby indeed; they seem mere nobodies, receive no respect, have no position, know no news, ask everybody for news, and come and whisper a Court affair a fortnight after it is forgotten. I blush for my late profession.
"Esterhazy has gone to Brussels. This is producing an effect at London, as it is the first act of recognition to the Belgian royalty; but from that source Queen Victoria's policy is inspired."
Valençay, August 20, 1837.—We hear from Paris that the Duc d'Orléans has a cold and is growing thin. There is some fear of his lungs, and it is said that he takes too much exercise. It is thought the exertion of the camp at Compiègne may be too much for him. His wife is literally adored by the royal family, and by all who come near her.
I have a charming letter from the Duchess of Gloucester. These old princesses seem to have been deeply saddened by the death of the late King.
Valençay, August 25, 1837.—The King and Queen of the Belgians will be at London on the 26th of this month—that is, to-morrow. It is supposed that the King will have full influence over his niece, but that he will not restore relations between the Duchess of Kent and the Queen, or go out of his way to spare the former, as he finds their disunion in accordance with his ideas.
The Princess de Lieven is very angry with her husband, who will not appear at Havre, where she has arranged to meet him. She is doing her utmost at St. Petersburg to gain some means of reviving her husband's spirits, of which, to use her own expression, very little remain. She repeats that she cannot leave Paris without risking her life. I think that she has no great desire to meet the poor Prince again. She tells me that M. Guizot is at Paris, that he comes to see her every day, and that he drives M. Molé away as soon as he comes in. M. Molé is invited to the camp at Compiègne from the 1st to the 4th of September, and M. Guizot from the 5th to the 8th. The whole of France will be invited in turn.
Valençay, August 29, 1837.—I had a troublesome day yesterday. Madame de Sainte-Aldegonde came to us, bringing her daughters and M. Cuvillier Fleury, tutor to the Duc d'Aumale and a contributor to the Journal des Débats. I had to put myself out and show them everything, and was very glad when they started back for Beauregard at nine o'clock in the evening. M. Fleury has left his pupil for the moment to travel for six weeks, and is contributing articles to the Journal des Débats about the castles that he visits. There is nothing so disagreeable as this kind of thing, and he has received a strong hint here that we do not care to see ourselves in print.
Madame de Sainte-Aldegonde says that the Duchesse d'Orléans is certainly with child. She also says that Princesse Marie is to marry Duke Alexander of Würtemberg next October, and will live in France.
M. Mignet, who has been here for two days, tells us no news. He confines himself to long historical dissertations, which are sometimes interesting, but generally somewhat pedantic.
Madame de Jaucourt writes that Baron Louis is dying of a stroke of apoplexy. This has been largely brought on by fretting over the business of his nephew de Rigny. [77]
Valençay, September 2, 1837.—I have a letter from the Duc de Noailles, who gives me some small news. I never saw any one of importance stay at home less than he does. At Paris he pays a daily round of calls, morning and evening, which take up the whole of his time, and he never refuses an invitation to dinner. In the summer he goes the round of the country houses and the watering-places, and is continually making excursions to Paris, as his residence is close at hand. Barren characters, when they are naturally intelligent, feel a greater need of change than others; in any case, the consequence is that he always knows the news. At Paris he keeps it to himself, and asks more questions than he answers; but when he writes he tells all that he knows, so that his letters are always pleasant.
I have also a letter from M. Thiers, from Cauterets. He is izard-hunting with the Basques, of which sport he is very fond, although the Pyrenees seem to him but poor scenery after the Lake of Como. He is less anxious about his wife's health, and talks of coming here for the end of the month, but with all his impedimenta, as he cannot leave the ladies whom he is escorting. I am not altogether pleased, but how can I refuse?
It seems that the expedition to Constantine is actually to take place, and that the Prince Royal will lead it. This campaign seems to me a very foolish one for the Prince Royal.
I have just read the so-called memoirs of the Chevalier d'Eon, which are tiresome, improbable, and absurd; the idea in particular that he could have had a love-affair with the old Queen of England, the ugliest, the most prudish and austere woman of her time, is too ridiculous an invention.
Valençay, September 6, 1837.—The newspapers now say that it is the Duc de Nemours, and not the Prince Royal, who will command the expedition to Constantine. This seems to me a better arrangement.
The Princesse de Lieven writes as follows: "There is talk of a double marriage: the Princesse Marie with Duke Alexander of Würtemberg and Princesse Clémentine with the eldest son of the reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Here, however, a difficulty appears. The children of the marriage should be Lutherans, which the Queen does not wish; and in the case of the first marriage there is also the possible difficulty that the King of Würtemberg might not give his consent. It is said that the negotiations, though not broken off, are not far advanced. I have a letter from my brother which shows me that Orloff has kept his word. He says that Paris is the only place to suit me, and that no one protests against it. Now I have only my husband to think of, and how can he be likely to offer objections as the Court has raised none? This difficulty is bound to disappear, but not for a month or six weeks, for my husband will require advices from the Emperor, and the whole troublesome affair will have to go round Europe, from Paris to Odessa and from Odessa to Ischl and from Ischl to Paris. Just think of that!" So much from this great and aged spoilt child.
Valençay, September 8, 1837.—The news given us by Madame de Sainte-Aldegonde was premature. Madame Adélaïde writes to M. de Talleyrand that the Duchesse d'Orléans is not with child, that the King will not go to Amboise this year, and that the marriage of the Princesse Marie with Duke Alexander of Würtemberg is possible, but not absolutely settled, though negotiations are going on.
Valençay, September 9, 1837.—I have come back from an excursion to Châteauvieux and Saint-Aignan which occupied the whole of yesterday and to-day. I was marvellously well and in high spirits with M. Royer-Collard, but to-day I feel broken down and miserable. There is no sense in it; I do not know what does me good or what makes me feel ill; I suffer from what I think should do me good and recover from that which should lay me low. I am a very strange little creature. The doctor tells me every day that it is the result of my nervous, fantastic, and capricious disposition. What is certain is that I have fits of cheerfulness, of gaiety, and of sadness; that I look after myself, or my nerves look after me, very badly; and that I am exceedingly tired of myself, and to some extent of other people.
Valençay, September 11, 1837.—What is to be said of the mandate of the Archbishop of Paris, and of the article in the Journal des Débats which follows it? The desecration of Sainte-Geneviève is obvious, and the scandal of the pediment has been felt by all right-thinking people. [78] In the face of such an enormity it was difficult for the plaintive voice of the chief pastor not to utter a cry of pain, and the absence of any protest would have been blameworthy, in my opinion. But his cry has been uttered with violence and bitterness, and with none of the apostolic respect for the feelings of others which it is always wise to keep in view. In M. de Quélen we shall always have an excellent priest with the courage and devotion of his convictions, but he will never learn tact, and will constantly injure his position by his words and his actions. I am sorry for him, as I am interested in him, and also for the cause of religion, which is even more wounded by these unhappy events and Governmental scandals. The want of thought which permitted this pediment, the obvious hesitation of the Ministry to know whether it would be disclosed or not, the weakness which showed it to the eyes of the public, and the tone of indifference with which newspapers speak of it, are so many disavowals of the system of order and energy which they have claimed as theirs. Next to the pillage of the archbishopric, the destruction of the crosses, and the rejection of the fleur-de-lys, nothing seems to me more hopelessly revolutionary than this hideous pediment. It frightens right-thinking people far more than usurpation.
Valençay, September 12, 1837.—The Carlist party are very wrong to accuse the Duc de Noailles of inclination to support the present Government; he is very far from anything of the kind. I have seen that he was somewhat tempted to that course for two or three months during the journey of the two Princes in Germany and when the marriage of the Archduchess Theresa was discussed. Since Alibaud's pistol-shot and the refusal of Austria he has given up the idea, and I think he is more determined than ever to follow his present line of conduct, although his impartiality in thought and language will always prevent him from joining the hot-headed members of his party.
Madame de Lieven writes as follows: "I have a letter from my husband proposing the right bank of the Rhine and asserting that he cannot possibly cross it. We shall see. I hope and believe that he will change his mind. M. Molé and M. Guizot meet at my house, and are beginning to talk. The consent of the King of Würtemberg to his cousin's marriage has come to hand. M. Guizot has returned from Compiègne delighted with the wit and intelligence of the Duchesse d'Orléans. Madame de Flahaut is kept very much aloof from the Princess, and is vexed in consequence. She had her four days at the Château, like the other guests, and then returned to her rooms in the town of Compiègne. Lady Jersey writes that she will come and spend the winter at Paris to see the Prince de Talleyrand. My husband has seen their Hanoverian Majesties at Carlsbad."
Valençay, September 18, 1837.—Yesterday I had a very kind letter from M. Molé. He tells me that he has been obliged to postpone the diplomatic affair. He wishes to create some peers, but is somewhat hampered by the stupid social classification. He speaks bitterly of the great attention paid by M. Guizot to Madame de Lieven, and readily accepted by the latter.
Alava, who has been here since yesterday, told me that the hunchbacked daughter of the Duc de Frias has married the Prince of Anglona. Mlle. Auguste de Rigny is certainly the only heiress of the Baron Louis, who leaves seventy thousand francs income. She has already an income of eighteen thousand of her own. The will is quite simple, and so definite that it cannot be attacked. [79]
Valençay, September 19, 1837.—M. de Salvandy, whom M. de Talleyrand had invited here, appeared yesterday at dinner-time. He is going back this evening, having sandwiched this excursion between two meetings of the Council. I have exhausted myself in graciousness of manner and in making conversation, which is not an easy matter with a man who is undoubtedly intellectual, but emphatically so, and constantly anxious to produce an effect. In any case, he has been very attentive to me. He told me that the Duke Alexander of Würtemberg had an income of only fifty thousand francs, and that the King of Würtemberg showed much politeness and readiness throughout the affair, though the alliance is a poor one for our young Princess; we gain nothing more than a husband for her. It is not true that she will stay in France; in the summer she will live in her husband's castle, fifteen leagues from Coburg, and in the winter in a little palace at Gotha. When they visit Paris they will be put up at the Elysée. They are going to Germany immediately after the marriage, which will take place in the first fortnight of October.
The French elections will take place on November 15, and the Chamber will meet on December 5.
M. de Salvandy also talked much of the Duchess d'Orleans, whom he believes, and I think rightly, to be an eminently clever person, and, as she has to govern some day thirty-two million souls, is working daily to win their hearts one by one.
Valençay, September 20, 1837.—M. de Salvandy left us yesterday after dinner. During our morning talk he quoted an instance showing the growing influence of the Duchesse d'Orléans over her husband. Before his marriage he troubled so little about mass that last May, a few weeks before his wedding, he went to the races at Chantilly on the Day of Pentecost, and never even thought of attending mass. Recently at Saint-Quentin he went there in fiocchi, telling the National Guard that they might follow him or not as they pleased. The Guard went in a body. Saint-Quentin, however, like all manufacturing towns, is by no means religious.
The Pope is deeply vexed about the business of Sainte-Geneviève, and is going to offer a severe remonstrance through Mgr. Garibaldi. The King, who has been much distressed by the scandal, is embarrassed in his relations with Rome because he yielded to M. de Montalivet, who is unfortunately surrounded by the wretched troop of hostile newspapers, to which he pays homage and deference. M. Molé, who is opposed to the pediment, has also yielded. M. de Salvandy is also fulminating, and I imagine when he has uttered one sonorous phrase he will think his duty done.
Valençay, September 22, 1837.—M. de Salvandy has written, upon his arrival in Paris during the session of the Council, telling M. de Talleyrand that he had found everybody much excited at the news from Spain; all are expecting to hear of the arrival of Don Carlos at Madrid. It is possible that this news will somewhat disturb arrangements for the dissolution and the elections.
Valençay, September 28, 1837.—Madame Adélaïde writes that the marriage of her niece to Duke Alexander of Würtemberg will take place at Trianon on October 12. Madame de Castellane tells me that the Lieven-Guizot flirtation is unparalleled. He is making her read Dante and Tasso, and never leaves her house. Since he has been in the country he writes letters to her of ten pages. During his absence the Princess went to his house, gained admission to his rooms, and examined everything carefully. She has written curious but sensible articles on the subject. An article has appeared concerning the whole affair in Le Temps. This has made her furious, and she has had a very lively interview with M. Molé, because Le Temps is said to be considerably under Ministerial influence; hence relations between the Prime Minister and herself are somewhat strained. It is all very ridiculous, and I am glad to be away from Paris and all this gossip.