The Press.
London, England, 1856-03-15 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

lent understanding with France, he did not
think it wise to secure that understanding by
the sacrifice of all our other continental
alliances :

Widmer, Nov. 14 [1832]7

It is quite true that France and England united are too
strong for the rest of the world : but what are the objects
of this union? Are they French objects exclusively? Or
English objects? Or European objects ? The answer is
bvious: " French objects exclusively." Look abroad at
this moment; Holland, Portugal, Spain, Italy, the Medi-
terranean,—all tending to the establishment, not of French
influence, but of French rule and supremacy. But it is
said, we may atop. When, where, and in what manner?
We may stop, but it must be at the rink of war, and at an
expense equal to that of the last war, and without a chance
of ultimate success. We have no objects in Europe ex-
cepting the independence and tranquillity of all, and par-
ticularly the independence of France. The object of
France is dominion, dominion to be acquired anyhow, but
particularly by domestic disturbance. how can two such
powers, with such different objects, continue in alliance?
A step cannot be taken which is not inconsistent with our
interests and anti-Anglican. The Peace, then, which this
alliance gives us is hollow, and must terminate suddenly
by a state of hostility, the most extensive, the most expen-
sive, and disastrous—because the least expected and
prepared for—that the annals of this country have known.
The editor has published many things spoken
or written in confidence, and this letter among
them, which we think would have been better
withheld. But it is before the world. The
name of Wellington gives it importance, and,
without in the slightest degree depreciating
the worth or stability of the French alliance
(though a few years after this letter was
written there was danger of a complete rut:)•
ture with France), it is evident that the true
policy of this country is rather to cultivate a
good understanding with all the powers of the
world, and to unite them in defence of princi-
ples of international equity and independence,
than to trust to the alliance of one State
alone ; and to create a sentiment of mistrust
as to our good faith, and a feeling of animosity
by reason of our vexatious interference with
the internal government of other countries.
The anecdotes told in these volumes are
amusing, and have the merit of coming to us
at first-hand. Is the following another ver-
sion of Talleyrand's celebrated " Deja," or a
distinct story
Talleyrand's bons-mots always fly about. His friend
Montrond has been subject of late to epileptic fits, one of
which attacked him lately after dinner at Talleyrand's.
While he lay on the floor in convulsions, scratching the
carpet with his hands, his benign host remarked with a
sneer, " C'est qu'il me parait, qu'il vent absoltr.nent
descendre."

The history of the once celebrated Watson
Taylor is neatly condensed into a para-
graph :

The ruin of Mr. Watson Taylor declared, and execu-
tions put into his houses in town and country. At
his outset in life he was a regular independent man, with
about 1,5001. a year, and happy. At forty-five years of age
he inherits above 60,0001. a year, through the death of his
wife's brother, Sir Simon Taylor; and in twelve years he is
completely ruined. The state of \Vest Indian property
may have contributed to this catastrophe, but his wasteful
expenditure was beyond all conceptiou,—plate, pictures,
houses, furniture, and curiosities cf all sorts, and at double
the price that others would give, without any order or con-
sideration, and merely to engross public notice. Sir Robert
Peel said the other day, at dinner, "So man ever bought
ridicule at so high a price.

The next concerns George IV., and the narra-
tor of the story is the Duke of Wellington:—

Three or four of us were sitting round the fire, before
we went up to dress for dinner; amongst whom was the
Duke, who amused us much with several anecdotes of the
late King. He was in a very gay, communicative humour,
and having seen so much of George IV., one story brought
on another. He said that, among other peculiarities of
the King, he had a most extraordinary talent fur imitating
the manner, gestures, and even voice of other people. So
much so, that he could give you the exact idea of any one,
however unlike they were to himself. On his journey to
Hanover, said the Duke, he stopped at Brussels, and was
received there with great attention, by the King and Queen
of the Netherlands. A dinner was proposed for the follow-
ing day at the palace of Laacken, to which he went ; and
a large party was invited to meet him. His Majesty was
placed at table between the King and Queen. "I. sail
the Duke, " sat a little way from them, and next to Prince
Frederick of Orange. The dinner passed off very well ;
but, to the great astonishment of the company, both the
King and Queen, without any apparent cause, were at every
moment breaking out in violent convulsions of laughter.
There appeared to be no particular juke, but every remark
our King made to his neighbours threw them into fits.
Prince Frederick questioned me as to what could be going
on. I shrewdly suspected what it might be, but said
nothing: it turned out, however, to be as 1 thought. The
King had lung and intimately known the old Stadtbolder
when in England, whose peculiarities and manner were at
that time a standing joke at Carlton-house ; and of course
the object of the Prince's mimicry, who could make himself
almost his counterpart. At this dinner, then, he chose to

give a specimen of his talent,
he so completely took_'off the
and Queen were thrown off the.
maintain their composure during
"He was indeed," said the DT '
nary compound of talent, wit,
good feeling—in short a med;
qualities, with a great preponderance
saw in any character in my life."

Tho following story of
by Lord Alvanley. The
so that the incident mu:
occurred during the sess

A little more than a twelvemom
Peers, the Marquis of Londonderry
attack on the foreign policy of
tration, made some very persol
character of Prince Talleyrand,
foreign Court, he might have omit
opinion on this subject in the
Wellington rose immediately to
finishing his speech with many
the Prince on his great talents
which he had performed on man:
Europe. Alvanley went to visit
ing day, and found him perusin;
ceding night, and though much I-
L., still more affected by the ft
Duke. He expressed his gratitt
while the tears ran down his
" J'en suis d'autant plus reconi
c'est le soul homme d'etat daps
dit du Bien de moi." The confession

Mr. Raikes shows a ke,
different characters of
Charles X. The form
stood the art of govei
position. It is said
calembourg in his mouth
My friend, General Clari,
preceding his dissolution, the
Tuileries came to him as usual
the parole and countersign to
is customary on these occasiol
saint for the one, and of a
Louis, with a significant look,
(J'y vais).
Several stories are rec
King." The following, con,
Napier, is one of the most

Mrs. D —showed me a letter
went yesterday with their Majesties
the] exhibition at Somerset•house. "
President of the Royal Society,
pointed out to the King that of
been commanding the fleet for
did not hesitate to show his poli,
by exclaiming immediately, ' Captain
sir, and you may be d—d, sir, and if
here, sir, I would kick you downstairs,

Existing events show
made by the Russian Mi
1833 :

He said, " With regard to
any power to dictate to us ; it
there close at hand, and can
before any other interference can
It is strange that shrew,
sian diplomatists should
taken the temper of the
error subsisted up to
Nicholas. It is now
Even Lord Aberdeen, 01
Czar, saw at last how vl
make the country a
nivance.

A characteristic trait
Wilson Croker :

Lord Lowther goes away on
is commissioned to find out '
dts 31emes Plaisirs at Versailles
in some book that Miiabeau ads'
in IM9, and as the critic doubts
holding such a number, he
contradict it from authority, w'
him.

Numerous passages tel
but we must conclude
amusing anecdotical rei
sketch of Brighton some
In those days, the Prince
races the gayest scene of th,
Pavilion was full of guests ; the
all the rank and fashion from London daring that week;
the best horses were brought from Newmarket and the
North, to run at these races, on which immense sums were
depending ; and the course was graced by the handsomest
equipages. The " legs " and betters who bad arrived in
shoals, used all to assemble on the Steyne at an early
hour, to commence their operations on the first day, And
the busz was tremendous, till Lord Foley and Mellish, the
two great confederates of that day, would approach the
ring, anti then a sudden silence ensued to await the open-
ing of their betting•books. They would come on, perhaps,
smiling, but mysterious, without making any demonstra-
tion ;at last Mr. Jerry• Clones would say, " Come! Mr;
Mellish, will you light the candle and set ns a going.
Then if the Master of Buckle would say, "I'll take

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r
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ospokee
' their guard, and could not
nery, obstinacy, and
luring the whole of the day.
n'.iet7ltiklbeyulte,'Of‘
Inderance of good—that I ever
ife."
of Talleyrand was told
ie date is January, 1833,
lust, we suppose, have
,ssion of 1832 :
vemonth ago, in the House of
inderry, in the heat of &violent
of the present Whig Adniinis.
ersonal allusions to the private
nd, which, as ambassador to a
omitted. There was only one
the house ; and the Duke of
f to protect his veteran friend,
I any handsome compliments to
ents and the eminent services
many occasions for the good of
visit the Prince on the follow.
?rusing the debates of the pre-
ach hurt at the attack of Lord
e friendly intervention of the
ratitude in the warmest terms,
his cheeks, and then added,
econnaisant i M. le Due, que
days le monde qui sit jamais
:oufession was rather ludicrous.
keen appreciation of the
of Louis XVIII. and
•mer thoroughly under-
vernment and his own
that he died with a
th
told me that on the Sunday
the officer on guard at the
ival in the evening to receive
i to be given to the troops. It
isiona to give the name of a
a fortified town for the other.
c, gave, " St. Denis and Gyvet"
*corded of the " Sailor
, concet ning Sir Charles
lost curious :
Ater from —, which says, "
lajesties to the private [view of
souse. We were received by the
ety, who among other portraits
: of Admiral Napier, who has
t for Don Pedro. His Majesty
political bias on this occasion
Captain Napier may be d—d,
r, and if the Queen was nut
lownstairs, sir.' "
✓ the vanity of the boast
dinister to the author in
to the East, we will not allow
it is our natural field. We are
:an always take our measures
can clash with our views."
.ewd men like the Rus-
uld so greatly have 'Ms-
Le English people. The
) the fatal plunge of
effectually dissipated.
the " old friend" of the
vain were his efforts to
a party to his con-
k is recorded of John
r on Saturday for London : lie
•ut the dimensions of the Salle
titles for Croker, who has read
addressed 6,000 people in it
übts the possibility of the room
e is very anxious to be able to
which I believe I can furnish
tempt us to quotation,
le our notice of these
reminiscences with a
me fifty years ago
:
made Brighton and Lewes
the year in England. The
the Steyne was crowded with
mLondon during that week ;
n from Newmarket and the
on which immense sums were
was graced by the handsomest
id betters who had arrived in
on the Steyne at an early
erations on the first day, And
ill Lord Foley and Mellish, the
bat day, would approach the
,nee ensued to await the open-
They would come on, perhaps,
thout making any demonstra•
meg would say, " ComeL]lr:
candle and set us a going•
tackle would say, " take