Memoirs of the Duchesse De Dino (Afterwards Duchesse de Talleyrand et de Sagan), 1841-1850

Transcriber's note: Obvious printer errors have been repaired, but spelling has not been standardized. Any missing page numbers are those that are not shown in the original text.
THE MARQUISE DE CASTELLANE
MEMOIRS OF THE DUCHESSE DE DINO ( Afterwards Duchesse de Talleyrand et de Sagan ) 1841-1850
Edited, with Notes and Biographical Index, by THE PRINCESSE RADZIWILL ( NÉE CASTELLANE )
WITH FRONTISPIECE
THIRD SERIES
NEW YORK: CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS LONDON: WILLIAM HEINEMANN 1910
Printed in England

MEMOIRS OF THE DUCHESSE DE DINO
Rochecotte, January 1, 1841. —Yesterday passed by uneventfully. In the morning I had mass said in my chapel for the late M. de Quélen, and shed heartfelt tears during the service. In the evening my son Alexander, my son-in-law and Pauline gave us some music. They sang vaudevilles and mimicked characters with a vivacity which delighted me, as I am always afraid that they may be bored here, though I admit that their frame of mind was in complete contrast to my own. On the stroke of midnight punch was served; some tears fell into my glass when I thought of those with whom I had so often spent this anniversary.
Rochecotte, January 2, 1841. —M. de Salvandy writes to me as follows concerning the reception of M. Molé at the Academy: M. Molé spoke to a magnificent audience. He was seated between M. de Royer Collard and M. de Chateaubriand; on this occasion the latter broke his usual custom of avoiding public appearances. It was a special honour, either to M. Molé or to the memory of the late archbishop. The highest society from the Faubourg Saint Germain were there, in fact all the special friends of M. Molé and everybody who can be called anybody nowadays. M. Molé was continually applauded, and his cleverness, his taste and courageous speaking well deserved this reward. He gave a fair and respectful account of this pure and noble character and spoke of M. de Quélen without concessions or reticence or consideration for his own position. His ambition seems to have burnt its boats, with such enthusiasm did he speak of old time manners and society and so warmly did he emphasise the ideas and principles of good order. He only touched upon present times to utter a eulogy upon the King, and you know that present times are not agreeable to him. I was especially struck by the vigorous approval of the audience; it was a public rehabilitation of the persecuted Prelate and the canonisation of his memory by a layman before a public which was not entirely sympathetic or legitimist; for there was a lively manifestation of approval at certain passages in Dupin's reply, opposing the Restoration and the Englishman. Dupin's answer was quite characteristic, and I need say no more of it. M. Guizot and M. Thiers seem to have foreseen the success of M. Molé, for they did not appear and their absence was widely commented upon. In short, this session has greatly raised M. Molé in the opinion and esteem of right-minded people, but it has been in particular a great day for the memory of the Archbishop, for his family and his friends, and for those who felt his blessing as he was at the point of death. For this reason I hasten, Madame, to give you an account of it, as by this means I can realise its meaning more exactly and more deeply than if I had merely listened.