The Sun.
London, England, 1836-09-29 00:00:00

PRINCE METTERNICH.

(From a Correspondent of the Morning Post.)
JOHANNISBERG, SEPT., 1836.
We stop near this magnificent residence of Prince Met-
ternich, one of the many rewards of the signal services of
this great statesman, to endeavour to finish the sketch we
gave you of his earlier life. Unfortunately, in countries
where a constitutional regime and a free press do not exist
the most important actions of statesmen are not only
passed over in silence at the time, but will probably be
buried for ever in oblivion. Hence the little that is known
of the intellectual powers of Metternich. We have, how-
ever, purloined facts wherever we could, and, where these
fail, we have the consolation of remembering that the his-
tory of statesmen of such paramount power is found in
that of their country, whose features are too great to have
escaped record.
From the moment M. de Metternich was expulsed in the
violent manner we have described from the Court of Na-
poleon he had to adapt himself to a new and higher posi-
tion. In Paris he was only a diplomate. The movements
of diplomacy are characterised by delicacy, and not by
power—they may be compared to those of a watch when
deprived of the dial and hands, so that its working is only
known to the adept. Diplomacy consists, like this me-
chanism, of wheels within wheels, of springs seconding
springs, and steadied by the nicest balance. M. de Met-
ternich was satisfied for a time to imitate the bright and
impassable diamond that serves as a centre to such me-
chanism. But all the machinery of diplomacy acts within
a confined sphere and, on leaving his embassy in Paris, M.
de Metternich, created a Minister of State, was at on ceraised
to that exalted situation wheret he boldest and most enlarged
views are required. How responsible daily became his
situation the events that followed his expulsion from the
French territory will prove. During this crisis the newly-
created Minister was attached to " Quarliers Generaux"
of the Emperor, whilst tho Minister of Foreign Affairs fol-
lowed the Archduke Charles. In the terrible war Napo-
leon then waged the latter displayed distinguished General-
ship—and staved off for a time the invasion and conquests
of the French—but, after the well disputed battle of
Esling, which had been lost by the French had it not been
for the prodigious exertions of Massena, surnamed the
lucky General, came the battle of Wagram, where the ge-
nius of Bonaparte triumphed with that all overwhelming
success so long attached to his arms. Austria was struck
to the earth by this blow, and loft at his mercy so com-
pletely that the Moniteur, the sententious record of the
thoughts of its master, went so far as to say " that the
House of Lorraine had ceased to reign." The Emperor of
Austria sued for peace in the most imploring terms, and
remembered but too late the arguments of Metternich
against the renewal of that ominous war. He was at once
called to head the department of Foreign Affairs, in the
place of Count Stadion, whose warlike opinion had so un-
happily prevailed.
By raising Metternich so that important office the Em-
peror had in view to exalt a person agreeable to Napoleon,
and,invested with such high power, he sent him to treat for
peace. United with Count Bubna, he went to deprecate
the anger of the conqueror. It was only by the extreme
liability and the most unremitting exertions of Metternich
that such conditions were obtained from Napoleon as pre-
vented Austria from being altogether annihilated by the
fierce soldier with whom she had so imprudently played fast
and loose. A peace was, however, effected ; but Metter-
nich, now made Chancellor of State, as well as supreme
manager of the foreign relations, found the country much
impoverished, devastated, shorn of immense provinces, sur-
rounded on all sides by interested rivals, to whose keeping
the Conqueror had delivered it up. Out of this web of
difficulties a genius like Metternich could alone extricate
the country. He ascertained by his emissaries that Napo-
leon was determined on divorcinc, from the childless Jo-
sephine, and he immediately exerted his powers of persua-
sion, on the one hand to prevent an union of the Corsican
with the daughter of some rival potentate of Austria, and
on the other to cement peace and obtain concessions of
territory from France by the propitiation of a daughter of
Francis. What followed is well known. One of the most
extraordinary occurrences in modern history ; for it is more
easy for a schoolboy to understand how Agamemnon sacri-
ficed his progeny at the altar of the sanguinary God, or the
stern Roman sheathed his sword in his daughter's breast,
than for a man of the world to comprehend how Metter-
nich succeeded in persuading Francis to offer his daughter
to an upstart Corsican usurper, sitting on the throne be-
clued by the !blood of that unfortunate Austrian Princess
Maria Antoinette. But Metternich knew how to persuade
Francis at all times that the interests of his Crown were
above the consideration of his ancestral rank and affections.
This was singularly exemplified when he abandoned the

rights of Maria Louisa and her progeny, in 1814.
The immense advantages to his master Metternich saw

from this marriage are-well known. How he united with
Bonaparte against Russia—how he became neutral when
the warring elements laid him open to disastrous defeats—
how he ultimately waged war against him—appeared with
the conquering armies twice in Paris, and there confirmed

his downfal : all these facts are no less familiarly known.
But it was at the great Congress for the partition of Eu-
rope that, by the immense accessions his triumphant
diplomacy obtained to his Sovereign's dominions, that Met-
ternich prepared for himself duties of so difficult and ex-
tensive a nature that he alone could be capable of dis-
charging them. To judge of the capacity of that man's
mind one must cast a glance on the immense extent, the
varied and peculiar characters, of those many kingdoms he
governs. On reflecting, one must feel the utmost asto-
nishment from amidst so many revolutions of the human
mind of recent years—so violent a propagandism—lie has
been able to hold together in his grasp not only the great
hereditary dominions of Austria, but Lombardy and Ve-
igtnhaenttuprabturlieontst
snicpireitsinovfadthede States of of' Gil
no In' Giovanni Itthael iai
n; 'd'
of the Austrian share of Poland, &c. Besides, Metter-
nich is the great champion of the aristocratical principle ;
and, in order to cambat with advantage against the spirit of
unmitigated democracy, Metternich has been obliged to
unite with Russia (Austria's natural rival towards Turkey),
and at the same time to keep the colussus at bay in its
giant strides to encompas by its conquests the provinces of
the Danube. The result of Prince Metternich's supreme
and all pervading politic sway is, that the Government is at
peace in all those many antipathic provinces, or rather
kingdoms, forming the heterogeneous mass of its dominions.
The Emperor of Austria, the soi disant despot of demo-
cratic dreamers, walks about unattended in his capital,
whilst Louis Philippe, watched by an army, is menaced by
the dagger of the assassin at every step. It is not to be
denied that there are some victims required by nature of
the sway of Austria's Praire du Palais. But if we shudder
at the thoughts of the manacles of the Spielsberg—if a Gon-
faloniere, a Porro, a Silvio Pellico move us to tears when
they relate the sufferings of " I miei Prizioni"—still we
must acknowledge that they are unfortunately men immea-
surably above the general standard of mind and virtue in
their degraded country ; and that if they could establish
the free Government they aim at we should have ten times
the tyranny, bloodshed, and horrors, which characterised
the republics of Italy even in their palmy times—in the
age of Dante and of virtuous patriotism.
At the present day Prince Metternich, to the astonish-
ment and dismay of his enemies, enjoys as supreme a power
at the Court of Austria as ever he did. The new Empe-
ror, who during the lifetime of his father played the game
of Opposition so often followed by the eldest son of Royalty
in England, and who showed a most decided hostility to
him for a long lapse of years, appears to have taken him
into his favour. It is rumoured that, from the hatred to-
wards him of the Emperor's special favourites, this will not
last ; but we imagine Ferdinand will never attempt to re-
move the keystone of that arch which is the very foundation
of the Austrian empire. The only man who appeared for a
time a dangerous rival to M. de Metternich was Baron
Wessenberg. This statesman is well known at the
Court of St. James's. A man of an encyclopedia mind,
deeply versed in all the secret springs of modern govern-
ment, with an inclination to a liberal line of politics, and
universally beloved, M. de Metternich's influence, it is said,
kept him for ten years in seclusion from the affairs in which
he had performed so important a part. He then drew him
from his retreat, to become an unwilling member of the
Conference, to bury his fame beneath the dead weight of
protocols. He is now in retirement. We believe that the
story of the political antipathy of these two men is well
founded, but that M. de Metternich never dreaded the
rivalry.

We avoid following Prince Metternich into his private
life. Always possessing himself with a lordly presence, a
graceful and chastened wit of rapartee, he does not invite
scrutiny and animadversion, like another great statesman
we have spoken of—Judas impenitent : ever revelling in
the eccentricity of his unblushing wickedness. The exam-
ple of Prince Metternich will save younger diplomates
from dangerous imitations, and from thinking that to be
efficient in their sphere of duty they must throw overboard
good faith and honour—the charities and affections of pri-
vate life.

SPANISH LANDSCAPE.--There is something in
the sternly-simple features of the Spanish landscape, that im-
presses on the soul a feeling of sublimity. The immense plains
of the Castiles, and of La Mancha, extending as far as the
eye can reach, derive an interest from their very nakedness and
immensity, and have something of the solemn grandeur of the
ocean. In ranging over these boundless wastes, the eye catches
sight here and there of a straggling herd of cattle, attended
by a lonely herdsman, motionless as a statue, with his long
slender pike tapering up like a lance into the air ; or beholds
a long train of mules slowly moving along the waste, like a
train of camels in the desert ; or a single herdsman armed
with blunderbuss and stiletto, and prowling over the plain.
Thus the country, the habits, the very looks of the people,
have something of the Arabian character.— Washington
Irving.