fault in Richter, it is perhaps that he is too sentimental; but it is a
great comfort to get a little taste of that sweetmeat now and then; and
in him you have it always not in its merely luscious form, but tempered
with agreeable acids and delicate laurel-leaf bitters.
Up here at Oxford I keep in general company very quiet; insomuch that
I heard yesterday that people not unfrequently take me for some little
time after introduction to be no less than a Puseyite; but at the same
time, I could sometimes be provoked to send out a flood of lava boiling
hot amidst their flowery ecclesiastical fields and parterres. Very
likely living in this state of suppressed volcanic action makes one
more exasperated than one should be when any sort of a crater presents
itself. Natheless, there is wisdom in withholding.
Tell mother not to finish _all_ her furnishings, and get ‘everything
handsome about her’ before I come home, which will be about the 1st of
May, for then I shall be able to stay if I please for three weeks or
more, as my tutorship will be in the hands of another.
_To the same._
Paris: Thursday, May 11, 1848.
The only events since I wrote on Tuesday have been my visit to the
Théâtre de la République to see Rachel in ‘Phèdre,’ and the arrival of
Emerson. With the former I was a little disappointed, but I am going
again to study the thing. I have been to see the Jardin des Plantes,
and the column erected to the honour of the revolution of July 1830, on
the site of the Bastille. It was here that the Republic was solemnly
inaugurated in February, and here I think it was they burnt the throne.
George Sand’s newspaper, the ‘Vraie République,’ disapproves of the new
Provisional Government (Arago, Marie, Garnier-Pagès, Lamartine, and
Ledru-Rollin) altogether, though privately she is friendly with and
indeed attached to Lamartine.
People are coming up from the country to the great national fête of
Sunday next, and of course they all want to go to hear the debates. The
weather is splendid; the sun glorifies us by day, the moon by night.
Sunday, May 14.
I don’t expect much good will come of this present Assembly. It is
extremely shopkeeperish and merchantish in its feelings, and won’t set
to work at the organisation of labour at all: but will prefer going to
war to keep the people amused, rather than open any disagreeable social
questions. The Socialist people are all in the dumps.
Tuesday, May 16.
P.S.--Yesterday was a day of great peril and disorder: an émeute. The
Chamber was invaded and turned out by a mob, and the hall occupied
by them for two hours. At last the national guard turned them out.
A new government had been named by the mob, and some of the chiefs
went off to the Hôtel de Ville, a mile off, to set it going. However,
the national guard followed and put it down. Lamartine came with
Ledru-Rollin and rode along the quays to finish the work, with dragoons
and cannon. I was at his side for a quarter of a mile, and saw him of
course distinctly. There was no firing, and scarce any fighting. The
whole thing is put down for the present; and I am glad it is, on the
whole. The cry was ‘Vive la Pologne;’ but the object was to get rid of
the Assembly, and set up a more democratic set of people. From 11 A.M.
to 9 P.M., or even later, there was nothing to be seen but crowds and
excitement; fifty or sixty are arrested.
_To Rev. A. P. Stanley._
Paris: May 14, 1848.
Sunday, the fête as should have been.
I am still a stranger to the Assembly. The difficulty is extreme. Miss
Jewsbury got a diplomatic ticket for two or three hours: she describes
them as very good sensible-looking men. She has never been in the House
of Commons.
Lamartine’s culmination is said to be over; his declared desire not to
part with Ledru-Rollin is the commonly supposed cause of his sinking
to the fourth place in the votes. But some say that the bourgeoisie,
to shirk the organisation of labour question, are eager for war,
and Lamartine, having proclaimed ‘Paix à tout prix,’ is therefore
thought an obstacle. On all hands, there is every prospect, on dit,
of war. To-day the rumour ran that the armies had entered Piedmont,
and to-morrow comes the Polish question. The Socialists, _i.e._ the
leaders, for the most lament this extremely. The people of course are
excited about Poland, and either are indifferent to the Socialist
ideas or are blind to the certainty of these questions being then
indefinitely adjourned. The boys (17 and 18) of the garde mobile are
infected with bourgeoisitic loyalty, also the new members of the
national guard. The Socialists simply deplore the whole result; regard
the whole thing as at present a failure--a bourgeoisitic triumph. ‘Mais
attendons.’ ‘Voilà, mon cher,’ the socialistic statements as received
by me into arrect ears last night from a distinguished St. Simonian.
The Champ de Mars was not by any means ready yesterday morning for
the postponed fête: when I went I found there only the great statue
‘La République en plâtre,’ and a few boards, &c., and not many men
at work. There’s been thunder and lightning, and ‘grandes eaux,’
_not_ of Versailles, so perhaps it’s as well. Yesterday I had the
pleasure of hearing the ‘rappel’; a foolish, unnecessary order, on
account of a quiet Polish petition presentation, and now no one
acknowledges to having signed it. However, it made row enough at the
time. The Socialist party is too weak to attempt anything; in fact
they profess that the bourgeoisie is eager to attack and slaughter
_them_. However, I did see some St. Antoine-ish giants in bonnet-rouge
and blouse, who had a very who’s afeard? appearance, arguing with and
defying well-dressed multitudes in the Rue de Rivoli, about the rappel
time yesterday. Citizen Blanqui had, I confess, a certain hang-dog
conspirator aspect, which did him no credit.
Lamartine continues to live in his own house, and is _not_ going to the
Elysée Bourbon, nor the other men to the Petit Luxembourg. The Assembly
will go on till the next revolution, probably.
‘Les journaux du soir!’ ‘Voilà “La Presse,” dernière édition du
soir!’... ‘“La Séance,” demandez “La Séance,” “L’Assemblée.”’...
‘Colère du père Duchesne! ... le père en colère!--cinq centimes, un
sou.’... ‘“La Patrie,” voilà “La Patrie!”’... ‘Les éditions du soir,
dernières nouvelles de Pologne!’... ‘L’insurrection de Madrid, par
le citoyen Cabet, “Le Populaire!”--cinq centimes, un sou.’ ‘Demandez
“La Presse:” grande colère du père Duchesne, le père Duchesne est en
véritable colère! le père’.... ‘“Le National,” demandez “Le National!”
“L’Assemblée Constituante!”’
L----, attaché of the English press, is of opinion that if the money
hold out till confidence in a new government gets itself fairly
established, all will be well. The people mean to wait and see if
their condition is to be mended; if so, well, whatever the form of
government; if not, ‘we must go into the streets again.’
You know I am a bad hand at lionising. I do little else than potter
about under the Tuileries chestnuts, and here and there about bridges
and streets, _pour savourer la république_. I contemplate with infinite
thankfulness the blue blouses garnished with red of the garde mobile;
and emit a perpetual incense of devout rejoicing for the purified state
of the Tuileries, into which I find it impossible, meantime, to gain
admittance. I growl occasionally at the sight of aristocratic equipages
which begin to peep out again, and trust that the National Assembly
will in its wisdom forbid the use of livery servants. But there is
not very much to complain of generally: one cannot better express the
state of Paris in this respect, than by the statement that one finds it
rather pointed to be seen in the streets with gloves on.
_To the same._
Paris: May 19, 1848.
Ichabod, Ichabod, the glory is departed! Liberty--Equality and
Fraternity, driven back by shopkeeping bayonets, hides her red cap in
dingiest St. Antoine. Well-to-do-ism shakes her Egyptian scourge to
the tune of ‘Ye are idle, ye are idle’; the tale of bricks will be
doubled: and Moses and Aaron of Socialism can at the best only pray
for plagues; which perhaps will come, paving stones for vivats, and
émeutes in all their quarters.
Meantime, the glory and the freshness of the dream is departed. The
very garde mobile has dropped its dear blouse and red trimmings for a
bourgeoisie-prætorian uniform, with distinctive green hired-soldier
epaulettes. The voice of clubs is silenced: inquisitors only and stone
walls of Vincennes list the words of Barbès. Anti-rappel Courtais no
longer hushes the drum which, as he said, vexes the people (‘cela
fâche le peuple’); conciliatory active Caussidière gives place to a
high-shop successor. Wherefore, bring forth, ye millionaires, the
three-months-hidden carriages; rub clean, ye new nobles, the dusty
emblazonries; ride forth, ye cavalier-escorted amazons, in unfearing
flirtations, to your Bois de Boulogne. The world begins once more to
move on its axis, and draw on its kid-gloves. The golden age of the
Republic displays itself now, you see, as a very vulgar parcel-gilt
era; nevertheless, in all streets and gardens, proclaims itself ‘L’Ère
Nouvelle!’ ‘La Liberté!’ ‘La Réforme!’... ‘Vraie République!’...
‘Grande Séance de l’Assemblée Nationale: dix centimes, deux sous;
seulement deux sous.’ ‘Arrestation!’ ‘Demandez “La Presse”; la lettre
du citoyen Blanqui!’... ‘Derniers soupirs du père Duchesne!’
Saturday, May 20.
To judge from ‘Galignani’s’ extracts, the English papers are as usual
exaggerating. I don’t believe the affair of the 15th was anything like
the conspiracy described in the ‘Times’ and ‘Chronicle.’
Monday, May 22.
The weather performed a most dramatic change; and Sunday morning, the
day of the fête, dawned all glorious. There was a noise of drums as
early as four o’clock. I got up about six, and found myself on the
Place de la Concorde at a quarter to seven, with a considerable crowd.
The deputies did not leave the Chamber till half-past eight. They sat
on the steps mostly, with their scarfs, &c. About half-past eight
they came down and headed the procession. There were parties from
the departments, in and out of uniform, with each its flag. Poland,
Italy, and Germany mustered a considerable show. There were not above
six or seven ‘noirs affranchis,’ and under a green flag, proclaiming
in front ‘L’Irlande,’ and behind ‘Club des Irlandais,’ walked about
three of our fellow-subjects of the sister island. ‘Les blessés’ were
noticeable, and ‘les vieux de la vieille.’ There was a great deal
of confusion, marching and counter-marching, and there was a full
half-hour’s interval in the procession before ‘le char’ came up; and
it was an ugly affair when it did come. The ‘jeunes filles’ looked
pretty in their white dresses, with the tricolor streaming from the
left shoulder, and artificial oak-wreaths in their hair; pretty _en
masse_, but individually not by any means remarkable either for face
or figure. Moreover, they were declassicised by their use of parasols.
I don’t think they and the char got fairly to their work’s end till
one o’clock. I passed and proceeded to the Champ de Mars, where, a
little after twelve, went up the tricolor balloon, but in a rather
disorganised condition. My modesty prevented my getting through the
exterior circle of national guards; so that I did not come into the
presence of the Government and Assembly, which I believe I might have
done. But the perpetual gun-firing gave me a head-ache, and I retired
early. The illumination in the Champs Élysées was extremely pretty; the
whole avenue was like a great ball-room, with double rows of pendant
chandeliers and continuous festoons of ‘lampions’ on each side. The
crowd was enormous. It was funny in the afternoon to see the classical
virgins walking about with their papas and mammas, people of the
under-shoemaking and back-street shopkeeping class. A good many of
them got into the enclosure round the Bourse, and were, about 6 P.M.,
dancing (without music) with gardes mobiles, and other indiscriminates.
_To his Sister._
Paris: May 22.
There is no prospect whatever of any immediate recurrence of
disturbances. The old leaders and conspirators are either arrested or
in concealment. Within three months’ time, I have little doubt there
will be another émeute. But for the next month I think the Assembly is
quite secure, and if only it contrives to find out its wise men, it may
survive all troubles, and gradually regenerate the nation. But in this
_if_ a great deal of difficulty is involved. There are very few English
here, but a good many Americans.
_To Rev. A. P. Stanley._
4 Rue Mont Thabor: May 26, 1848.
It is quite certain that the Government are hampered extremely by the
old Gauche-Dynastique, Odillon-Barrot et Cie, who are adroit debaters,
and frighten down the new men. Lamartine thinks it impossible to
do the thing without Ledru-Rollin, and the democracy who trust in
him; and in many ways he would wish to conciliate and even confide
in the bonnet-rouge. But the old Gauche, with the garde boutiquière
to back them, think they may carry things with a high hand; and in
the Chamber are not unsuccessful. Yet it is wholly impossible that a
Gauche-Dynastique Republic should succeed; Lamartine would be a fool
as well as knave to support such a chimera. It is very possible that
he may have to go out for a while, of course with Ledru-Rollin; but
unless Thiers comes in to the Chamber and aggravates the mischief by
lending his real oratorical power to the Gauche, and indeed I hope
even in that contingency, it is very probable Lamartine will gradually
discipline the inexperienced new members into a good working majority.
I don’t hear any one say Lamartine has been paying his debts; I suppose
Ledru-Rollin has. George Sand has gone into the country. She says that
the air of Paris seemed ‘lourde’ to her, after hearing the ‘à-bas’ of
the national guard, and after the arrests of so many generous-minded
men. Pierre Leroux was arrested, but is released.
Saturday, May 27.
So you see, I rely on the wisdom of Lamartine’s tactics, however
untriumphant at present; not that I imagine he has got the solution
of the labour problem, or that mere well-meaningness and generous
aspiration will suffice. But at present no man can absolutely affirm
that by any definite plan more is attainable.
The new elections, you know, are on the 5th; I shall stay till that
night at any rate. The cry, ‘To your Clubs, O Israel!’ is commencing.
Thiers and Girardin will probably get in, but not for Paris. I have
just heard them crying, ‘Lettre d’_Henri Cinq_ au Président de
l’Assemblée: cinq centimes, un sou.’ For the last time but one I return
from Rachel’s ‘Marseillaise.’ To-night there is some ‘rappel’-ing going
on somewhere.
Have you seen in any of the papers revelations of the purposes of the
Constituent Committee? An Assembly of 750; and a President by universal
suffrage; gratuitous education, and right of work. So I read in the
‘Démocratie pacifique,’ with corroboration.
The coalition of the more democratic Clubs amongst the representatives
will be, I presume, a great assistance to the Government. You know that
two, one in the Rue des Pyramides, the other in the Palais National,
amounting to 200 représentants together, and one containing Carnot and
another minister, the other presided over by Dupont de l’Eure, have
united, and a third is expected to send in its adhesion.
I have just been to the Club de la Révolution, ci-devant Barbès.
They had a lively and almost fierce debate about ‘fusion.’ Were they
to ‘fusionner’ with the National? Advances having been made and ill
received, should they be renewed? News of Barbès’ condition and
behaviour in prison were given, and received with clamorous Vive
Barbès!! Said Barbès, I hear, is a man of wealth, enjoying, usually in
prison, 4,000_l._ a year.
I am grieved to hear of the mutilation of our statue. But I should
myself accept the most deformed renovation. The list of Chartist
petitioners (so to call them) was forwarded to me here, costing about
three francs. We, I presume, might easily make up a list of five
points: Abolition of Subscription; Reconstitution of Fellowship;
New Hebdomadal Board; Extra-Collegial Matriculation; and Permanent
Commission.
Monday, May 29.
They are going to remodel, perhaps destroy, the ateliers. I hope not
destroy, for I conceive the system to be good, if it were only well
managed. At present, undoubtedly, there are great irregularities.
Alexandre Dumas has written a Protest against the Decree of Banishment
(of the Royal Family), which his friend ‘La Liberté’ declines to insert
(so declareth A. D. in the ‘Assemblée Nationale’) for fear of pecuniary
loss. The ‘Assemblée Nationale’ is a vile Guizotin journal, conducted,
I hear, by the man who perjured himself about the pistols in the famous
duel case. De Tocqueville voted for the Decree. Odillon-Barrot shirked;
Louis Blanc, apparently, against it.
Paris: May 30, 1848.
Paris is tranquil and dull. The bourgeoisie, which had at first
awkwardly shuffled on the blouse, is gradually taking heart to slip
on its fine clothes again; and perhaps ere long will unbutton the
breeches-pocket.
To-morrow there is to be an ‘interpellation’ in the Assembly about the
Neapolitan business. One great subject under discussion in the Bureaux
(where most of the work is done) is the ‘projet de divorce,’ simply
restoring, I believe, the provisions of the Code Napoléon, which in
1816, on the return of the Bourbons, were in like manner simply erased.
Divorce is allowed for ‘sévice,’ and for incompatibility of temper
under restrictions; _e.g._ the husband must be above twenty-five,
and the wife above twenty-one and under forty-five: and consent of
parents must be obtained. Nor can divorce for this cause be allowed
except after two (or three) years of marriage. I see it stated that the
Bureaux are not favourable. But the great subject of subjects is of
course the question of the ateliers nationaux. The statistics published
in the ‘Constitutionnel’ are of course utterly repudiated by the other
party, and indeed they are partly withdrawn by the ‘Constitutionnel’
itself. But there must be a great deal of irregularity and unfair
dealing. For the real ouvriers out of work, a franc a day throughout,
plus two francs extra for two or three days’ work, is not, if a man has
a family, very extravagant. But lots of porters, _e.g._, are on the
list.
Wednesday, May 31.
Last night I visited the Club des Femmes, presided over by a Mme.
Niboyer. Alas, poor woman! she has a terrific task; not to speak of
having to keep women silent, she has to keep men, or say beasts, in
order. The place is filled with them, and a more grievous spectacle of
the unpolitesse of Frenchmen I never saw; but I believe it has been a
good deal worse. However, Mme. Niboyer is a woman of considerable power
and patience, and she works through it, though to what effect I don’t
know. Perhaps it may be useful for Frenchmen to see a woman face them,
and present herself before them _not_ for purposes of flirtation. I
got disgusted with my male neighbours, and came away before it ended.
The subject was divorce. The feeling, I think, was against the present
project, the cries certainly so.
Édition du soir.
To-day has produced three remarkable documents:--
1st. The Government exposition of the events of May 15, with which
may be read Lamartine’s speech of Tuesday night. The blame is left
on De Courtais and ---- the 1st Legion of the National Guard! Notice
towards the end the phrase ‘Y a-t-il eu de complot? Qui sont les
coupables?’--questions left at present unsettled.
2nd. The candidature of our friend A. Dumas. It is due to the Marquis
Alexandre to give his own words: ‘Ce qu’il faut à la Chambre, c’est des
hommes qui parlent hautement leur pensée. Des hommes qui la soutiennent
avec la plume, avec le bras, si besoin est. Je crois avoir prouvé par
la guerre que je fais depuis deux mois à la réaction et à la terreur
que je suis de ces hommes. Voulez-vous de moi pour représentant?
‘AL. DUMAS.’
3rd. The candidature of A. Dumas’s friend Joinville, who is proposed
by a shopkeeper, who gave his name, dating from the Rue Bergère. ‘The
Assembly has expatriated him; true; but the people made the Assembly;
ergo, if the people choose Joinville ...’ q. e. d.
The elections (eleven for the Seine, _i.e._ Paris) are considered
very uncertain; there is all kind of division. Caussidière, perhaps?
D’Alton Shee, not unlikely; Changarnier. Not Émile de Girardin, nor
Thiers; nor, I presume, any socialist, such as Pierre Leroux, Thorès,
Proudhon Cabet.
Here is a ‘mot’ on the situation: ‘Les seuls hommes possibles sont
incapables; et les seuls capables sont impossibles.’ Another clever
suggestion is that there should always be a _Provisional_ Government,
as the only security for _permanence_.
Remembrances to all my concitoyens at Oriel; how many tricolor _nœuds_
shall I bring?
_To the same._
June 6, 1848.
I am safe again under the umbrageous blessing of constitutional
monarchy, at Long’s Hotel, Bond Street. I left Paris yesterday. The
République was ‘as well as can be expected.’ Of the city of Paris my
report must be ‘left voting’--voting, and reading in huge attroupements
the new edict _against_ attroupements. To-day was to tell the fate
of the candidates, and to-morrow commences the reorganisation of the
ateliers nationaux.
_To T. Arnold, Esq._
Liverpool: July 16, 1848.
When I last wrote to you, the three days of February were still
echoing, and now the four days of June have scarcely ceased to
reverberate; between which times a good deal has happened both to
myself and to the world in general.
For myself, I went to Paris on the 1st of May, and stayed there five
weeks; saw the opening of the Assembly, the émeute or échauffourée (as
they prefer calling it) of the 15th, and the fête of the following
Sunday. After the 15th the sky was certainly overcast, but in my first
fortnight, and in a degree through the whole time, I was in extreme
enjoyment, walked about Jerusalem and told the towers thereof with
wonderful delight; the great impression being that one was rid of all
vain pretences, and saw visibly the real nation. The sentry posts were
all occupied by men in blouse, of the national or mobile or republican
guard, and the Tuileries gardens full of the same blue blouse; while
the Palace itself showed occasionally on its balcony some convalescent
‘blessé de février,’ helped along, as he took the air, by wife and
child. All things quite ‘decently and in order,’ without any visible
repressive external force; indeed for two days between the resignation
of the _Provisional_ and its reappointment as the _Executive_
Committee, there was no Government whatever, barring of course the
Assembly.
Lamartine (I saw him and Ledru-Rollin ride to the Hôtel de Villeon
the 15th) seems certainly to have been deficient in definite purpose
and practicality; but I fancy he and his colleagues hardly had a fair
chance; they had no time to get the Assembly into working condition,
hampered in it as they were by Odillon-Barrot and Co., who are very
skilful debaters, before the people began to get angry and suspicious.
The four days of June I dare say you have heard spoken of in a somewhat
shrieky accent. But the cruelties are unquestionably exaggerated, and
are attributable to the forçats, who naturally mixed with the ouvriers,
and there are many opposite traits recounted. The story of the
cantinières selling poisoned brandy was not verified by the examination
before magistrates, or by the analysis of the chemists. I confess I
regard it in the same light as a great battle, with, on the whole,
_less_ horror, and certainly more meaning, than most great battles that
one reads of.