The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-16 00:00:00

BOROUGH HOP.

We have again to report considerable firmness in thede-
mand for all new hops, at further advanced currencies.
Fine yearlings are firm, but other qualities continue a slow
inquiry.
Mid and East Kent B4s to 150 s per cwt.
Weald of Kent 72s to 90s „
Sussex... 68s to 80s „

COLONIAL.
TEA.—At public sale 7,175 packages were offered, of
which 3,900 were sold at rates equal to those realised last
sale.
SUGAR.—The demand has been rather loss active, but
prices remain exceedingly firm, and in the refined market
advanced rates have been current.
COFFEE.—Plantation Ceylon continues in good demand,
and higher prices have been realised for the small quantity
offered.
Rrcg.—There is little change to record in the value of
this article, a fair amount of business having been trans-
acted at former prices.
FitUlT.—Tho market is rather quiet ; a few parcels of low
and medium qualities of currants, however, have been dis-
posed of at about previous values.
SALTPRTEE.—There has been an improved demand, and
higher prices have been obtained for the finer qualities.
TALLOW.—The dealings have not been extensive, but
prices have shown more firmness. P.Y.C. on the spot is
quoted 56s 6d to 575, and 50s 3d to 508 6d per cwt for spring
deliveries.

RES FOR 1860.

'ARY.
Derby Spring ..23

RCH.
Warwick Spring
Northampton 27
Croxton Park 30
RIL.
York Spring
2017
Epsom Sprint
Newmarket F S ..23
At.
18
Harpenden
22
Epsom
Manchester 3O
Hungerford
NB.
Stockbridge 2l
Winchester 22
Chelmsford 26
Newcastle 26

Nottingham 17
Stamford l9
Marlborough
Goodwood 24

M. MOCQUA.RD-LOUIS NAPOLEON'S

SECRETARY.

Who is M. Mocquard ? As far as the mere name
goes, it is familiar enough just now, for it challenges
our eye in the newspapers. Every one also knews
that M. Mocquard holds a most distinguished posi-
tion, for he is the friend, confidant, and private
secretary of the Emperor. Here, for " that vast
perusing noun of multitude," the public, the infor-
mation comes to a standstill, excepting the reason-
able supposition that somewhere about the close of
the last century, as the romancist would say, M.
Mocquard was a small infant, whose whole genius
was bent on obtaining the proper amount of nourish-
ment, to fit him for holding his own, in what Dar-
win calls the universal "struggle for existence."
But in what way did he come to occupy his pre-
sent position; where did he get to know the Empe-
ror; and how did he fill up the long gap between
his birth and the glories in which he is now a par-
ticipator ? From all we can hear, he made his
way to fortune and fame, not by stratagem and arti-
fice, but by the force of strong talents and his en-

gaging personal qualities. While still a lad at school
he carried off the prizes ; and on entering the world
he dashed at distinction—for the first thing he did
was to try his hand at diplomacy. Even at that
early age he showed how well he understood the
subtle science, which, as old Hudibras says, con-
sists " half in words and half in face," and a very
good face 'did the young Mocquard put upon it.
But during his studies he had discovered his
own peculiar strength, which lay in pleading. He
consequently turned his attention to the law, and
took to it as naturally as a duck to water. From
this day his career was one great success, although,
in the eventful changes which came over his native
land, he had to suffer his share of misfortunes and
reverses. His eloquent oratory became the talk of
the day, and he won the esteem and admiration of

men like Brougham, Lyndhurst, and Ellenborough.
In the height of this prosperity, and after ten years
of uninterrupted labour, he was attacked with an
affection of the larynx which threatened the loss of
his voice. He was too much a philosopher to murmur
at the decrees of fate, so he resigned his profession
and took up his abode in the Pyrenees, where he
devoted himself to literature. And here he quietly
remained studying, until he was surprised by the
Revolution of July, 1830, when he accepted a sous-
prefecture ; but for want of sympathy with the
reigning powers, he soon gave up the post and again
returned to a quiet life, occasionally varied by wan-
dering visits abroad.
His acquaintance with the Third Napoleon was
of long standing. In 1817 M. Mocquard found
himself at Arenemberg, where the Queen Hortense
was residing with her brother and her son. He
won their esteem by a literary service. A biogra-
phical 'notice of Queen Hortense had, appeared
in the " Biographie des Contemporains ; ' -but,
holding it to be unworthy of its subject, M.
Mocquard published, without his name, another
account which did fuller justice to the Queen—that
most original and animated musician, who little
thought, perhaps, that her Imperial son would make
the stray composition of her leisure hours the na-
tional air of France. It was thus that M. Mocquard
first established himself as the valued friend of
the family. Nor did he surrender that position;
he claimed all the privileges of misfortune. For a
long time he kept the cause alive in the Commerce
newspaper and in other ways. He did so at a later
date, when the Prince was an exile in England ;
and again in Paris he stood as firm as a rock by the
side of his illustrious friend all through the perilous
coup d'etat. This was the crowning point for the
faithful follower; he was chosen to be private secre-
tary, a post which he has ever since held, and to
gain his car is equivalent to a tete-a-tete with his
Majesty. Such is the man from whom the Liver-
pool merchants received their answer—and people
said it was only the secretary.
" Only the secretary." The post is no sinecure;
indeed it needs a mind congenial to that of a Napo-
leon. The business to be transacted is, as may bo
supposed, not only of Imperial proportions, but of
a kind which demands a strong and original mind.
The details have to be systematised and classified,
almost with the precision of a science. And yet M.
Mocquard, vigilant, patient, all-seeing, with a life
full up to the brim, makes time for other things. His
grande passion is said to be not politics but literature,
which acknowledges in the translator of Tacitus
the original author of stories touching enough to '
draw " iron tears from Paris' cheek "—a test. more
severe than the same operation on the cheek of the
less blase Pluto.

To listen to his own estimate of himself; you
might wonder that he is where he is, at the centre
of the most active politique in existence ; but that
be is there proves that he is the man for the place.
And the reason is soon learned. Deliberate in re-
flection, yet prompt and positive in judgment—
sharp and clear in expression, yet more than cour-
teous, conciliatory, and kind—versatile, yet faith-
ful ; Itble to view affairs in their simple abstraction,
yet to handle them in their complicated concrete,
ho is the very man whom the poetry of romance
might have imagined for what Destiny has made
him—the " Sccretaire de PEmpercur."—Aspcctator.