Memoirs of the Duchesse de Dino (Afterwards Duchesse de Talleyrand et de Sagan), 1836-1840
refused any form of conversation upon the subject of religion? Only
upon one occasion at Rochecotte did you give me any outline of your
ideas upon this subject; at that time you were more advanced than
myself in respect of certain beliefs. My experiences since that date
have brought me more rapidly along the road, but my starting-point has
been my recollection of that conversation, in which I saw that you
admitted certain fundamental principles of which I was not sure. In
any case, my speculations have not advanced beyond that point, and
only in points of practice do I attempt to guide my movements by this
compass; I have never busied myself with dogmas or mysteries, and if I
prefer the Roman Catholic religion I do so because I think it most
useful to society in general and to States; individual religion is a
different matter, and I think any religion based upon the Gospel is
equally good and divine. Since I have seen all supports falling away
around me, I have felt my own weakness and the necessity of some
support and guide; I have sought and found; I have knocked and it has
been opened to me; I have asked and it has been given to me; and yet
all very incompletely hitherto, for when one thus walks alone and ill
prepared it is impossible to avoid wrong paths, or to avoid slipping
in the ruts with continual stumbles. Nor would it have been wise to
arouse myself to excessive zeal and fervour, which would have prepared
a reaction, perhaps fatal; I therefore advance step by step, and when
I consider my progress am humiliated to see how little I have risen; a
little more kindness, patience, and self-command is all that I have
acquired. I have the same delight in the things that please me, the
same repugnance for those that weary me, my dislikes are not extinct
and enmity remains keen, my mental anxiety is often wearing, my
energies are inconsistent, my speech often too hasty and its
expression inconsiderate. I have, too, a thousand modes of
self-flattery; I am wounded by blame, and too pleased by approbation,
which I sometimes seek and would be ready to arouse at necessity; in
fact, there is no task so long and difficult and none that demands
more exertion and perseverance than to satisfy one's conscience.
[26] Extract from a letter.
Apart from the practical methods which I have felt must be followed as
a thread to guide me through the labyrinth, I have also been helped by
a great sense of gratitude. One day in England I was suddenly struck
by the thought of the innumerable favours which had been granted to
me, though I had made so ill a use of my powers and my advantages. I
admire the patience of God and the long-suffering of Providence
towards me; to have found what I have found seems to me so real a
blessing and so ill-deserved that it has filled me with gratitude.
This sense has continually increased, and partially supports me in
accomplishing the sacrifices which I am making. The deep instruction
to be daily derived from the old age of M. de Talleyrand; the death of
Marie Suchet;[27] her mother's grief; the successive deaths of so many
of my acquaintances of different ages, sexes, and positions; of the
granddaughter whose eyes I have closed,[28] and who brought death so
near to me; the close reading of good books; the lofty conversation
of M. de Royer-Collard, who is ready to throw aside philosophic doubts
and is slowly succeeding--all these influences have made me consider a
thousand matters hitherto unnoticed, and have directed me towards a
lofty and a certain goal. Such is the story of this side of my life.
My attitude, however, is not that of outward profession, and I can say
that I am more advanced in reality than in form; in the latter
respect, I doubt if I shall ever change.
[27] Daughter of the Marshal of Albuféra.
[28] Yolande de Valençay.
What a long answer this is to one small page of your letter! If it
seems to you too long, say so, and we will reserve all these
revelations for evenings at Rochecotte.
The Duc d'Orléans gives a glowing account of a conversation with
Prince Metternich, by which he was delighted.
The Princesse de Lieven has just gone away, to the general relief. I
think that the Princess and her proud niece[29] came to feel that they
had been somewhat ridiculous here, as they went to some trouble on
their last day to utter innumerable thanks and excuses for the
inconvenience they had caused, &c.
[29] The Baroness of Mengden, niece of the Princesse de Lieven,
afterwards lived at Carlsruhe, where she was abbess of a noble
chapter. She was very tall, especially in the upper part of her
body, and any one seated by her side at dinner was obliged to
raise his head in order to see her face. As she was very
good-natured, she became to some extent her aunt's drudge; at
Valençay, when the Princesse de Lieven stayed there, she gave her
niece her jewel-box to keep when she was out driving, so that the
Baroness of Mengden could rarely take part in these excursions.
_Valençay, June 24, 1836._--How stupid ill-nature is! Madame de Lieven
has been unkind enough to write to Paris groaning and lamenting over
the profound boredom which she felt here, and her correspondents have
been laughing at us or using her words against us; the fact is widely
known and commented upon. Our friends told us of it with great
indignation. This small ingratitude on the part of Madame de Lieven,
which apparently arises on this occasion from want of social
experience, is real stupidity; in any case, I am not surprised; I
would have made a bet that it was so; her weariness was too profound
to be concealed, and I clearly saw that the need of revenge was felt
in her correspondence. I do not reproach her for being bored, for
saying so, or even for writing the fact, but for prolonging her stay
here under the pretext of illness. She was afraid of travelling alone,
afraid to be isolated at Baden, and dared not stay longer at Paris,
and so she stayed here, to die of inanition and to rouse our
ill-feeling. This did not prevent her from weeping like a penitent
when she went away; her tears were sincere, for she shed them, not for
us, but for herself, her wandering and lonely life. On that point I am
not deceived.
Yesterday I had a letter from M. de Valençay from Leoben. They were
very pleased with Vienna in every respect. However, the Prussian royal
family showed to better advantage than the Imperial royal family. The
Prussian princesses were thought more striking for their youth, their
beauty and good style, and notwithstanding the garland of lilies,
which seems to have been the result of a teasing or coquettish
conversation, our Prince Royal and Princess Albert began an obvious
flirtation. The Empress of Austria and the Duchess of Lucca, her
sister, are very beautiful, but in a cold, austere, and imposing
style. Our Princes distributed the same presents at Vienna as at
Berlin, but instead of the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour which
was given to Ancillon, Prince Metternich, who has long possessed all
the French orders, was given a magnificent service of Sèvres china.
_Valençay, June 25, 1836._--M. de Barante[30] writes from St.
Petersburg saying that there is great feeling against Madame de
Lieven, on account of her long stay in France. Some ill-temper has
also been aroused by the successful journey of our Princes, but
nothing of the kind has been shown to our ambassador, who is treated
personally with great politeness.
[30] French Ambassador at St. Petersburg.
It is said that Mrs. Norton was most angry, in the course of the
strange trial--of which _Galignani_ gives a far too detailed
account--because the servants who were called to give evidence said
that she rouged and dyed her eyebrows.
_Valençay, June 27, 1836._--Another attempt upon the King's life.[31]
What a dreadful mania it is, and will it be always futile? Such is the
sad question which one cannot help asking. We know nothing yet beyond
the news telegraphed to the centres of the neighbouring departments,
whence the prefects have sent messengers for our information.
[31] On the evening of June 25, 1836, a young man aged
twenty-six, named Louis Alibaud, shot at the king in the court of
the Tuileries when Louis-Philippe was reviewing the National
Guard and the drummers were beating a march.
_Valençay, June 28, 1836._--Our Princes have been told by letter not
to hasten their return on account of the attempt upon the King's life.
They should reach Turin to-day, and are expected at Paris on the 8th.
It seems that Lord Ponsonby[32] has gone mad. He insists upon the
dismissal of Reis Effendi[33] and the chief of the Guard. He has
written two notes to the Ottoman Porte in which he even threatens the
Ottoman Empire with disruption if satisfaction is refused. Admiral
Roussin himself writes that Lord Ponsonby is mad. All the Ministers,
including the Russian Minister, are working to prevent a rupture; the
Court of Vienna is explaining the matter to the English Government in
London, and it is hoped that Lord Ponsonby will be recalled.
[32] English Ambassador at Constantinople.
[33] Reis Effendi was the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Turkey.
_Valençay, June 29, 1836._--Yesterday I had a letter from our
travellers, dated from Roveredo, where they were detained by the
indisposition of the Duc de Nemours. It was a somewhat serious attack,
of which they made light in their letters to his parents, but which
greatly frightened the Duc d'Orléans. He was also greatly vexed by the
hurried departure of General Baudrand. It seems that this departure
was provoked not so much by the necessity of a rapid journey to the
waters as by some ill-temper at the fact that the Prince Royal did not
show sufficient confidence in him.
The Princes were about to make their way to Florence, as the Grand
Duke of Tuscany had been especially pertinacious in asking for a
visit, but the illness of the Duc de Nemours stopped their journey.
They have met the Archduchess Marie Louise,[34] cousin-german of our
Prince Royal. She asked M. de Valençay for news of us, as she is his
godmother. He thought she was not so aged as she has been described.
They have also seen the Princess of Salerno and the King of Naples.
The latter is described as having a fine head, but a coarse and clumsy
figure. He is in despair at the death of his wife, with whom he lived
on very bad terms until she was with child, in giving birth to whom
she died. He is said to be very whimsical.
[34] The widow of Napoleon I.
The Archbishop of Paris was at Neuilly at eleven o'clock on the day
when the King's life was attempted. It is unfortunate that he can
never appear before the King except immediately after an attempt at
assassination, and I therefore think that his visits are not very
popular, as they are made under conditions with which one would
readily dispense. He refused to admit the body of Sieyès to the
church, and it was taken straight to the cemetery.[35]
[35] Sieyès died at Paris, June 28, 1836.
My deepest grief concerning the attempted assassination of the 25th is
that I fear the pistol-shot has killed our Princess Royal. Many say
that Alibaud is another Louvel, an isolated fanatic, a natural product
of newspaper extravagances and bad teaching. The King wishes to pardon
the assassin, but it is thought that the Cabinet will not suffer him
to do so. General Fagel[36] has been at Neuilly, notwithstanding the
presence of the Belgian King and Queen; the King treated him very
kindly.
[36] General Fagel had been the ambassador of the King of the Low
Countries in France under the Restoration.
_Valençay, July 5, 1836._--My chambermaid's serious illness forces me