[153] Pierre Paul Royer-Collard (1763-1845), politician and philosopher, was President of the Commission of Public Instruction in 1816, resigned this office in 1820, when the Ultra-Royalist Party had won the day, opposed the reactionary measures in the Chamber of Deputies and, in 1828, became President of the Chamber. Royer-Collard held no office after 1830. He was elected a member of the French Academy in 1827.—T.
[154] The Princess Frederica, Queen of Hanover, has just succumbed after a long illness: death is always present in the "Note" at the end of my text!—Author's Note (Paris, July 1841).
[155] The other ministers were: the Duc de Bellune, War; M. de Clermont-Tonnerre, Navy; M. de Peyronnet, Justice; M. de Lauriston, the Royal Household.—B.
[BOOK IX][156]
The year 1822—My first dispatches from London—Conversation with George IV. on M. Decazes—The noble character of our diplomacy under the Legitimacy—A parliamentary sitting—English society—Continuation of the dispatches—Resumption of parliamentary labours—A ball for the Irish—Duel between the Duke of Bedford and the Duke of Buckingham—Dinner at Royal Lodge—The Marchioness Conyngham and her secret—Portraits of the ministers—Continuation of my dispatches—Parleys on the Congress of Verona—Letter to M. de Montmorency; his reply foreshadowing a refusal—A more favourable letter from M. de Villèle—I write to Madame de Duras—Death of Lord Londonderry—Another letter to M. de Montmorency—Trip to Hartwell—Note from M. de Villèle announcing my nomination to the Congress—The end of old England—Charlotte—Reflexions—I leave London—The years 1824, 1825, 1826 and 1827—Deliverance of the King of Spain—My dismissal—The Opposition follows me—Last diplomatic notes—Neuchâtel, in Switzerland—Death of Louis XVIII.—Coronation of Charles X.—Reception of the knights of the Orders.
It was in London, in 1822, that I wrote, without intermission, the longest part of these Memoirs, including my travels in America, my return to France, my marriage, my passing through Paris, my emigration to Germany with my brother, my residence and misfortunes in England between 1793 and 1800. There is found the description of old England, and, as I retraced all this at the time of my embassy (1822), the changes that had come over the manners and persons of the time between 1793 and the end of the century struck me: I was naturally led to compare what I saw in 1822 with what I had seen during the seven years of my exile across the Channel.
In this way were told, by anticipation, things which I should now have to place under the proper date of my diplomatic mission. I spoke to you of my emotion, of the feelings recalled to me by the sight of those spots dear to my memory; but perhaps you have not read that part of my book? You have done well. It is enough that I should now tell you of the place in which the gaps that will be found in the present story of my embassy in London are filled up. You see me, therefore, writing in 1839, among the dead of 1822 and the dead that went before in 1793.