_Fouché's Memoirs._--At Vol. iv., p. 455., on the subject of the Duc
d'Enghien's murder, Fouché's _Memoirs_ are quoted in proof that the
saying, "C'était pire qu'un crime, c'était une faute," was claimed as
his own by that famous police minister. Indeed, I have little doubt of
the fact, which, however, can derive no confirmation or authority from
the quoted work; for this nominal autobiography has been pronounced, on
a regular trial before the French tribunals, an utter cheat and
imposition; though referred to by Mr. Alison, in his _History of
Europe_, volume the fifth, p. 482. (original edition), as genuine, as
well as by Lord Brougham in the third volume of his _Statesmen_; yet
with less decided assertion than by the Scotch historian. Fouché's
family at once denounced the fabrication, and obtained heavy damages
from the printer; who equally succeeded against the writer, Alphons de
Beaumont, and was awarded large damages for the imposition. (See
_Gentleman's Magazine_ for November, 1842.) It is at present perfectly
understood that the sharp and apt antithesis, however immoral, was
Fouché's.
Talleyrand's reputation for ready wit fixed on him the paternity of
numerous _bons mots_, which have proved to be of alien birth. Voltaire,
Piron, Mirabeau, in France; and Chesterfield, Selwyn, Wilkes, &c. in
England; with Curran in Ireland, and many others, have similarly
obtained credit for pointed expressions not of their utterance, as to
the rich are generally given by rumour more than they possess. "On ne
prête qu'aux riches," is an apposite proverb, long since indeed stated
by the sententious Euripides: "Ὁρῶσσι δὲ οἱ διδόντες εἰς τὰ
χρήματα" (_In Fragmentis_). Cicero tells us, in his letter to
Volumnius (_Epistol. Famil._ lib. vii. ep. 32.), that the sayings of
others had been thus similarly fathered on him: "Ais omnia omnium dicta
in me conferri;" and complains, half-humorously and half-seriously, that
his supremacy of wit was not sufficiently protected from usurpers or
intruders: "Quod parum diligenter possessio _salinarum mearum_, ate
procuratore, defenditur," &c.