The Idler in FranceBlessington, Marguerite, Countess of
History
The Idler in France
Blessington, Marguerite, Countess of
France -- Description and travel; France -- Social life and customs
The Duchesse de Guiche gave a new proof of her courage and presence of
mind yesterday. Early in the morning, having heard a noise in the
courtyard of her dwelling, she beheld from the window of her chamber an
officer gesticulating with violence, and menacing the grooms of the
Dauphin. The upper servant entered at the moment, and announced that
the officer insisted on seizing six of the finest horses in the stable,
by order of General Lafayette.
The Duchesse descended to the courtyard, informed the officer that the
whole establishment was under the protection of General Gérard, without
whose orders no horse should leave the stables. He attempted to enforce
his pretensions; but the Duchesse desired the head groom to call out
his assistants, about thirty in number, who, armed with pitchforks and
other implements of their calling, soon came forth; and the Duchesse
assured the intruder that, unless he immediately retired, he should be
forcibly expelled.
Seeing the courage and determination of this high-spirited and
beautiful woman, the officer withdrew, and the horses were saved. It
has since been ascertained, as the Duchesse anticipated, that General
Lafayette had never given any orders to the officer who had used his
name.
_7th_.--The Duke of Orleans has at length accepted the crown; and
various are the conjectures and reports to which his doing so has given
rise. Many of them, as may be easily imagined, are not creditable to
him; but on this occasion, as on most others, the least charitable
motives are generally assigned to those whose conduct is judged by the
mass often wholly ignorant of the reasons on which it is based. The
vast wealth of the Duke of Orleans has a powerful influence; and those
who a few days ago exclaimed against royalty, and vaunted the superior
advantages of a government without a king, are now reconciled to having
one whose immense private fortune will exempt the nation from the
necessity of furnishing funds for a civil list. Should the new
sovereign hereafter demand one, his popularity will be endangered; and
the King of the French, as he is styled, will be likely to find as
little favour in the eyes of his subjects as the King of France
experienced.
Popularity, always, and in all countries, an unstable possession, is in
France infinitely more so; and Louis-Philippe must have more luck, as
well as more wisdom, than falls to the lot of mankind, to retain this
fleeting good when the novelty of his reign has worn away. That he is a
man of great ability no one seems to entertain a doubt; but his wisdom
would, in my opinion at least, have been more surely manifested had he
declined instead of accepting the crown.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account