During the eighteen years covered by this volume the Whigs were, for the greater part of the time, in office. Amidst the Russells, the Greys, the Spencers and the other powerful Whig families Palmerston was an interloper. Nor was he ever a Whig. In external affairs he remained always a _Canningite_. Some of the worst miscalculations of Louis Philippe and his ministers were due to their inability to grasp the fact that the foreign policy of the Whigs was in the hands of the most "un-Whiggish" of statesmen. The period was one of political unrest, the precursor of great wars and revolutions. France was disenchanted and profoundly dissatisfied with her "Citizen King." In Germany and Italy Metternich still maintained his system, but there were symptoms that the end of his long rule was fast approaching. In Spain the transition from autocracy to constitutionalism coincided with a fiercely disputed succession to the throne. Turkey, in the words of Nicholas, was "the sick man of Europe." J. H. _Sept., 1912._ CONTENTS CHAPTER I LOUIS PHILIPPE PAGES The Revolution of July, 1880--Louis Philippe--Louis Philippe and the military democratic party--First communications with the Sovereigns 1-13 CHAPTER II THE POWERS AND THE CITIZEN KING Effect of the Revolution of July in England--Character and system of Metternich--The _chiffon de Carlsbad_--Metternich's policy towards the Germanic Confederation and Prussia--Hostility of Tsar Nicholas to the new _régime_ in France--Revolution at Brussels--Talleyrand in London--France proclaims the principle of non-intervention--The Duchesse de Dino and the Comte de Montrond--Great Britain proposes that the Belgian question be submitted to a conference--Molé and Talleyrand--Change of government in France and England 14-39 CHAPTER III THE CREATION OF BELGIUM