Yesterday I had a letter from M. Bresson who says: "There is no positive news from Paris: M. de Flahaut has refused Turin and declines to commit himself concerning the offer of Madrid. He says that he maintains the fact that Vienna was offered to him, which M. Guizot will not admit. Whether it was offered or not, he is doing his utmost to secure it and Madame de Flahaut is watching from Ems for the arrival of Prince and Princess Metternich at the Johannisberg. I remain in an attitude of expectation and am resolved only to leave Berlin for Vienna or London.
"Herr von Werther has resigned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His place will be taken by Count Maltzan, but who will replace him at Vienna is not yet known. The King has given Werther the Order of the Black Eagle and has made the title of baron hereditary in his family; hitherto it had been only a personal title. Arnim of Paris has been made a count.
"The Toulouse disturbance is causing me more anxiety;[ [36] no other town in France has followed this bad example. The July festival has been celebrated in an orderly manner.
The whole of the loan will not be required; the financial deficiencies are being repaired and we shall find that France has recovered her strength and reorganised her military power. My ardent desire is that all this may make for peace."
Such is the prose, or if you prefer it, the poetry of M. Bresson.
Günthersdorf, August 7, 1841.—I have a letter from M. Molé who complains of his health and refers to the disturbance at Toulouse and the general condition of France with as much gloominess as M. Bresson showed satisfaction in the letter which I quoted yesterday.
The Duchesse de Montmorency writes saying that Mgr. Affre prohibited M. Genoude from preaching. The latter then went to learn the reason for this prohibition: the Bishop replied that it was due to his anti-governmental opinions; M. Genoude angrily replied that if the Bishop persisted in maintaining his prohibition, he would print the whole of Mgr. Affre's writings of a few years ago, in opposition to the July monarchy, the original signed documents being in his possession. The Archbishop thereupon relented and M. Genoude will preach. This is an attitude truly worthy of a bishop! The incident naturally induces me to draw comparisons with the past and strengthens my conviction that Mgr. de Quélen was the last real Archbishop of Paris. The present age seems unable to produce any great or noble lives. There is a dead level of hopeless mediocrity.
Günthersdorf, August 16, 1841.—As I write this date I cannot but remember with deep regret an anniversary which will always be dear and sacred to me; this is the day of Saint Hyacinthe, the patron saint of the late Mgr. de Quélan. I am certain that mass is being said for him at the Sacré Cœur. For many years a shrub was taken to him from me on this day. Two years ago, when he was still ill at Conflans, he called my servant into his room, who then brought him an orange tree and asked Madame de Gramont to write a note saying that of all the flowers he had received mine had given him the greatest pleasure. Now I can do no more than pray to him in heaven. I often think that he is united with Him to whom he has so often prayed himself, and that both intercede before God on my behalf, to gain me the blessing of a good death, and especially a Christian life, for rarely does the one come to pass without the other; and if God sometimes shows His mercy at a late hour, we have no reason to be idle or to omit any effort to deserve it. These true and heartfelt words I often repeat to myself, but do not derive a full measure of comfort from them. The worldly spirit, the old enemy, is difficult to eradicate.
At Wartenberg I inspected the Protestant school. Last year I was present at the examination of the Catholic children, and I can say, without prejudice, that the latter school is infinitely superior to the former.
The post brought me a letter from the Court Marshal, giving me an official announcement from their Majesties of their proposal to pass here on the 31st of this month.