812 



TALLEYRAND. 



he resumed the portfolio of foreign affairs as presi- 

 dent of the council, but resigned before the end of 

 the year, from his disapprobation of the tendencies 

 of the government. From this period he ru.nained 

 near the person of the Sovereign in virtue of his 

 title as chamberlain, and ultimately became the 

 leader of the opposition in the chamber of peers. 

 The revolution of 1830 found him, though ad- 

 vanced to a venerable age, not too old for the ser- 

 vice of his country, and he proceeded to London 

 as ambassador, where he remained till 1835. After 

 this time the prince has rested under the shadow 

 of his diplomatic laurels, ample enough to include 

 within their branches the treaties of Amiens, of 

 Luneville. and of the quadruple alliance. 



The nature and the great gift of Talleyrand was 

 to perceive where power and influence were likely 

 to centre. Even in the turmoil of revolution he 

 was still the courtier, aiming at effecting nothing 

 himself, by either study, or eloquence, or labour, 

 but seeking to fasten on the greatest personal 

 character of the moment, in order through him to 

 wield influence. He first attached himself to 

 Mirabeau, whose executor he became. His secret j 

 mission to England, under Chauvelin, followed. 

 But the times became far too menacing and 

 troubled for such spirits as Talleyrand, pos- 

 sessed of more finesse than force, to live or prosper 

 in ; and he wisely turned his back upon Europe 

 until the combat of brute force should have ter- 

 minated, and the stage be left once more open to 

 those qualities and powers which he possessed. 

 He returned to France under the directory. The 

 utter instability of an executive without talent, 

 honesty, or honour, soon induced him to look out 

 for one of those master spirits under the shadow of 

 whose success he might hold more durable and 

 honourable influence. He chose Napoleon, and 

 contributed by his councils to the revolution of 

 the 18th Brumaire. From that period M. de Tal- 

 leyrand was foreign minister of France, during 

 seven or eight of the most important years that 

 ever occupied diplomacy. He was the obedient, 

 the approving minister of the emperor, until the 

 latter had reached the utmost height that arms and 

 policy could bestow. Talleyrand then would have 

 had him rest, telling the emperor that the ascent 

 was over, that he had reached the mountain top 

 of his fame and power, and that further progress 

 must be descent. The restless spirit of Napoleon 

 disliked and spurned the advice. Talleyrand was 

 overthrown, and the first difficulty which the em- 

 peror experienced immediately after from the 

 resistance of Spain was pronounced by his ex- 

 minister to be the commencement of the end. 



At a moment when the military fame of the 

 empire gave way, all eyes turned to M. de Talley- 

 rand in his retreat. His eminence proceeded from 

 his standing almost alone as a French statesman, 

 Bonaparte having extinguished the class and the 

 race. Could Napoleon, indeed, have trusted him, 

 regained his confidence, and so far yielded his im- 

 perial will as to enter into his views, France might 

 have concluded other treaties than those of 1814 

 and 1815. But Talleyrand soon flung himself into 

 the other scale, and was, more than any other 

 person, influential in bringing about the restoration. 

 Except, however, in the negociations which fol- 

 lowed immediately the triumph of the allied 

 powers, the prince was able to recover no perma- 

 nent poskion or authority. 



From time to time, indeed, he made his influ- 



ence felt, and showed himself in that prominent 

 light which he was ambitious to appear in. But 

 every one perceived, and he perceived himself, 

 that he was unlit to be the minister of a constitu- 

 tional government, for which he wanted alike the 

 habits, the character, and the peculiar talents. 

 Considerable obloquy fell on the French govern- 

 ment after the three days of July for appointing 

 him ambassador to London. For, whatever might 

 be the purity of his conduct and intentions, prince 

 Talleyrand was considered as the representative of 

 that school of duplicity and selfishness which 

 admits all means to be allowable, provided they 

 obtain their object. 



It is remarked in the Constitutionnel that " M. 

 de Talleyrand was as eminent for .firmness of 

 character as for a comprehensive mind. His 

 powerful influence having been exercised in vary- 

 ing situations, and over destinies the most opposed 

 to each other, and he was naturally charged with 

 having been as changeable as the events of his 

 time. Nevertheless, in the apparently fluctuating 

 character of his existence, one prevailing sentiment 

 may be remarked an unalterable attachment to 

 the revolution of 1789, and a deep feeling of na- 

 tionality, for few men have felt so strong an 

 interest in their country's greatness. On the 

 important occasions on which he was employed, 

 his constant study was to derive some advantage 

 for France from the difficult situations which were 

 not his own work, and no man was more capable 

 of turning them to better account. His rare firm- 

 ness of character, and his imperturbable sany froid, 

 enabled him to assume over others at least some 

 portion of the empire which he exercised over 

 himself. It was impossible to exert more influence 

 over an assembly of diplomatists than that for 

 which Talleyrand was indebted to his superior 

 mind, his infinite resources, and the elegance of his 

 language. To give an idea of the effect produced 

 by his style, which after him will probably find no 

 efficient imitator, we may compare his conversation 

 to the prose of Voltaire. He frequently gave way 

 to a natural nonchalance, and on such occasions 

 spoke but little ; but when he at length shook off 

 this mental indolence, his conversation was en- 

 chanting. His habitual chit-chat tone was one of 

 graceful levity that skimmed lightly over the sur- 

 face of every subject, but which, when serious 

 business was the theme, gave way to an extraor- 

 dinary depth and force of reasoning. It has been 

 often imagined that he lived, as it were, only 

 intellectually, and that his heart found no room for 

 the feelings of affection ; hut those who were 

 admitted to his intimacy know that his kindness 

 was unequalled, and that its expression not unfre- 

 quently penetrated even through the immovable 

 features which disconcerted so many able negocia- 

 tors." 



Talleyrand died after a few days' illness, at 

 Paris, on the 17th May, 1838, and received a pub- 

 lic funeral. During his illness, he was visited by 

 the king of the French, and other distinguished 

 personages. His brother, the duke Archam- 

 bault de Talleyrand Perigord, and the father of 

 the duke de Dino, died on the 28th of April, in 

 the year 1838, at St Germaine, aged seventy-six. 



By the will of Talleyrand, he prohibits his 

 heirs from publishing his Memoirs before the 

 lapse of thirty years, and declares that he dies 

 in the Roman Catholic faith. Prince Talley- 

 rand was invested with most of the principal 



