Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-05-06

Lamarllne sketches the character ol
ralleyrand: -.. .. ..-.....................
The cool indifference OF his attitude,
The freedom of his intellect, the gayety OF
his manners, even in the management of
grave affairs, the winning charm of his
countenance, the apparent simplicity
veliing exquisit sublle,y, the grace of his
conversation, the profound meaning of
his sayings, his frequent silence whetting
the appetite for further speech, the almost
roy al elegance in which he lived, his ar
tIstIc taste his exquisite literary acquire
ments and lndnlgences, hls saloons, the
envy of all, his prodigal magoificence bis
splendid mansion, his table of everything
delicate and rare, his predominance even
iK matters of fashion gave TO The repre-
sentative of France, a control amounts
ing TO iniatuaiion among the represent
atiFes of nations ruled by the intelligence
OF France and seeking 10 initiate her.
All this had contributed TO mako NJ de
Talleyrand, at once, the high Judge of
both elegance and politics. g u. 81
Talleyrand was Prime Minister of
Louis XVIII, and Ambassador,o Vienna,
and Lamar,ine says he had prepared his
own instructions. which he Submitted 10
Louis before leaving Paris. ss-as-
While at Vienna, where gathered eni-
bassadors from other nations, the news
was received from Leghorn of Napole-
on's embarka,ion at the island OF Elba
with three light vessels. It was, as yet,
unknown to Leghorn TO wha! quarter he
was directing his flag, but general expec-
ta.ions pointed to descent on Italy or
ihe East. szr a -sEs e .as
This is the way in which Talleyrand
first heard this news, and this is the way
he received il, as described by Lamarline.
The bewilderment and regret of the
young Princess at the probable Interrupt
tion to her fele,s in such a crisis of the
State, bespesk not less the character than
the calmness of Talleyra ga ae
Prince Talleyrand siillknew nothing OF
the matter; he was just issuing from his
bed-ehamber with an imitation of royalty,
whose etiquette, as praclised at their
'levees." he affected TO adopt; he was
making his morning toilet, in the pres,
ence OF his attendants and his secretaries
of embassy, when his niece, the young
and beautiful Princess of Cortland, the
favorite ornament of his house, burst in
with dlsodered mein, and handed him
has,y and secret note from Prince Met
ternieh. NJ. de Talleyrand' whose hands
were sprinkled with the delicate perfume
which his Wallets were pouring out for
him, and whose luxuriant hair was then
undergoing the manipulations of two
BARRIERS, who were curling and powder
ing his head, begged his niece to open the
note herself, She did read and sudden
ly grew pale. "Heavensr' exclsim-
ed the young woman, more distressed by
this interruption of the fetes of Europe.
where her beauty won so many triumphs,
,han by the overthrow of empires, "Bo
naparte has quilted the island of Elba!
what will become of my rout for this
EVENING"" .....
NJ. de Talley rand, with that impassa-
bility which is but The repose of an in
tellect equalto the importance of events,
made no exclamation of surprise, mani
Tested no sign of disturbance, either in
his look, his smile, or his gestures; but in
those grave and measured tones, which
were the secre. of one half his presage:
BE reasured, he said to the young wo-
man, "your fete shall take place. In
thought, he had comprehended that Ma
poleon had mistaken his hour--had yield
ed TO the impa,ieuce Of exile rather shan
the counsel of circumstances, and that
Europe, thus defed in the plenti,ude of
her power and her triumph, would not
second time abandon the continent to be
overcome BY him through its dissensions,
M. de Talleyrand did not, in single
detail of his toilet, hasten the daily cere.
mony of his '.levee." But, while the
sovereigns, the ministers, the cour,iers,
and the citizens of Vienna versing with
terror o, with disdain of those sails which
were bearing, no one knew to wha, shores,
the enigma of Europe's destiny, he sliu.
himself up with NJ. de Met,ernich and
Lord Casllereagh during portion Of the
day, and acquainted himself. positively,
with the secret thoughts of those two
powers.