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.
[75] Mother-in-law of M. Guizot.
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.
[76] _Etudes sur les idées et sur leur union au sein du
Catholicisme_, two volumes in 8vo, Debécourt, 1842.
_Rochecotte, March 2, 1843._--I have come in from a long walk in
incomparable weather; it is one of those days which help one to live
and which are so enjoyable in the country and so rarely suspected at
Paris. The advance of vegetation is surprising; all the shrubs are
showing their opening leaves with the light and tender green of
spring; the jonquils and narcissi are in flower, and we could strew
the ground with violets. Why should I change all this for the mud and
foggy atmosphere of Paris?
_Paris, March 12, 1843._--I am again submerged in Paris, and have
heard a considerable amount of news since my arrival. Here are some
details which have at least the merit of being amusing. A lady who met
the Duc de Noailles on the evening of the day when he made his speech
concerning the right of visitation, complimented him, adding,
"Unfortunately, M. le Duc, you are like the fowl which lays only one
golden egg in the course of the year." The Marquise de Caraman called
upon the Duchesse de Poix on Tuesday when there were a number of
people in the room; the Duchesse de Gramont called her over and asked
her to sit down at her side, and said to her aloud, "Is it true,
Madame, that you married Marshal Sébastiani?" Madame de Caraman
immediately replied, calmly and in an equally loud voice, "I know that
many people say so, but hitherto I have not met any one sufficiently
tactless to ask me the question."
_Paris, March 14, 1843._--It is said that the monument which is to be
placed in the memorial chapel for the late Duc d'Orléans, is an
admirable piece of work. It represents the poor young Prince at the
moment of his death, in the dress that he was then wearing. The
expression is beautiful and touching: above the head is placed the
angel, the last work of Princesse Marie, the Prince's sister; the
angel is placed as though to receive the Prince's soul and carry it to
the skies, a beautiful idea which goes to the heart at once. A
bas-relief represents the genius of France leaning upon an urn and
weeping, with the national flag at its feet. Triqueti was commissioned
with this fine work. The whole of the Royal Family went to see the
monument: the Queen burst into sobs, the King nearly fainted and had
to be taken out; the Duchesse d'Orléans wept much, but spoke for a
long time to the artist who executed this beautiful work.
The Duc de Doudeauville, better known as the Vicomte Sosthène de La
Rochefoucauld, has written a character portrait of Mlle. Rachel who
does not seem to be satisfied.[77] He asked Madame Récamier to read it
to her. She replied "I will ask M. de Chateaubriand." The latter said
that it would weary him, to which Sosthène answered, "As you are so
anxious to hear it, I will begin," and immediately read his
composition without stopping.
[77] _See_ Appendix.
_Paris, March 16, 1843._--M. de Montrond asserts that the King told
him that he did not wish M. Molé to be minister; he would prefer that
M. Thiers would come to an agreement with M. Guizot and that they
should act together. "Molé is entirely perfidious" the King is said to
have declared, "and could never act with any one, whereas Thiers and
Guizot are made to co-operate. They have no reason for mutual reproach
or envy, are both men of letters, distinguished historians, members of
the Academy, &c.; in short they are made to act in agreement."
_Paris, March 17, 1843._--M. Thiers dined the other day with M. Chaix
d'Est-Ange, president of the corporation of barristers; MM.
Odilon-Barrot, Sauzet, d'Argout, Berryer, Dupin, Martin du Nord, the
guardian of the seals[78] and M. de Peyronnet, the former Minister of
Charles X., were also there. M. Walewski was asked to guess in whose
house so strange a meeting could have taken place, as most of the
actors were members of the Intrigue, and said: "It could only be at
the house of M. Molé." This incident took place in the salon of M.
Thiers and gave rise to many remarks at M. Molé's expense and the poor
figure he will cut after he is overthrown.[79]
[78] The Duc Pasquier.
[79] In 1843 the existence of Guizot's Ministry was endangered by
the question of the secret service funds. M. Molé, whose Ministry
had been overthrown in 1839 by the Thiers-Guizot coalition,
thought that the moment was advisable to organise a league
against his two adversaries. He went to work secretly by means of
conversations in drawing-rooms and passages, and entered into
relations with MM. Dufaure and Passy, who abandoned him at the
critical moment. The debate on the secret service funds began in
the Chamber on March 1 and turned in favour of the Cabinet, M.
Guizot gaining one of his most brilliant successes on this
occasion.
_Paris, March 18, 1843._--The King has shown himself greatly touched
by the eulogy which M. Guizot delivered upon him in his last speech in
the Chamber of Deputies, during the discussion upon the secret service
fund. The same evening he wrote to M. Guizot that he would have come
to thank him in person if he had not been prevented. The next day M.
Guizot called upon the King at an early hour and the Queen came in
with all the Royal Family, and many warm words of thanks were
addressed to the triumphant Minister.
_Paris, March 20, 1843._--M. Molé has declared that he will retire
from politics and will have nothing more to do with them, as he is an
unacceptable minister to the King. He speaks of withdrawing into
private life and devoting himself to the pleasures of friendship and
of the intellect. Two months earlier this project would not have been
undignified; to-day it seems to be dictated by spleen and will deceive
no one.
The extreme calm of the Duchesse d'Orléans has caused some surprise,
as also has the improvement in her health in the midst of her grief.
She devotes herself ardently to the education of her children, makes
this the chief object of her life and is not careful to hide the fact.
The Queen, after a heartrending and passionate outburst of grief, has
recovered her calm and the approaching marriage of Princesse
Clémentine[80] is a useful means of diverting her attention. Princesse
Clémentine is simply delighted, not so much because of her husband,
who is said to be an ordinary and insignificant character, as with the
idea of becoming independent, gaining full liberty and escaping from
the round table in the family room at the Tuileries, which has been
the despair of the King's children from all time. Princesse Clémentine
is to be married immediately after Easter at Saint-Cloud. She will
then start upon a tour to Lisbon, England, Brussels and Gotha, and
return to Paris where she will live in the Tuileries. She is to
receive an income of only sixty thousand francs, while the Prince her
husband will have only a hundred and eight thousand, a very moderate
income. The Duchesse de Nemours, a pretty and docile child, obedient
to the Queen in all respects, is her special favourite. The Duc de
Nemours is said to have relapsed into his taciturnity.
[80] With Prince Augustus of Saxe-Coburg Gotha (1818-1881),
brother of the Duchesse de Nemours. One of the children of this
marriage is the present King of Bulgaria, Ferdinand I.
_Paris, March 23, 1843._--At the Chamber of Deputies reference was
made to the illness which had suddenly attacked M. Dupin the elder,
and which was said to have especially affected his face; upon which
words M. Thiers observed aloud with his usual imprudence, "It is a
face much more suitable for another sort of stroke."
All who have to deal with the Tuileries seem to think that some clouds
have already arisen between the Pavillon Marsan and the rest of the
palace.[81] The Queen whom I have seen, told me with more surprise
than satisfaction that the Duchesse d'Orléans was actually better than
before her loss, which no one would have supposed she could survive.
She added, "No doubt her love for her children has inspired her with
so much courage." The Queen is pleased with her grandsons but regrets
that they resemble the Weimar rather than the Orléans side of the
family. She is also satisfied with the marriage of Princesse
Clémentine, as it will be a weight off her mind, and says very
reasonably that Princesse Clémentine is twenty-five years of age and
can well judge for herself, while the religious aspect of the matter
and the desire to secure a protector in future, make her ready to
accept the marriage which the late Duc d'Orléans had arranged before
his death with the King of the Belgians. The Queen further said that
the chief establishment of the Princesse would be at Coburg but that
she would travel a good deal and often come to Paris.
[81] The Pavillon Marsan was occupied by the Duchesse d'Orléans.
_Paris, March 27, 1843._--It is widely said that the Duchesse
d'Orléans shows the greatest preference for the Duchesse d'Elchingen,
the wife of one of her _aides-de-camp_; they are bosom friends. Some
one ventured to point out to the Duchesse d'Orléans that a preference
of this kind, if unduly marked, might cause some ill-feeling in those
about her and among the members of her household who were by their
position her more natural intimates: she replied with some bitterness
and with a touch of sentimentality which has been characterised as
truly German, to the effect that every one is free to devote himself
unreservedly to the pure enjoyment of a friendship based upon
sympathy.
Though the Duchesse d'Orléans is legally the guardian and chief
protector of her children, she is not to be left in full enjoyment of
her rights. The King has to some extent appropriated the rights of
guardian and leaves his daughter-in-law nothing but the user of the
hundred thousand crowns of her settlement which are assured to her by
law. The income of the Comte de Paris goes through the King's hands,
who pays all expenses and demands an account of everything. The same
is true with regard to the Duc de Chartres, the second son.
It is also said that the Duchesse d'Orléans had some difficulty in
realising that she was bound to live in complete retirement during the
period of full mourning. She had been giving a large number of
audiences. The King observed somewhat drily that she saw too many
people for one in her position, and her door is therefore open only to
members of her household. People also think that she has been a little
too generous in giving away portraits of her husband and autographs;
even M. Gentz de Bussy, the military intendant has been thus favoured.
Those most deeply in her confidence declare when she is pitied that
she has the highest and most important position in the country and is
called to play a most exalted part, and she herself cherishes this
idea.
_Paris, March 30, 1843._--The Comte d'Argout was saying yesterday at
the house of Madame de Boigne that the Abbé de Montesquiou, when
Minister of the Interior in 1814, obliged the Council of State to
resume the former dress and short cloaks: when these gentlemen were
received by Louis XVIII. with the other bodies, their unusual costume
aroused great curiosity and the soldiers who were present were
especially surprised and said among themselves, "These must be the new
clergy."
_Paris, April 2, 1843._--At dinner with the Princesse de Lieven the
other day there was much talk concerning the United States of America,
and little to their credit was naturally said. On this subject M. de
Barante recalled a saying of the late M. de Talleyrand, "Do not talk
to me of a country where every one I saw wanted to sell me his dog."
There was much pleasant conversation at this dinner which was very
well assorted. The disaster of Guadeloupe[82] and the comet were not
the sole topics, as they are everywhere else: these subjects, however,
had their turn and reference was made to an amusing caricature in
which M. Arago, the chief of the Observatory is represented not as
observing but as observed by the comet.[83] From the pleasant subject
of M. de Noailles on Saint Cyr,[84] the conversation turned to Louis
XIV., the Grande Mademoiselle and the collection of curious portraits
existing at the castle of Eu. M. Guizot was glad to be able to tell us
that he had slept on the ground floor in the room of M. de Lauzun and
that he went upstairs to have an audience with the King by the same
staircase which had conducted this insolent husband to the Princess,
whose room the King now uses. What a coincidence.
[82] On February 8, 1843, at half-past ten in the morning, an
earthquake shock which lasted seventy seconds caused great damage
at Guadeloupe, destroyed the town of La Pointe à Pitreand, almost
the whole of this French colony, and engulfed thousands of dead
and wounded. A great deal of damage was also done in the English
Antilles.
[83] In 1843 a Frenchman, M. Faye, discovered a periodic comet,
whose orbit he calculated, and which bears his name. This
discovery made some stir. M. Faye was awarded the Lalande prize
of the Academy of Sciences and was appointed Knight of the Legion
of Honour.
[84] A remarkable fragment upon Saint Cyr was printed and
published in 1843 for private circulation. It may be regarded as
the basis of the work of the Duc de Noailles on _Madame de
Maintenon and the Chief Events of the Reign of Louis XIV._ The
fragment appears at the beginning of the third volume of this
work, which was to open the doors of the French Academy to the
Duc de Noailles.
_Paris, April 3, 1843._--Yesterday I called upon Madame de Rambuteau
at the Hotel de Ville. She was coming back from service at Notre Dame
and had just heard the Abbé de Ravignan preaching against feminine
luxury and the want of decency in feminine fashions. He used the word
"low-cut" and in speaking of low-cut dresses, he went so far as to say
"Where will they stop?" and asserted that excess in this direction was
not even pretty. Father de Ravignan is by temperament grave, simple
and austere and such expressions were regarded as particularly daring
in his mouth. However, his criticism is only too true. Women are far
too extravagant: our toilets are complicated by a thousand
accessories, which double the expense without producing any better
effect, and young women or those who wish to be fashionable, are
hardly dressed. My late uncle M. de Talleyrand, when I began to take
Pauline into society, advised me most seriously to respect the
decencies of dress and said to me on this subject, expressing almost
the same ideas as those of M. de Ravignan, "If people show what is
pretty, it is indecent, and if they show what is ugly, it is very ugly
indeed." He also said of a very thin woman who disdained to wear the
lightest gauze, "No one could disclose more and show less."
_Paris, April 5, 1843._--Some one who ought to know told me yesterday
that at the time of the coalition which discredited M. Guizot so
greatly, his constant presence at the house of the Princesse de Lieven
displeased and embarrassed the diplomatic body. Eventually Count
Pahlen, the Russian ambassador, spoke to the Princess upon the subject
in friendly terms and said that he and his colleagues would have to
refrain from coming to her house in the evening if they were forced to
meet M. Guizot there upon every occasion. She replied that she was so
anxious to preserve her good relations with her ambassador that she
would limit M. Guizot's visits. As a matter of fact she simply related
to him her conversation with Count Pahlen and while assuring him of
the value which she placed upon his friendship, she begged him to be
less constant in his evening calls: M. Guizot replied with some
bitterness, "As you please, madame, it is understood that I will see
you no more in the evening until I become Minister of Foreign Affairs,
when the diplomatic body will ask to be invited to your house in order
that they may meet me." No prophecy could have been more exact.
_Paris, April 14, 1843._--The day when General Baudrand, who had been
appointed Governor to the Comte de Paris, came to pay his respects to
the King, he made some modest observation concerning the weight of his
responsibilities: the King interrupted him and said, "Make your mind
easy, my dear general; it is understood that the governor of Paris is
myself": I think that the Duchesse d'Orléans has been induced to agree
to this choice because she too intends some day to say to poor General
Baudrand, "I am the governor."
Yesterday evening at the house of Madame de Boigne, where I went with
M. and Madame de Castellane, who have returned from Rome, the
conversation naturally turned upon Cardinal Consalvi, whom I knew very
well. He was kind, keen-sighted, witty and agreeable as a man of the
world; there was nothing clerical about him except his dress. The
Chancellor[85] who was also with Madame de Boigne, related that when
the whole weight of governmental responsibility rested upon the
Cardinal at Rome, he still took pains to send out theatre tickets and
to perform all the politenesses and duties of social life. At the
Congress of Vienna where he was instructed to defend the interests of
the Holy Chair and to obtain the restoration of the legations if
possible, I heard him one day vigorously and cleverly advancing the
rights of the Pope. M. de Talleyrand was discussing this question with
him: after several arguments for and against, the Cardinal suddenly
cried with inimitable Italian gesture and accent, "But why can you not
give us a little territory here on earth; we will give you as much as
you like in the world above"; with which words he raised his hands and
his eyes to Heaven with wonderful energy.
[85] The Duc Pasquier.
Madame de Boigne, who is generally as reserved as she is restrained,
went so far as to quote a somewhat frivolous remark which Pozzo had
made to her at the time of the Queen of England's marriage. Madame de
Boigne had asked Pozzo whom the Queen of England was to marry and he
replied, "Another scion of royalty": thus he designated the Coburgs.
_Paris, April 15, 1843._--Yesterday the Abbé Dupanloup preached upon
the Agony, at Saint Roch, and showed much cleverness and emotional
power, but his voice was somewhat too artificially modulated, he was
at times wearisome and repeated himself, and the long passage about
the mother's grief felt by the Virgin would have been more effective
if it had been shortened by half. As he was almost speaking to the
Queen, who was with the Princesses in a pew opposite the pulpit, he
should have spared her some of the analysis of maternal grief and its
horrors, which renewed the tortures of the poor Queen: she burst into
tears, and some of those present had the bad taste to rise in their
places in order to see her weep.
The dress which Prince Augustus of Saxe Coburg is to wear upon his
marriage day caused some perplexity,[86] but the King of Saxony, his
cousin, solved the difficulty by at once appointing him a general.
[86] His marriage with the Princesse Clémentine.
_Paris, April 16, 1843._--Dr. Cogny reminded me yesterday of M. de
Talleyrand's reply to some one who had said before him that the wise
man should live his life in secret: "I see no necessity for secrecy or
for ostentation; a man should be simply what he is, without
forethought or affectation." M. de Talleyrand was, in fact, so natural
in every respect and laid such stress upon the truth in matters of
life that I have constantly known him to say, to write and to repeat
even by way of exclamation, as if he were replying to his own
thoughts, "What a fine thing simplicity is."
M. de Barante, during his embassy at Turin, convinced himself that
Matthioli, whom some historians have supposed to be the famous Iron
Mask, died at Piedmont, and could not possibly be identified with that
celebrated personage. Louis XVIII. was so curious concerning this
mystery, the truth of which was ultimately known only to Louis XVI.,
that upon the very day when he saw his unhappy niece, the Duchesse
d'Angoulême at Mitau, he questioned her to learn whether Louis XVI.
before his death had entrusted her with this secret. The Princess
replied that he had not. Louis XVIII. himself told this to the Duc
Decazes. It is an incident which does more honour to his curiosity
than to his good feeling. On this subject another point occurs to me
which I have often heard related by my late uncle, M. de Talleyrand,
who never quoted it without expressing his profound astonishment. When
he was Minister of Foreign Affairs a courier came to him one evening
bearing news which might have disturbed the equanimity of Louis
XVIII.: he therefore postponed the communication of it to the King
until the next morning, and coming before the King at an early hour,
he said to him, "Sire, as I was afraid of spoiling your Majesty's
rest, I postponed bringing these papers until this morning." The King
in surprise replied, "Nothing disturbs my sleep, as you may see from
this instance: the most dreadful blow of my life was my brother's
death; the courier who brought this dreadful news arrived at eight
o'clock in the evening; for several hours I was quite overcome, but at
midnight I went to bed and slept my usual eight hours."
_Paris, April 20, 1843._--The different people in attendance upon the
Duchesse d'Orléans yesterday received a letter from the Princess
saying that the mourning for the Duc d'Orléans was too serious a
matter to be interrupted by any incident, and that consequently no one
in her service would be able to suspend his mourning for the marriage
of Princesse Clémentine. The letter concluded with these words, "Such
is my intention." Some people wish to regard this letter as a decided
criticism of the fact that Princesse Clémentine's marriage is to be
celebrated before the year of mourning for the Prince has expired. It
is not the first instance which has shown a certain divergence between
the Duchesse d'Orléans and the Royal Family.
_Paris, April 22, 1843._--The Dowager Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg,
the mother-in-law of the Duchesse d'Orléans, told a lady with whom she
is on confidential terms and who repeated the remark to me, that she
was greatly grieved at the restraint in which the King keeps the
Duchesse d'Orléans in every respect. It is said that the Princess
proposes to wear mourning for the rest of her life.
_Paris, April 29, 1843._--Some months ago Princesse Belgiojoso
produced a book which is rather pedantic than serious, entitled _The
Formation of Catholic Dogma_. The work is simply a catalogue of the
different heresies which appeared in the early centuries of Church
history. It presupposes researches so long and arduous that it is
difficult to think that a young society woman could have written it
unaided: the style is simple and strong, and the book is clearly
marked by want of orthodoxy; indeed it has already been placed upon
the Index by Rome. There has been much surmise as to who could have
collaborated with the Princesse. M. Mignet and the Abbé Cœur, who are
both intimate with her, have been mentioned. On this occasion some one
in whose hearing reference was made to the book said, "It is a good
instance of the saying, the style is the man."
The Duc de Coigny, knight of honour to the Duchesse d'Orléans, is a
somewhat brusque and unpolished character: he had a small quarrel with
the Princesse on the question of General Baudrand, as governor to the
Comte de Paris, saying that it was hardly worth while to press forward
a choice so poor and mean, and that people had expected the Duc de
Broglie or some marshal or notable person. The Duchesse d'Orléans
replied, "If the choice is a bad one, I alone am responsible for it,
for I earnestly pressed it upon the King." The Duc de Coigny then
became really angry, and asked an explanation of this preference.
"What can you expect?" was the reply, "you know that we do not care to
have about us people who are burdensome." M. de Coigny replied, "So
your Royal Highness only wanted a man of straw? It is pitiable!" And
the conversation then finished.
The Prince de la Moskowa, the eldest son of Marshal Ney, is a great
musician, and conceived a plan for promoting a taste for sacred music
at Paris; such music is strangely unknown and little appreciated. He
has taken great trouble to gather a few amateurs, and attempts to
arouse some interest in the association among certain ladies by asking
them to become patronesses. I am one of the number. The day before
yesterday the first performance took place in the salon of Hertz. The
attempt was laudable but the result only moderately successful,
notwithstanding the great talent of Madame de Sparre and another
female voice. But in Paris people cannot sing austere and sacred
numbers of religious music with due simplicity and gravity and without
dramatic action. It is a new art in this country, and can only be
acclimatised at the expense of time, but the attempt is none the less
interesting. I told the Prince de la Moskowa that he ought to secure
the support of the Paris priests, of whom I saw two in the room.
A sad accident has just happened to a family of my acquaintance. A
young man of eighteen, Henri Lombard, the pride and joy of his
parents, the honour of his school and beloved by his comrades, died on
the 24th of this month after an illness of three days; the illness in
question was hydrophobia. Last November he found one of his sporting
dogs surly and depressed: the same day his hand was scratched by the
animal's teeth, which died a short time afterwards of madness. His
master, who was very fond of the animal, was so bold as to wipe away
the foam from the dog's mouth while he was tied up, with his sponge:
he afterwards washed out the sponge and used it as before; but he
could not forget the scratch upon his hand of which he had not at
first spoken; not until three months after the dog's death did he tell
his old nurse that for several weeks he had been anxious and uneasy,
but that lapse of time had entirely reassured him and that he now felt
quite confident. A quiet and studious youth, he was by no means lively
and communicative and spoke very little of his inner feelings: thus,
no member of his family knew how assiduously he had followed for
nearly a year the religious instructions given at Saint Louis d'Antin
by M. Petetot, the clever and respected priest of that parish. Henri
Lombard's parents were by no means accustomed to attend such
exercises, and he had probably been afraid of displeasing them by
displaying habits in contradiction with theirs. Such was the state of
affairs on Friday, April 21, when he felt very ill, and experienced a
marked repugnance to liquids; he immediately recognised the hopeless
nature of his condition and begged M. Petetot to come and speak to
him. He fulfilled all his religious duties not only with exemplary
regularity but with such fervent faith and such remarkable resignation
that the priest and all present were both astonished and edified.
During the dreadful attacks of this horrible malady, in the terrible
grip of the strait-waistcoat, covered with the disgusting foam of
mania, racked by the disease, for which no remedy can even be tried,
Henri Lombard thought only of heaven: the solemn parting of soul and
body seemed to have taken place even before the moment of death; the
soul long buried in silent meditation was thus revealed and fled from
its earthly bonds; it found language and expressions supernatural in
character. When he was able to speak he exhorted every one with
strange appropriateness and authority, especially his mother, whom he
knew to be in the wrong towards a respected member of his family. He
said to her with words of inspiration, "Mother, from my death-bed I
send you to ask pardon and to repair the wrong you have done." When
Madame Lombard returned to him he said, "I know you will weep over my
grave and think you draw nearer to me in going to my tomb, and you
will not know or feel that I am no longer there. You will not raise
your eyes to the place where I shall be above. I shall be better off,
for I shall be where I can intercede for you." The schoolboys who were
boarders at the Hospice de la Charité, whom the uncle of Henri
Lombard, M. Andral, had placed near him, and who did not leave until
all was over, were so overcome by the scene that their agnostic ideas
were entirely changed. M. Andral himself, though accustomed to the
most heartrending sights, was depressed and consoled at the same time.
The funeral of the youth was remarkable for the fact that it was
attended by the whole of the school to which he belonged and by the
general eulogy and regret which was expressed upon all sides.
_Paris, April 30, 1843._--The charity bazaar for the benefit of the
victims in the earthquake at Guadeloupe produced more than a hundred
thousand francs net. Those of us who acted as saleswomen had a
laborious but not uninteresting task; each of the lady patronesses had
some small adventure to relate. The following was mine: A man of some
age came and asked me the price of a little porcelain goblet. I
replied, "Twenty francs." "Is it French porcelain?" "No, sir, it is
Saxony porcelain from the Dresden factory." "From Dresden!" replied
the gentleman, "I have unpleasant memories of Dresden, for I am an
artillery officer, and during the wars of the Empire I blew up the
bridge at Dresden, acting under orders from my superiors." "Well, sir,
then you do not know that you are speaking to a German lady?" "You
will be generous, madame, and pardon wrongs committed in time of war."
"Yes, sir, if you are generous to our poor people." "Give your orders,
madame; I will buy anything you like, or at any rate anything I can,
for I am not rich." With these words he emptied his purse upon the
counter. It contained thirty francs. I was preparing to add a
cigar-holder to the goblet when he asked me to give him something of
my own make. I substituted some worked slippers for the cigar-holder.
The officer took them and said to me very gracefully, "Madame, has
peace been made?" "Certainly, sir, signed and ratified."
A provincial lady who came to our stall during the last three days of
the sale told us upon the last day that she had been so touched and
overcome by our zeal and by our polite and obliging energy that she
asked us to accept a little souvenir. She then offered the Comtesse
Mollien and myself, who were at the same stall, a pair of lace
mittens. We thanked her in the name of the poor, as we thought she
intended the lace work for our stall, but she clearly explained that
it was for ourselves. She would not tell us her name, and with great
difficulty we induced her to accept from us in memory of our stall a
cup which we presented to her.
_Paris, May 5, 1843._--Yesterday I called upon Queen Christina. She
has intelligent eyes, beautiful skin, a cheerful smile, is pleasantly
dimpled and is a ready talker with a slight accent that animates her
every observation. She will discuss any subject without embarrassment.
A free and easy life is her preference, and I think she is greatly
relieved to be far from the throne and political business. The freedom
and to some extent the obscurity of her life at Paris suit her to
perfection. She has not a single lady-in-waiting, and the number of
chamberlains about her are somewhat surprising. Only upon great and
unavoidable occasions is Madame de Toreno requested to accompany the
Queen. Muñoz is here: he lives quietly in the Queen's house, and is
regarded as her husband. Their five children are being brought up at
Grenoble. It is confidently stated that he is a sensible man and that
his influence over the Queen's mind is supreme. Though not so
enormously fat as the Infanta Carlotta, the Queen is much too stout,
and her deficiency in this respect is the more obvious as she will not
wear stays; besides, she is short of stature. She spoke to me of her
Spanish daughters, and said that Queen Isabella had a very dignified
bearing, that she was a clever and decided character, entirely made
for the difficult part which she is called on to play; that her health
had been restored and that she was even strong and robust. She added
that unfortunately those about her made no attempt to induce her to
study, lest they should lose her favour, and she remained very
ignorant. The Queen also told me that the news of her daughters that
came to her was reliable, because she had other than official sources
of information. She spoke a great deal of the late Duc d'Orléans with
extreme regret, saying that his death was a loss not only to France,
but even to Spain. "Not that the King," she added, "has been
ill-disposed to Spain, but there was in the Prince Royal a youthful
ardour and an enterprising spirit which would have been very useful to
my daughter."
On the day when the Rouen railway was opened, while the Duc de Nemours
was in the tent upon the platform, a lady and gentleman who were also
travelling, attempted to come in. The official allowed the lady to
pass while the gentleman stopped to talk with some one. When he wished
to follow the lady, the official said to him, "You cannot pass here."
"But I am a deputy." "No matter." "But you have allowed my wife to go
through." "Very likely!" "But there she is, talking to the Prince."
"All the more reason why you cannot go through." This answer, which
was heard by several people, caused general delight.
The Duc de Nemours is taking every trouble to fulfil the
responsibilities of his new position without omission,[87] but this
work is obviously an effort to him and he does not show the easy grace
which distinguished his elder brother. He goes fairly regularly to the
Chamber of Peers and even expresses very correct and reasonable
opinions to his neighbours upon the questions before the House, but he
speaks coldly and in an embarrassed style and as briefly as possible.
Then he may be seen leaving the Chamber on foot and alone with a cigar
in his mouth, and thus returning to the Tuileries.
[87] After the death of the Duc d'Orléans in 1842 the Chamber of
Deputies passed a law nominating the Duc de Nemours as Regent of
the Realm during the minority of the Comte de Paris in the event
of the death of the old King. From this time the Prince sat in
the Chamber of Peers and made official journeys of inspection
through the departments.
_Paris, May 10, 1843._--The Comte de Paris, though hardly five years
old, has been definitely handed over to male guardianship. His tutor
will sleep in his room. His nurse, however, will still look after him.
The arrangement seems to be due to the King's wishes. The Duchesse
d'Orléans is vexed by it. Since her widowhood she had not returned to
her own bedroom and had slept in the nurse's bed in the room of the
Comte de Paris.
_Paris, May 12, 1843._--I had a long interview yesterday with the
King. He spoke of Prussia, whither I am to make a journey, and
expressed his dissatisfaction at the fact that the King of Prussia
went to England last year and afterwards came to Neuchâtel,[88] but
went along the whole frontier of France from Ostend to Bâle without
touching French territory. However King Louis-Philippe had asked the
King of Prussia to come by way of Compiègne where they would have met.
The King of Prussia declined the invitation, replying that his
shortest journey was through Belgium and that his time was fully
engaged. It seems that His Prussian Majesty was anxious to avoid a
meeting, even with the King of the Belgians, but as the latter had
gone to Ostend for that purpose, he was obliged to give way. The
greatest ill-feeling was caused by the remark of the King of Prussia,
in reply to some one who expressed his astonishment at His Majesty's
refusal to travel through France: "What can you expect; we have
promised not to offer any isolated act of politeness to King
Louis-Philippe." The French King, deeply wounded, has since ordered
his diplomatic officials to refuse passports to foreign princes who
might wish to come to Paris incognito, in order to save himself the
necessity of meeting them, as the Princes of Würtemberg have done and
as the Grand Duke Michael of Russia was inclined to do. Orders have
been given upon the frontiers to exercise the strictest supervision in
this respect.
[88] The country of Neuchâtel had been ceded to Frederick I.,
King of Prussia, in 1707, and became French territory from 1806
to 1814. The treaties of Vienna had restored it to Frederick
William III., though it remained within the Swiss Confederation.
The state of things was to continue until the revolution of 1848,
when the mountaineers expelled the Prussians. Frederick William
IV. did not finally abandon his rights until 1850, and a
convention signed on May 24, 1852, secured the independence of
Neuchâtel while reserving to Prussia her rights.
Madame Adélaïde seems to be quite in despair at the marriage of
Princesse Clémentine which will not provide her with a brilliant
position, while the Prince is a nonentity. Madame told me it was very
embarrassing and "even worse than the Duke Alexander of Würtemberg."
Madame and the King explained their consent to this marriage on the
ground that it was impossible to refuse to a daughter aged twenty-six
a marriage which was not absolutely unsuitable, when no other
prospects were in view. Madame and the King are astonished at the
delight which the Princess shows at the prospect of going to Coburg,
after her first travels, for there she will find very few social
resources, while her position as a Princess of Orléans and a Catholic
may prove a source of trouble and embarrassment amid all the little
Courts of Germany; but this young and amiable Princess is delighted by
the prospect of change and novelty.
_Paris, May 15, 1843._--Yesterday I had the honour to receive
commissions from the Duchesse d'Orléans to be performed by me in
Prussia. She is especially intimate with her cousin, the Princess of
Prussia, whose distinction of mind and lofty character please all her
intimate friends and deepen their attachment to her. The Duchesse
d'Orléans seemed to me more despondent yesterday than she was the
first time that I saw her after her widowhood had begun. She seems to
feel more and more profoundly her cruel desolation. Many
circumstances have also contributed to embitter her temper for some
time. She expresses herself in gentle and measured terms, but with
less restraint. The departure of the Dowager Grand Duchess of
Mecklenburg has left her very lonely, and I found her at one of those
moments when the mind cannot suffice for itself, when the power of
resistance is yielding, and when confidence became an imperative need.
Relying upon my sympathy and my loyalty to the memory which she
adores, the Princess threw off restraint and opened her heart in a
manner which touched me profoundly. She spoke with bitterness, for
which she was the first to reproach herself, of her feelings when the
Duc de Nemours was obliged to perform in public those duties which the
late Prince performed so admirably; the opening of a railway, a race
meeting, or a public function of the kind, are so many wounds to her.
She spoke naturally, with perfect choice of language. Her conversation
was also deeply marked with religious feeling. She referred briefly to
the marriage of Princesse Clémentine, and her impressions seemed to
coincide with those of Madame Adélaïde. In short, I stayed two hours
with the Duchesse d'Orléans, who seemed to find some relief in
talking, an unusual pleasure for her, as her life is confined within
somewhat narrow limits. She talks remarkably well, and shows a
shrewdness of observation and a constant desire to please. Perhaps all
this is too good to be true, and so I was somewhat relieved to see her
lose her self-command for the first time. In order to admire her as
she deserves, I was waiting for her emotion to become predominant, and
I was not disappointed.
_Paris, May 18, 1843._--Yesterday I met Father de Ravignan at the
house of the Abbé Dupanloup. I was delighted by his noble face and the
gentle gravity of his talk. The domination which he exerts in the
pulpit disappears in conversation; he is grave and gentle, speaks
slowly and in a low tone; the depth of his melancholy gaze is in
consonance with a smile that is benevolent, but in no sense lively. He
speaks of God with love, of man with forbearance, of the interests of
the clergy with moderation, of the triumph of religion with ardour,
of himself with modesty, and of the situation in general with wisdom;
in short, he inspires confidence and esteem. He hardly ever leaves
Paris, and his chief task is now to keep together by constant efforts
the young people whom he has attracted and gathered by his brilliant
lectures; he hears confessions practically only from men, but they
come to him in crowds, and last Easter Day the number of young men who
were present at the Sacrament was prodigious. Twelve pupils from the
Polytechnic School in uniform were observed. Two years ago a rosary
was found in one of the corridors of the school: the pupils seized it,
fastened it to the end of a pole, which they set up in the courtyard,
and amid much laughter and mockery shouted, "Let us see if the loser
of this rosary will dare to claim it." One of the pupils then advanced
and said firmly, "The rosary is mine and I wish to have it back." He
spoke with such simplicity and courage that no one replied to him by a
light word. From that day several followed his example, and now there
are a dozen openly professing Catholics in the school.
I am assured that the King has spoken with some vehemence against the
Protestants and that he expressed his fear of them. The Duchesse
d'Orléans, moved by prudence, diplomacy or conviction, has repeatedly
said to the King since her widowhood began; "You may be certain, Sire,
that I shall never become the female pope of the Protestants."
M. Guizot, who came this morning to say farewell to me, told me that
the King would no longer be satisfied by the return of the Russian
Ambassador to Paris; that he had resolved not to resume the equivocal
relations with the Emperor Nicholas which had subsisted since 1830 and
that an interchange of ambassadors would only take place if the
Emperor wrote and addressed him as "brother." M. Guizot takes to
himself the honour for the new step adopted by the King with reference
to the European courts. He spoke to me at great length of the Duchesse
d'Orléans and the tenor of his remarks which I believe to be correct,
was as follows: he thinks her very clever, self-restrained, dignified,
graceful and a good manager; but she has a restless imagination,
feels the need for action and the desire to produce an effect, while
her judgment is sometimes ill-balanced; she has also a certain tinge
of German affectation and a tendency to preciosity of language, while
her liberal tendencies are due to her Protestant sympathies and her
desire for popularity. As she feels herself cleverer than the Duc de
Nemours and knows that he is not ambitious, she has no fear of him,
but she is afraid of the King, who also mistrusts her mental attitude.
Her relations with the Queen are by no means intimate and grow cooler
every day. She is on better terms with Madame Adélaïde and has one
friend in the family, the Prince de Joinville, who is truly an heroic
nature, brilliant, undaunted, independent and bold, while he is very
fond of his sister-in-law. The Duc d'Aumale, who is a capable and
courageous soldier, is behaving excellently in Africa and showing
every qualification for the position of Viceroy of Algeria which is in
store for him. The Duc de Montpensier, perhaps the cleverest of the
King's sons, is still very young and is of no account at present.
_Clermont-en-Argonne, May 21, 1843._--My journey has passed off
without accident, but the weather is damp and unpleasant and the
country looks very dreary; however, from this point onwards, it is
more diversified and wooded and corresponds to the description of the
Argonne which I read at Baden some years ago. Travelling in a pretty
country with some friend, in fine weather, with curiosity aroused and
satisfied, may certainly be charming, but to be transported in a box
on wheels without interest or attraction is the most foolish of all
imaginable occupations.
_Metz, May 22, 1843._--The church of Meaux is being restored and the
houses about it are being pulled down. Had it not been for the damp
and for a slight indisposition which I feel, I should have gone in: I
have been anxious for so long a time to see the pulpit where Bossuet
preached. I have finished the second volume of Walckenauer on Madame
de Sévigné and prefer it to the first; it is cleverly written and the
interest is well sustained; new information is given upon a theme
which seemed to be exhausted, information that has been collected with
great trouble and is cleverly expounded. I gained a better
understanding of the great trial of Fouquet from this book than from
any other.
_Saarbrück, May 23, 1843._--I am travelling terribly fast, am now
beyond the French frontier and shall soon cross another frontier in
the shape of the Rhine. Every stage that I pass saddens me and even a
post painted black and white, or a brook is too much.
I have read the first half of the first volume of M. de Custine's work
on Russia.[89] The preface is too metaphysical, though there is a
passage on Protestantism and the so-called national and political
churches which is clever and striking; further there is a faithful
portrait of the Hereditary Grand Duke of Russia. I was especially
struck by two chapters composed of letters to the late Madame de
Custine, the author's mother. A short account is given of this amiable
woman's heroic life: she was one of my friends and I have deeply
regretted her; in point of age she might have been my mother and
retained very little of her beauty when I knew her, but she had great
charm and every attractive quality. I have been constantly told that
she was a great coquette and I daresay this statement is true; she was
left a widow so young and was so pretty and so unguarded that such
behaviour was natural and excusable. The same behaviour was attributed
to her at the time when I knew her; the fact may have been true, but
her manner was reserved and quiet, she spoke modestly and her
appearance was absolutely respectable. I saw her die without a murmur;
in consequence, I am favourably, even indulgently disposed towards M.
de Custine and his books, which are always clever, sometimes talented,
and are very true when he writes of Russia. I do not think, however,
that he should publish so much truth when gratitude should order him
to be silent, but men of letters will do anything. They are a class of
whom I think very little.
[89] M. de Custine had collected the memories of his journey in
Russia in a work in four volumes, entitled _Russia in 1839_.
_Mannheim, May 24, 1843._--My slight indisposition makes me annoyed
with everything I do. M. de Custine's book is the only thing which
seems to suit me; in spite of the affectation of the style and the
brilliancy which is obvious even where it rather diminishes than
heightens the effect, and a constant attempt at display, the book
amuses and interests me. I do not know enough of the places or the
facts to check the accuracy of the narrative or descriptions, but by
tradition or from my Russian acquaintances I am well enough informed
to consider the resemblances perfect. His story, for instance of the
thousands of workmen who were sacrificed in order to rebuild the
Imperial Winter Palace at St. Petersburg with undue rapidity, was
related to me at Berlin. The plague of vermin at St. Petersburg,
especially of bugs, was also well known to me and the following
instance was told me by the Prince of Prussia at the marriage of his
niece:[90] he said that the newly built palace was dried by excessive
artificial heat and was so infested with vermin that the bride was
devoured the first night that she slept there and was obliged to
appear at the entertainments covered with red marks. She changed her
rooms the next day, but I am assured that the plague was very general,
and that the best-kept houses are not exempt from it. This is to be
explained by the superheating and the way in which houses are
hermetically sealed for nine months in the year.
[90] The reference is to the marriage of the Hereditary Grand
Duke of Russia, afterwards Alexander II., with the daughter of
the Grand Duke of Hesse Darmstadt, which was celebrated at St.
Petersburg on April 16, 1841.
The following message reached me from the Grand Duchess Stephanie and
is very characteristic of her. It was a kind and even tender note in
which she told me that she would call at ten o'clock and bring me back
to lunch with her at eleven, after a drive to take advantage of the
fine weather; and this though she knew that since Metz I have been in
the open air without a break. However, one must take people as they
are and I should not care to show reluctance for the single day that I
am here. Further, the weather is really very fine.
_Mannheim, May 25, 1843._--The Grand Duchess came for me yesterday
morning at ten o'clock. I found her much older and depressed. The same
people are with her; old Walsch, clever and tactless, who appears in
the evening, the Baroness Sturmfeder who gives a good appearance
to the household, the excellent little Kageneck, the modest
Schreckenstein and the old almoner. At dinner there were also Prince
Charles of Solms, son-in-law of the Queen of Hanover and a Count
Herding, of whom I have nothing to say. I was overwhelmed with
questions but I also allowed myself to ask a few. Princess Marie, or
rather the Marchioness of Douglas is travelling in Italy and is deeply
in love with her handsome husband who appears to answer all her
wishes. I had full details of the wedding, the presents, the splendour
of it and the settlements, etc. It was all very magnificent. The
couple are soon to come this way on their road to England and
Scotland. Princess Marie is thought to be with child. Lord Douglas
took her from Venice to Goritz, where she was very kindly received by
the illustrious exiles: while there she wrote to her mother saying
that the Duc de Bordeaux has a handsome face and is a pleasant talker,
but his figure is terribly heavy and he limps a great deal.
Mademoiselle, though very attractive, was too small and lacking in
distinction. The Grand Duchess will shortly pay a visit to her
daughter, Princess Wasa, who is living in the castle of Eichorn, two
leagues from Brünn in Moravia. Prince Wasa insists upon a divorce: the
Princess will not consent and the Grand Duchess, who has every reason
to fear a trial, wishes to induce her daughter not to run the risk and
to come back to Mannhein here, though she is not personally enchanted
with the prospect, as she fears the unbalanced and troublesome
character of her daughter Louise. Prince Wasa has behaved very rudely
to his mother-in-law and is, moreover, almost ruined. All this is a
great anxiety to the Grand Duchess. She has given up the castle of
Baden to the Grand Duke and bought his town house which she proposes
to enlarge, to decorate and to beautify generally.
_Cologne, May 26, 1843._--I embarked this morning at Mayence where I
arrived yesterday morning in fine sun-light but also in a violent
wind. Rain and hail soon alternated with the hurricane and the waves
of the Rhine rose and became unpleasantly maritime in character. The
Grand Duchess Stephanie told me that she thought the reputation of the
Rhine scenery exaggerated, and I am inclined to agree with her. The
river is beautiful and magnificently framed: the villages, the
churches, and the ruins surround it with historical recollections, it
is true, but the lack of vegetation gives an unpleasant aridity to the
country; however, the journey is interesting and even poetical if
anybody is so minded. The castle of Stolzenfels, as seen from the
boat, is pretty but by no means grandiose; this is a castle which the
King of Prussia has just restored and enlarged so that he was able to
stay there with sixty people on his last visit; the interior is said
to be charming and to command an excellent view. As for Rheinstein
which Prince Frederick has laid out, it is quite a small place: it can
only be approached on horseback, whereas it is possible to drive up to
Stolzenfels. The several communes which owned old ruined castles on
the Rhine have presented them to different princes of the house of
Prussia: thus, apart from Stolzenfels, which belongs to the King, and
Rheinstein, which belongs to Prince Frederick, the Prince of Prussia
has received a castle, as also has Prince Charles, and even the Queen
has her own. They are all on the left bank and the King has ordered
the new owners to restore them and make them habitable. The castle of
Hornbach, where Young Germany held its revolutionary meetings, before
the establishment of the Commission of Mayence, is on the right bank
and in the Bavarian states: the King of Bavaria has just presented it
to his son, the Prince Royal; he has changed its name and it is now
called Maxburg.
I made some progress to-day with the second volume of M. de Custine.
He reports conversations which he had with the Emperor and Empress,
which are graceful and lively, but were inspired by the idea that they
would be printed. As I read all these I wondered if a traveller who
owes his magnificent entertainment to the fear of his judgment as an
author, to the desire that he may show his hosts kindness in his book,
and avoid any partiality in his descriptions, is bound by the same
degree of gratitude as the traveller who is well treated from
disinterested motives, merely because his character happens to please.
I admit that my judgment in this respect wavers a little and though in
any case I should think a delicate discretion preferable, I cannot
help finding some excuse for a man who thinks himself less entirely
bound by interested politeness than he would be by spontaneous
kindness. In any case the imperial conversations are described in a
sufficiently laudatory style: the most unfettered and critical mind is
always more or less influenced by marks of condescension from a crown.
None the less this work will cause profound dissatisfaction in Russia
and the welcome given to travellers will certainly be colder and more
reserved.
_Iserlohn, May 27, 1843._--I left Cologne this morning without
regretting the inn of Rheinsberg. All these inns on the banks of the
Rhine are nicely situated. They contain furniture of inlaid wood, and
stuffed sofas with pretty coverings; but their proximity to the water
and their exposed position make them very cold. The want of fireplaces
is displeasing, as wind and damp have an easier entrance owing to the
lack of shutters and blinds. In the month of May the double windows
have been removed, and I really regret them. Daylight, which arrives
before four o'clock, and cannot be excluded, leads to untimely waking,
and is an inconvenience at which I grumbled the more as the noise of
forty-five steamboats, the bells which announced their departure and
the clatter of the stokers, make an uproar which lasts for nearly
twenty-four hours; then there is the noise made by people coming and
going in the inn, and the combination is enough to make one ill. Had
it not been for the rain, I should have gone this morning to the
Cathedral to see how far our subscriptions--for I have also
subscribed--have advanced the work upon this fine monument during the
last three years; but the weather was so bad, and I felt so worn out
by the most execrable little German bed in all its Teutonic purity,
that I had no courage to get wet in order to satisfy my curiosity,
and re-entered my carriage in a bad temper.
_Cassel, May 28, 1843._--It rained hard all last night, and is raining
still. The outlook is melancholy and depressing. To-day I am going to
Göttingen, to-morrow to Brunswick, and the day after to-morrow to
Harbke. I shall be interested to see Brunswick, which I do not know,
and Göttingen, whose turbulent students and liberal professors have so
often roused the wrath of the King of Hanover.
I am still immersed in M. de Custine. In the third volume there is a
letter concerning Princess Trubetzkoi,[91] who followed her husband to
the mines of Siberia with noble devotion. The effects are so striking
that no rhetoric is required to make them impressive. Conscious of
this fact, the author has increased the impressiveness of this
terrible drama in its last phase by simplifying his style. The scene
which concludes this unusual story of misfortune moved me deeply. In
my youth I heard many stories of Siberia from my father, and for that
reason, I suppose, I feel a keen sympathy with the unfortunate
wretches who are there buried alive.
[91] Prince Sergius Trubetzkoi, when very young, had taken an
active part in a conspiracy which broke out at St. Petersburg in
1825 with reference to the right of the Emperor Nicholas to the
throne of Russia. He was accused of usurping the crown from his
brother Constantine. Condemned to death by the Supreme Court of
Justice, the punishment was commuted to perpetual exile in
Siberia. There he was obliged to work in the mines as a convict.
The Emperor Nicholas remained inflexible throughout his life, and
would never pardon the conspirator against his person, who was
not released until 1855 by Alexander II. on his accession to the
throne. Princess Trubetzkoi, urged by passionate devotion,
followed her husband into exile, and her action was regarded as
the more heroic, as the married couple had previously lived on
somewhat cold terms.
_Brunswick, May 29, 1843._--Nothing but rain with occasional bursts of
hail, and by way of diversion a miserable ray of sunlight which steals
shamefully forth to announce a new storm. Brunswick is an old and
rather ugly town, with large and gloomy houses, an old church in full
Gothic style, and a town hall even more Gothic. It is a great relief
to find something really old after a succession of little capitals
rebuilt without character or historical memory, with their tawdry
modern ornamentation. I noticed a magnificent breed of post horses
and draught and military horses; they are splendid, strong and
vigorous animals; I do not know whether the district produces them or
if they are brought from Mecklenburg.
When any one's memory is as full of your stories of the United States
as mine is,[92] and when one reads the stories of M. de Custine
concerning Russia, it is difficult to say which of the two countries
seems the more objectionable, as their bad points are so precisely in
contradiction; but with regard to the Russians, I think I forgot to
tell you an incident which might very well find a place in M. de
Custine's quotations. When I was recently in Paris for the last time,
I called upon my niece, Madame de Lazareff, to say good-bye. She said
to me, "You have quite an imperial countenance this morning, aunt." I
did not understand, and told her so. "Oh," she replied, "at St.
Petersburg, when any one looks particularly well, that is what we
say." Is not that excellent?
[92] Extract from a letter.
_Harbke, May 31, 1843._--I left Brunswick yesterday morning, but the
journey here took a great deal of time, and caused me many screams of
terror. To begin with, even the highroads in the Duchy of Brunswick
are far from admirable, while Harbke is at the end of a horrible
cross-road. The terrible rains of the last few days have ruined the
roads to such an extent that I really thought we should stick fast.
When I arrived, I found the poor old master of the house[93] ill, and
his wife in great anxiety. I was anxious to start again at once in
order not to embarrass them at such a time, but neither Frau von
Veltheim nor the invalid himself would hear of this plan; so I shall
start to-morrow very early, and reach Berlin, if God wills, in the
evening.
[93] Count Veltheim (1781-1848).
This place is very well arranged for a German château. It is of
considerable extent, and would have some style if the old building had
not been modernised instead of being left as it was. The garden is
well kept and adjoins beautiful woods. The mistress of the house has
no children, and is devoted to flowers and birds, even to some noisy
cockatoos; she is scrupulously neat, and is aged sixty-two: a tall,
thin, pale figure, she is always dressed in white muslin: and her
lace caps and her shawls, all tied with white ribbons, give her a
somewhat ghostly appearance. The Veltheim family is most noble and
ancient, and the members are well aware of the fact; she is a Bülow.
Count Veltheim's first wife, from whom he is divorced, is now Countess
Putbus, the mother of Countess Lottum, and of the young Putbus who
died at Carlsruhe. The Veltheims are very wealthy, and a certain note
of opulence prevails in the house where, however, the useful and the
agreeable are in very close conjunction. There is no view, as the
castle is built in a hollow and overlooked by wooded hills. From the
top of one of these hills the Hartz mountains can be seen distinctly
on the horizon, while the Brocken, where Goethe placed the
supernatural scenes of _Faust_, stands out very clearly.
_Magdeburg, June 1, 1843._--A most annoying incident has just
happened; I have missed the train for Berlin which I hoped to reach
this evening, and I ought to be very satisfied that I have got so far
safe and sound; to cover thirteen leagues, the distance from Harbke to
this town, I was obliged to spend ten hours on the road. The
continuous deluge of the last few days and the waterspouts which have
burst over the country, have devastated everything, swollen the
streams, carried away the dykes, swept away earth, &c. Nothing can
describe my anxiety.
_Berlin, June 2, 1843._--At length I have reached the first
halting-place on my long and tiresome journey. I have arrived
literally at the end of my resources, with a ragged dress, reduced to
my last crown and so exhausted that I feel as if I had spinal
curvature. The railway from Magdeburg here is very well managed and
the journey is accomplished in eight hours, though the line is not
direct, as the railway passes through Dessau and Wittenberg. I did as
I have done on board the steamers and remained in my own carriage:
this seemed to me the most suitable plan, as I had no male companion
and a very mixed number of people were travelling.
_Berlin, June 3, 1843._--The Duchesse d'Albuféra writes to say that
Princesse Clémentine went to Brest to embark for Lisbon and Brittany
where she was excellently received; while good news has arrived from
the Prince de Joinville and the Duc d'Aumale is distinguishing himself
in Algeria. The Duchesse de Montmorency tells me of an extraordinary
incident: Madame de Dolomieu has sold for thirty-five thousand francs
certain autograph letters by living writers in which there are some
that could only be circulated with unpleasant consequences. The King
of France bought back his letters for twenty-five thousand francs.
Really impudence at the present time knows no bounds! General Fagel
forced Madame de Dolomieu to buy back for eight hundred francs a
letter from the King of the Low Countries which he had given her and
which she had sold with the collection.
The author of the tragedy of _Lucrèce_, M. Ponsard, and the author of
the tragedy of _Judith_, Madame Emile de Girardin, whose plays have
met with such different receptions, came across one another at the
house of the Duchesse de Gramont. Madame de Girardin was bursting with
rage, in a manner said to be absolutely grotesque.
_Berlin, June 4, 1843._--Yesterday I saw the Countess of Reede. The
old and agreeable lady, who always treats me as her daughter, received
me with open arms and soon put me in possession of all current news.
She is at the head of the faction hostile to Princesse Albert, who has
gone to Silesia. Her position here is abominable, and though the King
has so far supported her as not to allow his son to divorce her, the
Princess feels herself entirely out of place in society and at the
Court.
I went to tea with the Princess of Prussia. Her husband was there and
has grown stout, and I am sorry to see how she has changed, as the
beauty of which I thought so much has disappeared. As she is young and
strong, I hope that her freshness will return.
_Berlin, June 5, 1843._--Yesterday was a day of hard work. First came
Sunday mass; then I went home for a long business talk with Herr von
Wurmb and Herr von Wolff, and then went to Madame de Perponcher, and
then to the Werthers; they are to see their son again to-day who is
Prussian Minister at Berne. I then called upon Lady Westmoreland, who
had just heard that one of her sons, whom she had left in England, was
seriously ill. Finally, I went to the Radziwills.
I dined with the Princess of Prussia. The other guests were the Prince
and Princess William, the uncle and aunt, their son who has come back
from Brazil, the Werthers, Countess Neale, the Radziwills, Prince
Pückler-Muskau, and Max von Hatzfeldt. It was a fine and splendid
dinner in the prettiest palace in the world, but the stormy weather
made every one ill. I did not know Prince Pückler, who has been able
to recover favour at Court,[94] at any rate to some extent, in the
following way: The Prince of Prussia was anxious to improve his park
at Babelsberg in Potsdam, and told his gardener to write to the
gardener of Muskau, requesting him to obtain a few weeks leave from
his master to come and lay out the garden of Babelsberg. The Prince of
Prussia then received a letter from Prince Pückler, telling him that
the real gardener of Muskau was himself, and that he was starting
forthwith for Babelsberg for a consultation with the Prince's
gardener. When he arrived he undertook the whole of the gardener's
business and began to lay out walks, clumps of trees, &c. Some days
afterwards the Prince of Prussia found him hard at work, and naturally
thanked him, asked him to dinner, and now he has become quite the
fashion. He told me that he was starting to-day for Muskau, asked me
to pay a visit to his park when I was at Sagan, and offered his help
in laying out the park of Sagan.
[94] Prince Pückler in his works had shown an independence and
boldness of judgment which, in conjunction with his liberal
ideas, seemed far too advanced for so retrograde a court as that
of Prussia, and had obliged him to absent himself.
M. and Madame Bresson called for me later on and took me to the opera,
where _Robert le Diable_ was performed, and conducted by Meyerbeer
himself. The performance was excellent, but the heat was frightful.
Many people came into our box, including Maurice Esterhazy, who seemed
to me somewhat depressed.
_Berlin, June 6, 1843._--I have had a call from Humboldt, who said
that two years hence there would be a national representative assembly
sitting at Berlin, that it would be at first consultative and
afterwards deliberative.
I am struck by the animation of Berlin since it has become a railway
centre. The population has increased by fifty thousand people and the
development of manufacture and luxury is very marked. The following is
a curious little anecdote: Upon the death of the Duc d'Orléans the
Empress of Russia and the Prince of Prussia, who were at St.
Petersburg, attempted to persuade the Emperor to take the opportunity
of writing directly to King Louis-Philippe; he refused, but told the
Empress that he would authorise her to write to the Duchesse
d'Orléans. The two Princesses had known one another formerly in
Germany, and were on such intimate terms as to speak in the second
person singular; the Empress wrote in German, using this form; she
received a somewhat cold answer in French from which it was absent.
The Empress was much hurt, and complained to her aunt, the Princess
William of Prussia, sister of the Dowager Grand Duchess of
Mecklenburg; the Empress asserts that it is very rude to reply in
another language than that used by the first correspondent, and that
if the Duchesse d'Orléans thought it her duty to use only the language
of her children's country, she, the Empress, would do the same next
time and would write in Russian.
I have seen M. Bresson, who told me that recently, in a club at St.
Petersburg, the Emperor spoke to the French Chargé d'Affaires, and
asked, "When is M. Barante coming back?"
I dined with the Wolffs. There were also present, Count Alvensleben,
Finance Minister; Herr von Olfers, Director of the Museum; Huden, the
Councillor of State; and Barry, who is the first doctor in Berlin
after Schönlein. I then went to Lady Westmoreland, whom I found very
old and much changed, but witty and pleasant as ever. She told me that
Lord Jersey was inconsolable on account of Sarah's marriage with
Nicholas Esterhazy, who, however, is happy so far. Old Lord
Westmoreland has treated his son as badly as possible in his will,
and Lady Georgina Fane, far from showing her brother any kindness, as
has been said, insisted upon the prompt execution of the will with
such severity that the Westmorelands would be in serious difficulty
were it not for their post in Berlin. When I left Lady Westmoreland I
called on Countess Neale, one of my oldest acquaintances in this
world; I found her alone, and we spent a long time talking of our
young days.
_Berlin, June 9, 1843._--Yesterday I dined with the Princess of
Prussia; she is really a very interesting character, and her regular
kindness to myself and her increasing confidence, make me ever more
attached to herself and her fortunes. I am anxious for her health, and
I fear that she is right in regarding it as seriously affected. There
was a numerous company at her dinner: Princess Charles, her sister; my
two nephews Biron; the Prince of Wurtemberg, the youngest of the
brothers of the Grand Duchess Helena; the latter told me that the
Grand Duke Michael was shortly to reach Marienbad, and from thence
would go to England. The King of Hanover was taken ill in the course
of his journey to England, and was unable to reach London for the
baptism; he is said to be in a very bad state and overcome with the
idea, which is probably correct, that he is going to die. This notion
has taken a strong hold of his mind, as a prophecy was made to him
that he would die in the year in which his son was married.
_Berlin, June 11, 1843._--Yesterday I went to Charlottenburg to visit
the mausoleum of the late king, by the side of the late queen's tomb.
The chapel has been enlarged, but the general effect is lost and I was
not pleased, although the altar of black and white marble is one of
the prettiest things I have ever seen. The walls are covered with
Bible texts which the present King himself chose, painted in golden
letters upon sky-blue scrolls; the effect is somewhat Moorish; the
general appearance is by no means Christian. Protestant architecture
is certainly dry both in outward form, in its general worship, and in
the essence of its mutable doctrines.
_Berlin, June 14, 1843._--Yesterday, after dining by the chair of the
Countess of Reede, her daughter, Madame de Perponcher, took me round
the grand rooms in the castle to show me the Rittersaal which the King
has just restored. Some curious portraits and some furniture dating
from the Great Elector give a certain interest to these rooms though
upon the whole they are very moderate. We left the Countess to go to
the German Comedy Theatre where we saw an excellent performance of
_Mademoiselle de Belle-Isle_,[95] for translations from the French
stage are continually played in Germany.
[95] This play, by Alexandre Dumas père, was then given at the
Theatre Royal of Berlin (Schauspielhaus) from the German
translation by L. Osten.
A historical novel has just appeared which is quite the rage here,
called _The Moor_,[96] and deals with the period of Gustavus III. The
author, who has been many years in Sweden, had access to the archives
of the realm, and the documents which he quotes are authentic. People
here say that a negro actually lived at the court of Queen Ulrica and
that most of the characters and incidents of the novel are true. I am
reading it with much interest; as I knew the Baron of Arnfelt in my
youth (in fact, he taught me to read) I am particularly interested in
anything relating to him. M. de Talleyrand also spoke to me often of
Gustavus III., of whom he saw a great deal at the time of his second
visit to Paris when he was returning from Rome. The King of Sweden at
that time had gained the ear of the Pope to such an extent that he
thought he could easily obtain the cardinal's hat for one of his
friends. He suggested that M. de Talleyrand should present his
request, but the favour was declined, as the equivocal reputation of
Gustavus III. would have given the request an unpleasant
colouring.[97] At the same time the Princesse de Carignan,[98] the
grandmother of the present King of Sardinia, who was strongly
attracted by M. de Talleyrand (at that time he was Abbé of Périgord,
before he became Bishop of Autun), thought herself also sufficiently
influential at Rome to secure the necessary dispensations which would
have enabled my uncle to marry her if he became a layman. M. de
Talleyrand has often told me as one of the strangest incidents of his
life that he was thus simultaneously involved in two contradictory
projects, both requiring the sanction of the court of Rome; he also
told me that Gustavus III. was a very clever and agreeable character.
[96] This novel, _Der Mohr oder das Haus Holstein-Gattorp in
Schweden_, which appeared anonymously, takes as its hero a negro
named Badin, who is said to have been actually brought from
Africa to Sweden during his youth in 1751.
[97] William III., who had been at Rome in 1771 as Crown Prince,
returned to that city after his accession in 1783. Pius VI. was
then Pope, and received the King with the greatest kindness. In
June 1784 Gustavus III. came to Paris to revisit Queen Marie
Antoinette, to whom he was greatly attached.
[98] The Princesse de Carignan, the grandmother of King Charles
Albert, was a Princess Joséphine of Lorraine and a sister of the
charming Princesse Charlotte, the Abbess of Remiremont, for whom
M. de Talleyrand felt so profound an affection.
_Berlin, June 15, 1843._--M. de Talleyrand arrived here the day before
yesterday. We dined at the house of the Radziwills with M. Bresson who
told me of the marriage of the Prince de Joinville. He is marrying a
Brazilian princess who is pretty and lovable with a dowry of four
million francs.
We spent the rest of the evening with the Princess of Prussia who was
alone with her husband. I am sorry to think that this kind Princess
will not be here on my return on the 23rd: she is starting for Weimar
on the 20th and is to spend the summer with her mother. I feel very
anxious about her health and spirits which are greatly depressed.
_Berlin, June 16, 1843._--Yesterday I went with the Countess Neale to
Potsdam by railway, to dine at Glienicke with Princess Charles of
Prussia. The weather was rather cold but dry and clear. Prince
Adalbert of Prussia who has just come back from Brazil was also there.
He had seen the Princesse de Joinville at Rio de Janeiro and spoke of
her as very pretty and pleasant; for the sake of the young Prince I am
delighted.
In the evening I saw Madame Chreptowitz, _née_ Nesselrode, who is
coming from St. Petersburg on her way to Naples where her husband has
been appointed Chargé d'Affaires. She says that M. de Custine's book
is quite the rage at St. Petersburg, and rage is the correct term, for
the book rouses the Russians to fearful wrath. They assert that it is
full of falsehoods. The Emperor reads it attentively, speaks of it
disdainfully, and is really disgusted with it. An amusing incident in
reference to this subject, is the statement of Madame de Meyendorff,
the wife of the Russian minister at Berlin, who loudly declares that
the book is as true as it is amusing and says she hopes that it will
teach the Russians to be less conceited.
Herr von Liebermann, Prussian Minister at St. Petersburg, who is also
here on his way to Carlsbad, told me yesterday that his health and
spirits had suffered severely at St. Petersburg and that he would be
dead if he had not obtained leave of absence. The fact is that he
looks very ill, in spite of his bloated appearance, and seems to be
quite disgusted with Russia.
The King of Denmark has announced that he will visit the King of
Prussia in the island of Rügen.
_Sagan, June 17, 1843._--I arrived here this morning. I am staying in
a pretty house opposite the castle where my father's chief agent used
to live. I found a courier there who had come over from Muskau, asking
me to go there and meet the Prince of Prussia. I shall therefore
return to Berlin by way of Muskau and spend a day there.
In company with Herr von Wolff I drove round part of my new
acquisition, including the forest, and was delighted by the stags and
roe deer which came round the carriage.
_Sagan, June 19, 1843._--Yesterday was Sunday and I went to high mass
in a very pretty church in the town. The service was choral and was
very tolerably performed. Then I went to the castle to examine the
books and other objects which, however, are by no means valuable and
which I have bought with the rest of the fief. This transaction
somewhat confuses my position towards my nephew the Prince of
Hohenzollern, and produces a very disagreeable mixture of meum and
tuum, which I shall bring to an end as soon as possible.
This morning I went to the little church where my sister is buried and
had mass said on her behalf. I explained to an architect the
restoration which I desired to make in this church. On leaving it I
paid a visit to the schools, the shelters and the factories. I then
returned to dinner with the officers of the artillery battery and
garrison here; they had invited the Prefect and several other persons
from the town.
_Muskau, June 20, 1843._--I could write a long account of this
household and can say at once that it has an individuality of its own.
I left Sagan this morning at about nine o'clock and arrived here at
one o'clock. The road is not bad, though near Muskau a sea of sand
begins which reduces speed almost to the point of immobility. It is
therefore a double surprise to drive through the freshest and greenest
of parks, as full of flowers and as carefully tended as can be
imagined. It is quite like England, with all its care and comfort
expended both without and within the castle. A very noble flight of
stairs bordered by fine orange-trees leads to the castle court which
would be modern in style if it were not for the towers crowned by
belfries, which give it an imposing aspect not to be found in modern
edifices. At the foot of the stairs I found Prince Pückler surrounded
by footmen, lacqueys, Arabs and negroes, a very strange and motley
troop. He immediately conducted me to my room which is most luxurious;
a sitting-room full of flowers, a bedroom draped with white muslin,
and a dressing-room in a tower; even my servants say they have never
been so well lodged. The Prince of Prussia has been detained at Berlin
on business and will not arrive until to-morrow. Princess Carolath,
step-daughter of Prince Pückler, came to apologise for the absence of
her mother, Princess Pückler, who was not quite well and had not yet
finished dressing. Shortly afterwards she came in: she is very
pleasant, extremely distinguished and talks most admirably upon every
subject.
Among the strange inhabitants of this castle is a very tiny little
dwarf,[99] no taller than a child of four, perfectly proportioned and
dressed as a Pole. He is nineteen years of age and is much petted and
dressed up; he seems happy, though he made a very sad impression on
me.
[99] The famous "Billy," as the Prince's friends called him.
_Muskau, June 21, 1843._--The close of yesterday was spoilt by a cold,
sharp and gusty wind which suddenly arose to sadden the country and
freeze poor mortal frames after three days warm weather. After dinner
I looked over the rest of the house. Everything is very nice, though
the proportions within are by no means upon a vast scale: flowers have
been very artistically used for decoration and give a special beauty
to the rooms; the Princess's room resembles a hothouse and an aviary
at the same time. I was especially struck by a portrait of the Prince
fastened to the Princess's desk round which laurel branches were
artistically placed: they belong to two laurels which stand in pots on
either side of the desk; a little vase of forget-me-nots was placed
between the portrait and the writing pad. This is one of the thousand
details in this union which was broken off and restored and which is
quite unparalleled; for though in society one may often meet people
who have separated but have not been divorced, it is much more unusual
to meet divorced people who have not been separated.[100]
[100] Princess Pückler was divorced in 1817 by Count Charles von
Pappenheim and married Hermann Pückler in the same year. They
were divorced in 1826 because Prince Pückler, who was almost
ruined by his wild extravagance, wished to marry a rich English
woman, a Miss Harriet Hamlet. This project failed, and the Prince
and his wife, though legally divorced, began life again very
happily under the same roof, though they were not remarried.
In spite of the disagreeable cold and the bitter wind which would have
excused a fire, we went for a drive round the park in an open
carriage. Prince Pückler sat by my side, to act as showman to this
extraordinary estate. In England it would be fine and here it is
marvellous. He has created not merely a park but a country: sandy
plains, white and dusty hills, have been changed into verdant slopes
and fresh green lawns; superb trees rise upon every side, clumps of
flowers frame the castle; a pretty stream brightens the whole and the
town of Muskau gives interest to the landscape which is rich,
diversified and full of beauty; yet, throughout this drive which
lasted for two hours, Prince Pückler would talk of nothing but his
desire to sell this fair creation. He would like the Prince of Prussia
to buy it: he says that as he has finished his work, he feels no more
interest in it, and like a painter who has finished his picture, he
would like to begin another in a better climate; he tells me he is
thinking of South Germany about the Black Forest and the confines of
Switzerland. The Princess does not hide her sorrow at this idea and I
can understand her feelings, for she has lived here for twenty-five
years and the interior of the castle is her work; moreover, she has
discovered a mineral spring on the spot, which has suggested the
erection of a watering establishment. This idea has been carried out
and the building in the park looks charming.
To return to Prince Pückler, he is not what I had expected him to be:
he speaks but little, in a low voice, and whether he feels that I am
ill-inclined to gossip and scandal, or whether he reserves his own
powers in this direction for his writings, his conversation shows no
trace of them. He rather gives me the idea of a man who is tired and
bored than of a bad character.
_Muskau, June 22, 1843._--I had proposed to start this morning, but
the Prince of Prussia told me so graciously that he could not allow me
to leave Muskau before himself, that a refusal would have been
churlish, the more so as Princess Pückler seemed very anxious that I
should stay. Here one is allowed to remain in one's room in sloth
until midday, which suits my habits excellently. When I went
downstairs yesterday to the drawing-room, the Prince of Prussia, who
had arrived at nine o'clock in the morning, was already coming in from
a walk. After lunch the Princess displayed many curiosities which her
husband had brought home; books, frames, models of the Holy Sepulchre,
rosaries and crosses in mother of pearl beautifully worked in
Palestine, Arab paintings, arms and instruments of all kinds. In the
library we were shown a manuscript on vellum with painted vignettes of
_Froissart's Chronicle_. Something of everything is to be found in
this curious house, which is full of contrasts. In the afternoon the
men went out again for a long excursion and the ladies walked about
the gardens, which well deserve to be examined in detail, so
marvellous is the labour expended upon them, though attention to
detail has in no way destroyed the general effect. Afterwards we
entered a carriage and reaching a large field covered with people, we
stopped to see the Arab and Egyptian horses of Prince Pückler
parading, curvetting and galloping. They were ridden by men in
Oriental dress, and it was a bright and pretty spectacle. Tea was
served in one of the lounge rooms of the bathing establishment.
_Berlin, June 24, 1843._--On arriving here I found letters which will
further modify my movements. My sister Acerenza is ill, and her doctor
has insisted so strongly upon Carlsbad that she is going there with my
other sister on July 1; so, on leaving here I shall go to Carlsbad,
together with my son, who has been ordered to take the waters.
I must say another word concerning the conclusion of my stay in the
fairyland of Muskau. On Thursday, the 22nd, after lunch, every one
went up to see Prince Pückler's rooms: there are four of them, full of
pictures, sculptures, engravings, books, manuscripts, heathen and
Christian curiosities, curiosities from Asia, Barbary and Egypt; a
pretty model of the foot of his Abyssinian woman[101] is on his desk
by the side of his wife's portrait; a model of the Holy Sepulchre
hangs by a stuffed crocodile; a portrait of Frederick the Great is
confronted by that of Napoleon, and the picture of M. de Talleyrand is
side by side with one of Pius VII. There are inscriptions on all the
doors in the style of Jean Paul. Amid all this miscellany there seems
to be some attempt at order, in which the hand of the master of the
rooms is apparent; in any case they contain interest of every kind.
After this inspection we went to tea in a shooting-box in the midst of
a most beautiful forest. The Prince of Prussia had a shot at a stag,
which he killed. We returned after nightfall, and after supper the
Prince of Prussia was present at a torchlight parade of the military
reserves. This was followed by a walk through the park, which was
illuminated by Bengal lights, so cleverly placed behind the trees and
the clumps of flowers, that the fires could only be inferred from the
effect which they produced; these effects were really magical, and I
had never seen anything of the kind. The Prince of Prussia left Muskau
the night before last at two o'clock, and I followed him yesterday
morning.
[101] This Abyssinian woman was called Machbouba. Prince Pückler
had brought her back with him from his travels. She could not
bear the northern climate, and died at Muskau after embracing the
Catholic religion at Vienna through the influence of Princess
Metternich, who took a keen interest in Machbouba.
_Berlin, June 25, 1843._--Yesterday I went to an evening party given
by the Radziwills. There I met Humboldt who had just returned from the
island of Rügen, concerning which he was most enthusiastic: he also
spoke very warmly of the residence of Prince Putbus, who was able to
receive the two Kings of Prussia and Denmark without any necessity for
himself or his wife to change their usual mode of life.[102] The King
of Denmark seems to be greatly disturbed as to what will become of his
kingdom after his death. His son is such a bad and even insane
character that his succession is practically impossible; moreover, he
ill-treats his wife dreadfully and has no children. Hence there is an
idea that Denmark will be divided; that the islands and Jutland will
go to a Prince of Hesse-Cassel, and that claims for Holstein and
Schleswig will be raised from very different quarters; Russia will
raise claims, and as Germany is especially anxious to see that Russia
gains no footing there, the two Kings have apparently been trying to
avoid any invasion of the kind. An attempt will be made to overthrow
all claims by marrying a Prince of Holstein-Glücksburg with one of the
Grand Duchesses of Russia.
[102] On June 17, 1843, the King of Denmark, Christian VIII.,
disembarked at Putbus, where the King of Prussia was awaiting
him.
_Berlin, June 26, 1843._--Yesterday I dined with the Russian Minister
together with M. de Valençay, and saw in full detail my old
house,[103] which is much improved; but it was very pretty in its
original form, and if I had it now nothing would induce me to sell it.
[103] The house of Courlande at Berlin, No. 7 _Unter den Linden_,
formed part of the fortune which the Duchesse de Talleyrand
received on her father's death. The Duchesse sold this house,
through her architect, in 1839, for ninety-five thousand thalers.
The Emperor Nicholas bought it, and as the proprietor he gained
the title of Honorary Citizen of Berlin. Apartments for the
Emperor and his family were reserved in it, and it was then
appropriated by the Russian Legation, which is still there.
_Berlin, June 29, 1843._--Yesterday M. de Valençay and myself
travelled to Potsdam by the railway, and the King's carriage took us
to Sans Souci. The King came in for dinner after a Council which had
lasted five hours and was concerned with the increasing difficulties
in the states of the Rhine provinces. Apparently the King could not
agree with his Ministers upon the policy to be adopted; in any case he
must have been greatly pre-occupied, for he was by no means in his
natural humour. Besides M. de Valençay and myself the guests included
the Ministers, the officers on duty, an old gentleman, one Pourtalès
of Neuchâtel, Humboldt and Rönne, but the dinner was very slow. The
King has grown stout, which was not necessary in his case; he is also
changed by age and his colour is too high; I did not think he was
looking by any means so well as I could wish. After dinner all the
guests returned to Berlin except my son, Humboldt and myself. We were
asked to stay for a drive. I was given a room which the King has just
fitted up and which looks as though it belonged to a novel of the date
of Frederick II. The strange feature of the room is that in 1807 when
the King was a child at Memel he dreamt one night of a room in this
style, and as he remembered his dream he has realised it. The wood is
painted in very light green: all the mouldings, which are in the style
of Louis XV., are gilded, as also are the frames of the mirrors and
pictures; the bureau and the curtains are red; the table and wardrobe
are of rosewood, inlaid and decorated with beautiful Saxony porcelain,
as also is the mantelpiece of black marble. At seven o'clock I went
out with the Queen in her carriage, while the King entered the phaeton
with his favourite Minister, Count Stolberg, who is a very pleasant
man; my son was in the third carriage with Humboldt. The King led the
way and we followed him over very beautiful roads carried through a
forest which he has added to the great park of Potsdam; he was then
kind enough to drive us back to the railway, and the last train
brought us to Berlin where I was anxious to appear at the house of
Frau von Savigny, who had arranged a musical evening for us. This was
a very pleasant entertainment; her nieces, her son and two other
gentlemen sang delightfully, and a certain Passini played the violin
infinitely better than I have ever heard any violinist play. I thought
him far superior to Paganini and Bériot.
_Berlin, July 1, 1843._--This new month really should bring us summer,
but it does not look like doing so. The weather is cold, damp and
abominable. However, I went yesterday with the Radziwills, my son and
Herr von Olfers to see the frescoes which are being executed in the
museum under the direction of Cornelius. They are very beautiful
compositions in point both of design and idea. I also went to the
Kunstverein to see the portrait of Tieck by Styler, who is at present
the most famous portrait painter in Germany and I think deserves his
reputation.
_Berlin, July 3, 1843._--Yesterday we went to Potsdam to a military
fête to which the Emperor of Russia had sent a deputation; in
consequence all the Russians in residence here were invited. The whole
of the royal family and several of the chief noblemen of the country
were there; Princess Adalbert, who has returned from Silesia, was also
there. She has grown much older, is greatly changed, and in my opinion
is extremely ugly; she seemed to be in no way conscious of the fact.
Dinner was given in a large gallery, after which we went to see the
troops dining in the open air. They were continuously exposed to a
fine and very unpleasant rain which entirely spoilt the sight. After
dinner came the theatre, then supper and then the railway.
_Königsbruck, July 6, 1843._--I arrived here yesterday at the house of
my nieces. The castle is almost full, but only relations are there:
the Count and Countess of Hohenthal, Madame de Lazareff, and her three
children, Fanny Biron, her two young brothers, Pierre and Calixte, the
two daughters and the little boy of poor Count Maltzan, who are
cousins-german of my nieces, and then a number of governesses, &c.
Every one seemed very happy and welcomed me warmly.
_Carlsbad_, July 11, 1843.--On the 7th we had a terrible storm at
Königsbruck with hail, a waterspout and a flood. A child in the
village was drowned, and everybody was terror-stricken. My poor nephew
Hohenthal lost his hay and his harvest. I started on the 8th in good
time to dine at Pillnitz, where their Majesties received me most
kindly. On the 9th I heard mass at Dresden in the early morning and
started after lunch for Teplitz. Yesterday I made a start in stormy
weather, the horses were frightened and inclined to shy; on one
occasion they started to one side of the road, and if they had not
stuck in some heavy earth we should have been upset. It was an
unpleasant experience, for the danger was real. However, as it is
over, one can but thank God for safety and think of it no more. I
found my sisters very kind and affectionate, but the second is much
changed, yellow and withered.
_Carlsbad, July 13, 1843._--Yesterday I had several callers: Prince
Paul Esterhazy came in first and we talked of many old memories. Then
the Ambassador Pahlen came; he knows as little of his future career as
Barante knows of his. Afterwards I and my son went to dinner with
Prince Paul Esterhazy: among the guests were Princesse Gabrielle
Auersberg, lady-in-waiting to the Emperor Alexander during the Vienna
Congress; Princess Veriand of Windisch-Graetz, a pretty woman of the
same period, and her daughter, the Ambassador Pahlen, Herr von
Liebermann and Count Woronzoff-Daschkoff. After dinner I made several
calls and went to tea with my sisters; several people came in,
including the Count of Brandenburg, son of the stout William and of
Countess Doenhoff. We had met long ago at Berlin and were glad to meet
again.
_Carlsbad, July 15, 1843._--I spend almost the whole of my days with
my sisters. Here people live in the street, wander about and spend
their money in the shops, in which they are constantly looking. I was
asked to tea yesterday with the Countess Strogonoff whom I had met at
London at dinner with Madame de Lieven. I stayed for half an hour,
but it was a meeting of St. Petersburg society, and I was quite lost.
I saw Marshal Paskewitch who is known, I think, as the Prince of
Warsaw; his manner is by no means pleasant, and certainly not
distinguished.
_Breslau, July 24, 1843._--I am making only a flying visit here as I
wish to dine with my nephew Biron at Polnisch-Wartenberg, and I have
no time to lose. I saw nothing striking on the road from Dresden here,
and Breslau is an old town which is rather stolid than interesting.
_Polnisch-Wartenberg, July 26, 1843._--I found a regular family
meeting here the day before yesterday and a pressing invitation to
dine the next day with the Radziwills. I therefore accompanied my
nephew yesterday morning to Antonin, a shooting-box of the Radziwills
in the grand duchy of Posen. The weather was abominable and the Polish
roads extremely bad. Six horses harnessed to a light carriage dragged
us through dark forests, over deep sand through which we jolted over
the roots of trees. The grand duchy of Posen which begins two leagues
from here, has a generally depressing appearance; the population, the
houses and the cultivation are all in a poor state. I was received
very kindly by the good Radziwills, who are living in a curious castle
which is rather original than comfortable. Near this castle their
parents are buried; I was taken to the family vault to pray over the
tomb of their late mother, Princess Louise of Prussia, who was my
godmother, and what is more, was a really motherly friend to me.
_Polnisch-Wartenberg, July 27, 1843._--My nephew took me for a drive
yesterday morning to see part of his estate. We spent the rest of the
time examining old family papers and memorials of our grandparents
which are collected here. Prince Radziwill dined here in the course of
a round of inspection which he was making.
_Günthersdorf, July 29, 1843._--I have come here from
Polnisch-Wartenberg. I stayed at Breslau for a few hours to visit the
churches, the old town hall, and some shops which are better stocked
and in better taste than those of Berlin. I also wished to pay my
respects to the Prince Bishop[104] and ask his blessing. He received
me with affecting sympathy. My nephew who had accompanied me
everywhere, left me in the cathedral and went to ask the Bishop if he
could receive me; he immediately came to fetch me, notwithstanding his
eighty-two years, and took me to his palace which he showed me. It is
a fine residence, and I was obliged to accept an invitation to a meal.
The traditions and character of Breslau pleased me greatly.
[104] The Prince Bishop of Breslau was then the Viscount Melchior
von Diepenbrock, a cardinal (1798-1853).
_Günthersdorf, July 31, 1843._--I do not know Princess Belgiojoso well
enough to say whether I should be flattered or not by the comparison
which M. Cousin has given you of her mind and mine;[105] but I am
quite certain that M. Cousin cannot possibly judge my character,
seeing that I have never spoken with him nor in his presence. His
statements therefore are based upon hearsay and are, in consequence,
unreliable. In any case my learning which is confined to the
seventeenth century will humbly strike its flag before a mother of the
church. I do not write books, I am ignorant and grow more ignorant
every day, as I am entirely occupied with personal interests, and if I
were obliged to make researches into any subject, it would be into the
law concerning fiefs.[106] This reminds me that I was startled this
morning by the trumpet blast of a postillion which seemed to me to
announce some courier sent to Germany for a definite answer. However,
it was Herr von Wolff who had come with a new proposal concerning the
Sagan affair. In a fortnight the business will either be ended
satisfactorily or broken off altogether; so another fortnight of
uncertainty must follow many months of suspense. The late M. de
Talleyrand, who was always right, said that a long distance separated
the agreement and the conclusion of any piece of business.
[105] Extract from a letter.
[106] An allusion to the business connected with the Fief of
Sagan, concerning which negotiations were then in progress.
_Günthersdorf, August 3, 1843._--I am sorry to hear of the death of
General Alava, though he was not a character who held any high place
in my esteem. With him more recollections of the past have
disappeared; and at Rochecotte I had also looked after him and had
grown accustomed to the sound of his stick upon my inlaid floors.
Death is a very serious matter and when it begins to thin the ranks of
one's intimate friends, as has been the case with me for several
years, it is impossible to avoid serious reflections upon death. It
comes nearer and nearer to my heart and sometimes it seems to me that
I have no time to lose before I make all my preparations for the great
and final journey.
_Günthersdorf, August 10, 1843._--I spent nearly the whole of
yesterday at Wartenberg: I propose to found a little hospital there
and am greatly occupied by the preparations and arrangements for it, a
task entirely after my own heart. I spent the beautiful evening
sitting on my balcony, surrounded by flowers, reading and thinking;
but if thoughts are to be pleasant the heart must be free from all sad
and painful cares, otherwise meditation turns inevitably to
bitterness.
_Günthersdorf, August 16, 1843._--My sisters arrived yesterday morning
and my son Louis yesterday evening; my nieces and their children have
been here for some days with Count Schulenburg, so that my little
house is almost full.
_Günthersdorf, August 21, 1843._--Yesterday I went to mass at
Wartenberg. When I came back I found Herr von Wolff who told us the
terrible news of the fire in the Opera House at Berlin and the panic
and danger which menaced the charming palace of the dear Princess of
Prussia.[107] She was then indisposed and the fright seems to have
made her quite ill. The young Archduke of Austria who was then in
Berlin, seems to have behaved marvellously well.[108] Yesterday
evening at tea time the Countess de le Roche-Aymon called here on her
way to her niece, Madame de Bruges, who lives in Upper Silesia. She
has decided to spend a few days with us: German by extraction, she
has lived in France for a long time and is now returning to settle in
her native land; she is cheerful and lively in spite of her
seventy-three years. She told us that the will of Prince Augustus of
Prussia, who has just died, was scandalous to the last degree,[109]
and gave a full account of his mistresses and bastard children. The
latter amount to a hundred and twenty, but have not all survived their
father.
[107] The two buildings were opposite one another, and the wind
drove the flames towards the palace of the Prince and Princess of
Prussia.
[108] A reference to the Archduke Stephan, son of the Archduke
Joseph, Count Palatine of Hungary, who was then staying at Berlin
on his way to Hanover.
[109] Prince Augustus of Prussia, the younger brother of Prince
Louis Ferdinand, who was killed in 1806 at Saalfeld, and the son
of Prince Ferdinand, the last brother of Frederick the Great, was
never married. He possessed a considerable fortune which he had
increased by unscrupulous methods at the expense of his
relations, and made a will by which the property of which he
could not dispose reverted to the crown of Prussia, while the
rest was bequeathed to his numerous natural children; so that he
thus deprived his sister, Princess Radziwill, of the inheritance
which should have gone to her. This scandal led to a famous law
suit, which was lost by the Radziwills and attracted much public
attention in Berlin.
_Hohlstein, September 6, 1843._--I arrived at Hohlstein the day before
yesterday. Unfortunately the weather remains unpleasant and trying.
Apart from my sisters there is no one here now except Fanny and myself
and life is very quiet, which suits me entirely.
Yesterday my sisters took me to Neuland, three leagues from here. This
is a large estate with a small castle which the ex-King of the Low
Countries bought eighteen months ago from the Count of Nostitz. It is
said that he proposes to settle it upon his wife. Some building is
going on and the garden is being laid out, but on a restricted scale
and in poor taste. The site is very ordinary; the fields alone are
beautiful, but a man of taste might do a great deal. The appearance of
the whole did not please me.
_Berlin, October 11, 1843._--I can understand that the town of Berlin
would not suit everybody's taste: though handsome it is too monotonous
and too modern. Prague is much more imposing and Dresden more lively.
The real importance of Berlin is entirely political and military, and
it always gives one the impression of being at headquarters.
Herr von Humboldt is extremely kind, but a little spice of malice is
invariably perceptible in his acts of politeness, and it is well to be
on one's guard. He amuses the King with numberless stories in which
charitable feeling is not the most striking motive.
A rumour is widely circulated that the bullet shot fired at the
carriage of the Emperor Nicholas at Posen is a little Russian comedy
arranged to provide an excuse for further severity in Poland and to
justify German severity towards the grand duchy of Posen.[110]
[110] The Russian Emperor, after a stay at Potsdam, barely
escaped assassination as he was returning to his kingdom. As he
passed through Posen on September 19 the people were mourning the
death of General von Grolman, who had died of heart disease on
September 15. A great favourite with every class of the
population, the General had been buried on that same day,
September 18, amid a great crowd of people. Advantage of the
crowd was taken a short time afterwards to fire upon the carriage
of the _aides-de-camp_, which was mistaken for the carriage of
the Czar. Several bullets were found in the carriage and in the
cloaks of the officers, but the event was never cleared up.
_Berlin, October 16, 1843._--Yesterday I received at last the ratified
agreement with my nephew the Prince of Hohenzollern, concerning the
tenure of Sagan, duly signed, initialled and attested. The kindness of
Herr von Wolff, to which this result is largely due, makes this final
solution of the question doubly valuable in my eyes.
The official date for taking possession is April 1, though I am
allowed to supervise the workmen from this moment. We have now to
regularise the deed by a family agreement securing the concurrence of
the agnate relations; then to abandon the allodial rights to the fief
to satisfy the Crown and to reconstitute as one whole that which is
now divided into several parts. When this has been done, the king must
re-invest me and receive my oath of vassalage.
Here we have with us the agreeable Balzac who has just returned from
Russia: he gives as unpleasant accounts of the country as M. de
Custine, but he will not write a special book of his travels; he is
merely writing some _Scenes from Military Life_, several of which will
deal, I think, with Russia. He is a heavy and vulgar character: I had
already seen him in France, but he left me with a disagreeable
impression which has now been strengthened.
The day before yesterday we went to dinner, saw the play and had
supper at the new palace. The play was Shakspere's _Midsummer Night's
Dream_, translated by Schlegel. The staging was very fine. At supper I
sat by the side of the Archduke Albert, who is a natural and
well-educated character. He is to marry Princess Hildegarde of Bavaria
who is said to be very pretty.
I am to go and dine at Babelsberg with the Princess of Prussia. She is
to be so kind as to take me in the evening to Sans Souci, where the
King told me to come and hear Madame Viardot Garcia quite privately.
_Berlin, October 18, 1843._--The little concert at Sans Souci was very
agreeable. Madame Viardot sang very well and was very attractive in
spite of her plainness. She has just started for St. Petersburg.
I informed the King that the treaty between my nephew and myself had
been concluded. He was extremely gracious upon this occasion and seems
to me to have abandoned all his prejudices in favour of the elder
branch of my family.[111] I was really touched by his kindness.
Yesterday I had a long conference with the Prince of Wittgenstein who
has to deal with all questions touching the crown fiefs, as chief
minister of the King's household.
[111] The Hohenzollern-Hechingen.
_Sagan, October 28, 1843._--The Duchesse Mathieu de Montmorency writes
complaining of obstinate bronchitis; I should be sorry if she were to
die, for I should lose in her a Christian friend; she and Mgr. de
Quélen taught me what a friendship could be that was always equable
and kind, in which self-love played no part, for they are friends not
merely for time but for eternity. To-day I have also a letter from M.
Royer-Collard. His handwriting is greatly altered: I feel that my
happiness is threatened in the person of my best friends, and since M.
de Talleyrand's death I have been terribly tried in this respect.
Sagan, which I am examining in detail, is a town of seven thousand
people with six churches, five of which are Catholic and all of which
are interesting: there are also several charitable foundations in the
town founded by the Dukes at different times; some are six hundred
years old and were founded by the Dukes of the house of Piast.[112]
It is touching to see these works still standing when all purely
secular monuments so rapidly decay. I have been received here with
marks of great attention. For four years everything has been left in a
state of utter abandonment and even longer than that, for my sister
had moved to Italy and took no interest in her estates.
[112] The Polish dynasty founded by Piast, which proceeded from
842-1370. A branch of the Piast family retained the Duchy of
Silesia until 1675.
_Vienna, November 14, 1843._--I have been here for some days. The day
before yesterday I had the honour of paying my respects to the
Archduchess Sophie, whom I had known before her marriage: she received
me most kindly, nor could any one be more gracious, more amiable, more
animated or easy in every way. She asked me many questions about our
Royal Family and spoke of them in very suitable terms and with tact
and kindness. I was delighted with the interview.
_Vienna, November 24, 1843._--Life here is very much more peaceful
than at Berlin. The Court does not appear and all the fashionable
people are still shooting in the country. Parties will not begin
before New Year's Day. I have been four times to the theatre which is
over by half-past nine, and three times to the house of Prince
Metternich; his parties go on till nearly midnight but there are only
five or six regular visitors. I have also visited Louise Schönburg;
several people regularly stand round her long chair from nine o'clock
to eleven. Medem, M. de Flahaut, Paul and Maurice Esterhazy and
Marshal Marmont often call upon me at the end of the morning.