Memoirs of the Duchesse De Dino (Afterwards Duchesse de Talleyrand et de Sagan), 1841-1850

Rochecotte, August 23, 1842.– The Regency law has been passed by an imposing majority. The peers will confirm it, and in this respect at least we can be at rest.

Rochecotte, August 25, 1842.– Yesterday I had a letter from Paris which seems to give a fair summary of the present position. "The debate upon the Regency was fine and also curious: M. de Lamartine went over to the Left in exasperation with the Conservatives who did not appoint him President; M. Thiers broke his ties with the Left, as he wishes to become a possible candidate; M. Odilon Barrot who had begun the same manœuvre, did not speak at the last moment for fear of losing his popularity with his party. The Legitimists took an inopportunely high tone and were trampled under foot. Such was the drama. It was performed for the benefit of the Ministry, which would have secured no advantage from this little session if it had followed the advice of M. Thiers, for in that case all would have passed off without a struggle. Instead of that he has been used to win battles for the Presidency and the Regency law. This is a first instalment of the real session which will begin with extreme vigour, but the Cabinet has always some chances of success, doubtless uncertain chances, for much depends upon the difficulty of forming another combination and the inclination of the Conservatives to unite against the Left. The attacks will be furious and severe; there is danger, but also hope."

Rochecotte, August 29, 1842.– I heard yesterday of your disembarkation69 at Liverpool. Welcome to our old Europe which, in spite of its unpleasantnesses, is better than the New World.

I hear from Paris: "The Queen is pale, thin and despondent, but calm: she no longer struggles against her grief, and seems now to have accepted it as a necessary element in the whole of her life, though less poignant than it was; she can talk of other things. So I spoke to her of your tears and regrets, at which she cried, 'Oh, I know it and was sure of it: the King and my sister have been deeply touched by all that she has said to them and by the real sorrow she has shown; my poor boy had great confidence in her and was really one of her friends.' All this was said in a manner which you would have been glad to hear. The Duchesse d'Orléans has returned from Dreux, where she had insisted upon going before the journey to Eu. She seems to have had some inclination to settle at the Elysée with her children, but this idea was so definitely rejected that she did not propose it again. The million voted by the Chambers to the Prince Royal falls to the Comte de Paris: his mother, as guardian, has the use of it, while she has also her settlement of a hundred thousand crowns, so that during the minority she will be rich. She has made many minor reforms, but preserves her household of honour and is keeping up all the military household of the late Prince for her son. There is some fear that she may not be quite competent to manage her income: her husband used to settle all details of expenditure, to which she is not accustomed and which she does not understand. Now that the first outburst of grief is over, many little cliques are advancing their claims upon all sides; political intrigues, family jealousies and court rivalry are all obvious, and if the King does not interfere there will be an Orléans party and a Nemours party."

Rochecotte, August 31, 1842.– I have the following letter from Paris referring to the life of the Royal Family before their departure for the town of Eu: "The officers on duty do not enter their room or take meals with them: the King receives in the billiard room people who come to see him or to pay their respects; the Queen, Madame Adélaïde, Princesse Clémentine and the Duchesse de Nemours spend the evening in work at the round table. Now they have started for Eu, and we must hope that the change will do them some good. The little Duc de Chartres gave rise to some anxiety for a short time. The Duchesse d'Orléans lives in some retirement with the Grand Duchesse of Mecklenburg."

Madame de Lieven after spending a week at Dieppe, was so bored that she came back hurriedly to her little Beauséjour, from whence she writes: "Thiers has definitely broken with the Left and is coming forward as the immediate successor to M. Guizot, a move which is not likely to please M. Molé. The Chambers will be convoked for January 9. There is no news concerning Pahlen or Barante. The whole of September will be spent at Eu and they will then return to Saint-Cloud. The Queen of England is taking her husband to Scotland to console him with grouse shooting for the fact that she would not allow him to go to the manœuvres on the Rhine. The journey will be made quite quietly, in fact too quietly. Lord Aberdeen accompanies her."

Rochecotte, September 8, 1842.– One of our friends who is now in England writes as follows from London: "I have seen one of our friends here, the excellent Dedel, the minister of the Low Countries who is sincerely attached to us. We talked a great deal together of past times, and he told me some curious details which may perhaps seem to you somewhat like ancient history but which appear to me to be not without interest. At the accession of Queen Victoria, even before the members of the diplomatic body had had time to receive new letters accrediting them, the Queen wished to see them at Kensington Palace. They were all introduced one by one by Lord Melbourne and Lord Palmerston. When the first three, namely Prince Esterhazy, General Sébastiani and Baron Bülow had been introduced, Lord Melbourne took them aside and said, 'Well, what do you think of my little queen? Is she not excellent? She is admirably well disposed to all foreign sovereigns and I can assure you that she will live in peace with every one. There is one, however, for whom she has an extraordinary hatred: it is childish and foolish and I hope that we shall overcome her antipathy, but she has a violent dislike for the King of the Low Countries.' It is even more difficult, said Dedel, to imagine such language in the mouth of an English Prime Minister. He then went on to say that since Sir Robert Peel had been at the head of affairs, the Queen no longer interferes and leaves him entirely to himself. She had taken a keen interest in Lord Melbourne's Ministry, as the precarious condition of his Cabinet kept her in a continual state of excitement. Now she knows that nothing can shake Sir Robert Peel for a long time and her interest in state affairs is gone. This change has been unfortunate for Prince Albert, to whom she devotes her entire attention: she holds him in, does not give him a moment's freedom, and actually tyrannises over him; and the poor Prince sometimes finds it difficult to conceal his disgust and weariness of this treatment. The Queen, moreover, has retained some affection for Lord Melbourne who used to amuse her, and was the first to initiate her in affairs of state. Her hatred for the King of the Low Countries can be explained by the influence which the King of the Belgians long exerted over her, but the antipathy seems to have grown much weaker of late. Dedel says that the diplomatic body at London cuts a very poor figure now, that it has no social standing or consideration. The Russian Minister, Baron Brunnow, is an extremely clever man and a business man of high capacity: he is false to the point of trickery, a true Russian-Greek, and a dangerous person with whom to do business. Dedel admits that Brunnow's diplomatic success in London has been great. General kindness has been shown to M. and Madame Sainte-Aulaire; she is reputed courteous and he amusing. M. de Barante has made a good impression on those who have talked with him. On the whole, said Dedel, General Sébastiani was the most successful of the three ambassadors who followed M. de Talleyrand at London: his judgment was excellent; his early impressions in business were invariably good; his great disadvantage was his inability to develop his ideas clearly. He had a sound understanding of the Eastern problem and would have settled it suitably if he had been left at his post. M. Guizot committed constant mistakes at London and clearly showed his profound ignorance of diplomacy: he thought himself at Paris where everything goes on by means of parliamentary intrigue, and attempted to detach Lord Holland, Lord Clarendon and Lord John Russell from Lord Palmerston, forgetting that the latter was the brother-in-law of Lord Melbourne, the ultimate master; he also tried to overthrow the Cabinet, a very imprudent and dangerous attempt for a Foreign Minister to make; he also tried to stir some Radical members of the House of Commons to rebel against Lord Palmerston, and was even so imprudent as to dine with them privately at the Star and Garter at Richmond. Lord Palmerston once said to Bülow, 'M. Guizot should be obliged to me for not making use of the evidence in my hands, which clearly shows his attempts and intrigues to overthrow the Cabinet; they are of such a nature that they would authorise the Queen's Government to hand him his passports.' The journey of Madame de Lieven to England also damaged Guizot's credit in a large degree. Lord Palmerston, who knew Madame de Lieven's hatred for himself, regarded her arrival as a further blow at himself, and his vengeance then knew no bounds. On the whole, France, the French and their Government have been in very bad repute in England for the last two years, and it is considered that the present French Embassy is not likely to bring about a change in feeling. The present English Cabinet which blames Lord Palmerston's conduct, thinks that it has taken every possible step since it has been in power to restore good feeling with France. The Cabinet recognises its failure with regret, but it has decided to do nothing more but to await results and to be in readiness for any eventuality.

"Affairs are going badly in Holland, where the House of Orange is becoming more and more unpopular. The old King is not forgiven for his rapacity, for the manner in which he has made money out of the country for the last twenty-five years, and further, for his marriage with a Belgian Catholic, while for two years he had condemned the country to support conditions that were at least as burdensome as war without any of its glory or profit, and all for the aggrandisement of his own family. The new King is fickle, inconsiderate, and imprudent; people criticise him for throwing himself into the arms of France, which is a new and adventurous policy for Holland; he is also blamed for his obstinacy in maintaining an army upon a war footing which is ruinous to the country. The Budget remains at an enormous height: eighty million florins for a population of less than three millions. The nomination of Baron Heskern as Minister of the Low Countries at Vienna has caused a great scandal in Holland, and revived unpleasant reports."

Rochecotte, September 11, 1842.– Yesterday I had a letter from M. de Salvandy, of which the following is an extract: "Thiers has plunged in extraordinary style; apologies to the Government have been complete, and he has kissed hands. I should have thought him clever if he had been more dignified, but such things often happen. I do not think that he has thus opened a road for his immediate return to power, but by the mere fact that he seems to have done so, the advance becomes more difficult for any one else. One of the consequences of this great flattery is to make the King unmanageable. M. de Lamartine has never been anything more than a meteor; he writes to M. Villemain that he will form part of 'the great opposition': the only great thing about him will be his powerlessness and his fall."

I propose to start for Valençay in a few hours, and to spend a month with my son in fulfilment of a long-standing promise.

Valençay, September 24, 1842.– I have been deeply grieved to hear of the death of my poor and excellent cousin, Princesse Pierre d'Arenberg. Both she, her husband, and all that branch of my family have been very kind to me, and I am deeply attached to them all. The Sister of Charity who nursed Madame d'Arenberg heard her say immediately after receiving extreme unction, "Oh, God, Thy will be done!" I am convinced that she was fully aware of her danger during the last forty-eight hours of her life, and that she did not speak more clearly of her death from strength of mind, and because she would not deprive those about her of the consolation of thinking that she was still under a delusion. She was one of the elect.

Valençay, September 27, 1842.– I did not know that the question of a marriage between the Prince de Joinville and one of the Brazilian Princesses had been discussed. I was under the impression that these Princesses could not leave Brazil unless their brother, the Emperor, who is not yet married, should have children. I am also astonished that the French Queen does not feel some misgivings concerning the breeding and education of these Princesses. Moreover, what reason is there for such extreme haste in marrying a young man who is a sailor by profession, and has three brothers and three nephews already? The only result will be a number of collateral branches which the division of inheritances and the increasing stinginess of the Chambers will reduce to poverty, so that they will soon become a burden upon the head of the family.

Valençay, October 5, 1842.– I have some reason to believe that Princess Marie of Baden is to marry the Marquis of Douglas; at any rate, the newspapers do not know the whole truth.

I shall leave here on the 15th, dine at Tours with the unfortunate d'Entraigues, who have just lost a daughter in very sad circumstances, and shall reach Rochecotte for the night. I prefer a long day's travelling to the fatigue and the cold of the inns at this time of year. M. Royer-Collard, whom I could not possibly have gone to see at Châteauvieux in consequence of the bad state of the roads, has been so kind as to come here; this attention at his age, and with his feeble health, has touched me deeply. He spoke to me of his domestic life, and of his nearest interests, and seems to care little about anything else.

Rochecotte, October 16, 1842.– I reached here yesterday evening to pass the night. There is always a special delight about home which is not to be found elsewhere. At the same time I am sorry to leave Valençay. They were most attentive to me, and the whole neighbourhood is always kind. I am very fond of my son and his society, and nowhere are remembrances so numerous and so powerful as at Valençay.

A surprising and wonderful event has taken place at Nice, in which all the parties are known to me: their truth, their uprightness, their faith and enlightenment are incontestable. The eldest daughter of the Comte de Maistre70 had been crippled for months by a twisted leg, and suffered desperate pain, screaming night and day; the doctors were in despair, and spoke of gangrene and amputation. She has just been entirely cured by ten minutes' fervent prayer in the presence of twelve people who were in the room, and to the knowledge of the whole town of Nice. The prayers were offered by Mlle. Nathalie de Komar, who has been a great mystic for some years. The cure is complete, and the malady was desperate. The young invalid is herself a saint, and intends to be a Sister of Charity. Such an event confuses and overwhelms the mind; it can neither be explained nor disputed under the circumstances which occurred. One can but be silent, and bow the head in adoration.

Rochecotte, October 17, 1842.– I am somewhat wearied by my journey of yesterday. The priest came to tell me that he had been awaiting my return to place the stations of the Cross in his church. One of the Grand Vicars of Tours had just arrived to perform the ceremony at which I was obliged to be present. It was pretty and touching but the procession especially was tiring: then the church is a long distance away; it is a bad road to drive and too long to walk and, in short, the whole affair left me exhausted.

I have heard from Pauline on the 8th from the villa Melzi and on the 10th from Milan. She is quite delighted by everything that she sees, astonished at the tasteful splendour of the villa and touched by the gracious and kind welcome of the family. I am delighted that my daughter should find this journey pleasant, as it has cost her a good deal to undertake it.

Rochecotte, October 19, 1842.– Yesterday I had a letter from Berlin which says that the ex-King of the Low Countries, the Count of Nassau, will very probably return to the Hague. It is thought that he will take his daughter with him,71 as a means of extricating her quietly from her false position with reference to her husband and the whole Court. She was allowed to appear at the marriage celebration of Princess Marie of Prussia with the Grand Prince of Bavaria, but her husband, Prince Albert, excused himself on the ground of illness, did not put in an appearance and declines to see his wife again. I know that Princess Marianne is regarded as flighty, but on my last journey to Berlin she was supposed to be on better terms with her very disagreeable husband. Something must, therefore, recently have happened.

Rochecotte, October 27, 1842.– At Berlin I had heard some mention, not of a huntsman of Prince Albert but of a Stallmeister or whipper-in who used to ride alone with the Princess on her excursions in Silesia, but I can hardly believe this story, though it seems to have gained ground.

Rochecotte, November 3, 1842.– English aristocracy is greatly disturbed by the story of Prince George of Cambridge and Lady Blanche Somerset. What will become of her? A daughter of a private individual, whatever his rank, could not marry a prince who might be called to the succession.72

It is said that Lady Harriet d'Orsay was so grieved by the death of the Duc d'Orléans that she turned for consolation to religion and she is to become a Catholic. Princess Belgiojoso is also in a great state of religious excitement, and as she is always devising some novel feat, she is wearing a nun's dress.

The Indian Prince who is in Paris73 at the present time has been to the opera. He was taken behind the scenes where he was told that he would find the chorus girls very affable: when there he began to kiss them all with such vigour that he had to be taken out by main force amid the general laughter of all present.

Rochecotte, November 4, 1842.– M. Bresson writes from Berlin to say that the re-union of the states and of the railways which now have termini in this capital, has largely increased the animation of the city. He also says Count Maltzan is very ill and that his life is in danger; he thinks Bülow the pleasantest Minister of Foreign Affairs with whom he has had to deal.

Rochecotte, November 12, 1842.– Madame de Lieven tells me that Lord Melbourne has had an attack which has left him very weak and ended his political career, which is a drawback for the Whigs. The marriage of Princess Marie of Baden is officially announced: her position will not be entirely agreeable to the English court which has resolved to treat her only as the Marchioness of Douglas. The poor Grand Duchess has negotiated the whole business with her usual carelessness.

I hear from Vienna that Prince Metternich is in feeble health and that he is no longer at home to the diplomatic body in the evening, as he spends his mornings only in business and avoids any excitement before going to bed.

Rochecotte, November 24, 1842.– The English seem to me to have a run of luck: they have successfully concluded their affairs in China and the United States;74 are predominant in Spain and Portugal; have overcome all domestic disturbances and display a preponderant influence everywhere, which makes us ashamed of ourselves. We cannot even conclude a wretched little treaty with Belgium which will fall into the arms of Prussia.

CHAPTER III

1843

Rochecotte, February 21, 1843.– I have a letter from M. de Salvandy, breaking a long silence, which he explains as due to his political perplexities. He says that M. Guizot showed him very unworthy treatment but is now courting his favour upon the eve of a serious struggle, while M. Molé, on the other hand, thinks that his help may be useful, and has changed disdainful indifference for extreme attention. Salvandy himself is not anxious either to hurt the King by voting and speaking against M. Guizot, or to support an unpopular and incompetent Ministry. He thinks that the twenty votes which he can sway would be decisive in either direction. He seems to think that the Ministry is greatly compromised, and that even if it should emerge victorious from the struggle upon the secret service funds, it could hardly exist until the end of the session. Meanwhile M. Guizot is giving a monster rout to-morrow, followed by an Arabian Night's supper, to use the romantic expression of Madame de Meulan.75 The struggle in the Chamber will begin next week, and is likely to be very keen. M. Molé is full of ardour and confidence; his party will include Marshal Vallé, MM. Passy, Dufaure, Dupin, Bignon (of Nantes), de Carné, Laplagne, Salvandy, and Admiral Mackau. M. Thiers declares that he will stand aside for the moment. Such is the gist of M. de Salvandy's letter, which is very long and very literary. I have translated it into ordinary prose.

I hear from Vienna that Frau von Reichenbach, wife of the old Elector of Hesse Cassel, has just died and left a large fortune to her daughters, one of whom is a sister-in-law of Princess Metternich. The Flahauts have given two very fine balls, at one of which he attempted to waltz with Princess Paul Esterhazy, but as their strength respectively failed, they both fell at full length, apparently with ridiculous effect.

Rochecotte, February 23, 1843.– The leading articles in the Journal des Débats are becoming very attractive. It is a point of style to refer to the Intrigue as a person; to say the Intrigue does, or speaks, or wishes, or refuses so and so, which is amusing; but I can guess what it means; that M. Molé wishes, or refuses, or demands. It is really somewhat contemptible, and gives rise to actual anxiety, for nothing spoils theatrical effect so much as constant entrances and exits on the part of the actors.

M. d'Arenberg relates a somewhat amusing remark of M. Thiers. At a concert given by the Duchesse de Galliera, the Princesse de Lieven reproached M. Thiers for his want of attention; he told her that he would be more attentive when she had left the Ministry. Another saying of his is also quoted: he is said to have declared that his return to power was by no means a forthcoming event, and that he would wish it to be preceded by the presidency of the Chamber.

Rochecotte, February 25, 1843.– Yesterday I took from the library a volume of memoirs, entitled Memoirs of Gaston d'Orléans, attributed to one of the officers of his household, Aglay de Martignac. I found there this clever and witty observation by Gaston: "During a short stay that the King made at Paris, Monsieur met the Queen when she had just completed a nine days' fast in prayer that she might have children; he said to her in a jesting tone, 'Madame, you have been arousing the sympathy of your judges against myself; I will allow you to win your case if the King is sufficiently strong to secure your wishes.'"

Barante writes to say that the ambassador Pahlen is to go to Germany this summer, and that he would like to do the same, that he might see from this meeting what his chances really are. He also says that the prospects of M. Guizot are somewhat doubtful; that the agitation set on foot by M. Molé has lowered his prestige and compromised him; that Thiers is manœuvring with renewed cleverness, and that falsehood is becoming so habitual with every one that the general spectacle is revolting and depressing.

Rochecotte, March 1, 1843.– Prince Pierre d'Arenberg, who has been here for two days, brought Madame de Ludre's book,76 from which he read some chapters yesterday evening in the drawing-room. The poor woman has lost her way in the mazes of metaphysical hair-splitting, and has produced the most extraordinary and incomprehensible jumble that any one could conceive. The ideas of the book and the divisions of it are amazingly eccentric, nor has it any merits of style, and what the object of it may be no one can tell. By way of a rest after this reading we played at nonsense verses, and infantile as this amusement is, it is infinitely more reasonable and intellectual than the sublunary theology of Madame de Ludre.