National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-05-30
Prince Talleyrand.
A Chequered Career---A Great Diploma.
tist--.Speei linens Of his wit.

!
luton was TalleSraud. He was born
in January, 1754, and died in. May,
1888, in his eighty-ffth year. he was
the oldest son OF noble family, but
meetin. with an accident, when he was
boy, which lamed him for life, he was
thorehy rcnaesod unRt for military SER
vice, and was obliged to renouuce his
birthright in favor Of his next brother,
and, at once to get rid OF him and get
him out of the way, was condemned to
become Clergyman. r#..
When only twenty.nine years old,
Talleyrand was appointed Bishop OF
Autun, but, being fond of Parisian so
ciety did not often visit his diocese,
over one hundred and sixty miles dis
tant. When the Revolution broke ont,
in 1889, he took part with the move
ment party, because he saw 1t was the
strongest, became an active member OF
the National Assembly, resigned his
bishopric, and Mt last, some months be
fore Louis XVI was guillotined, retired
to England for year or two, and finally
reached the United States; what little
money in his possession being obtained
from the sale OF his library. This was
a poor lookout for an ambitious man,
fond OF luxurious living and gay So
ciety, and only forty-two years old. He
chiefly resided in Philadelphia. In
some eighteen months, after the fall OF
Robespierre and the close of the Reign
of Terror, he returned to Paris-in
May 1896.
From that time Talleyrand filed the
highest stations, at home or abroad, IN
the service of his country, except dur
the reign of the restored Bourbons,
who seem to have dreaded the ability
of this astute diplomatist. His holding
office under 80 many changes and chiefs
has been charged against his political
character. 1t was said that, on taking
the oath of allegiance to Louis
Philippe, in 1890, he was heard to NUT
ter: "This is the thirteenth OF these
oaths that I have swora." The fact
was true, but Talleyrand, Of all men,
was the least likely to speak of it.
1t was Talleyrand, and none other,
who, in 1880, on the accession of the
Duke of Orleans to the crown of France,
negotiated that treaty of amity (the
England which has subsisted, amid
various changes, to the present day.
To Talleyrand has been attributed
the well-known saying that Language
was given to man to enable him to con-
ceal his thoughts" But before Talley-
rand was born, Doctor Edward Young
had written this couplet:
"Where Natures end of language is declined,
And men talk only to conceal the mind.
And the germ of this thought is to be
found in the writings of Bishop Jeremy
Taylor; and Lloyd, Smith, Butler and
Goldsmith also used it.
Among other sayings of Talleyrand's
is " 1t is the beginning of the end -
but this occurs in Shakespeare's "Mid-
summer Nights Dream" where we
find:
50 70 show our simple skill
That is the true beginning Of the end
Like Byron, who was an avowed
picker-up of unconsidered trifes, when
ever Talleyrand found good thought
or happy expression, he did not scruple
to adopt and use it, mostly improving
it.
Talleyrand's brother wrote memo
randum for Mr.. Fournier, to the effect
years after his return from America,
was "L'Improvisateur Francais," n
compilation of anecdotes and 6On-mOts,
in twenty-one pocket volumes.
Nevertheless, Talleyrand was genu-
inc wit-keen, ready and inventive.
Here are few specimens of his rapid
utterances in this line: Ruthieres, the
celebrated author of a work on the
Polish Revolution once said:
81 never did but one mischievous
thing in my life"
And when will it end p was Talley-
rand's reply.
"Ah, | feel the torments of hell !"
said person, in great agony, whose
life had been somewhat of the loosest.
"Alreadv p was the suggestive in
quiry of the wit.
To him, 10 doubt, it came originally,
but the Cardinal de Retz's physician is
recorded as having made similar ex-
clamation on like occasion.
"Isn't Geneva dull? asked friend.
Especially when they amuse them
selves" said Talleyrand, which was
initiated not long since by the late Sir
George Cornwall Lewis, when he wrote |
that I" life would be very tolerable, if it |
were not for its amusements.
When Madame de Stael published a
novel entitled "Delphine," she was re-
ported to have painted herself in the
person of the heroine, and M. Talley-
rand as that of an elderly lady, who is
one of the principal characters.
"They tell me, he said. the next
time he met her, "that both of us are
in your novel, in the disguise of
women"
That remark, however, might have
been elaborated beforehand. Another
time:
"She is insupportable !" he said, with
marked emphasis +; but as if he had
gone too far, and to take off something
Of what he had laid on, he added; at
is her only defect"
Asked whether a certain authoress,
whom he had known long since, but
who belonged to the last age, was not n
50 little tiresome ?" he answered:
"Not at all she was perfectly tire
some"
A gentleman in company was one day
making a somewhat jealous eulogy of
MS mothers beauty, dwelling upon TIE
;opic at uncalled-for length-he himself
having certainly inherited no portion
If that kind under the marriage of his
"It was your father, then, apparent {
v, who may not have been very we'll
ooking," was the remark, which at {
,nce released the circle from the sub q
ect
When the Duchess de Berri (mother !
{ the present Count de Chambord, now I
he last of the Bourbon family. was (