HISTORICAL SKETCHES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 92, 9 October 1852, Page 8

HISTORICAL SKETCHES.

Fotjche.—Laraartine, in his History of the in France, thus describes the part which the notorious Fouche played during the hundred days. " His [Napoleon's] dictatorship was nothing but a name ; his government since his return ■was in reality only a triumvirate, in which the party of the empire was already subordinate to the two others; the party of the nation being personified in Garnot, that of intrigue represented by Fouche. Reduced to the necessity of temporizing with one and of menacing the other, without daring to strike, he hastened to call, for the second time, to his assistance, the military party, and to regain in the plains of Belgium that throne of glory from which three years of defeat had thrown him lower than his accomplices of 1815. He was still Emperor in name, but less master than Fouche, who knew the intentions of the Emperor, and the fate that awaited him if Napoleon as cpnquerer should regain the ascendant which

he now disputed with him. He displayed, it must be acknowledged, a rare audacity and an energetic intrepidity in the part lie was playing1. His head was endangered every day day by his intrigues. It might have fallen at the first movement of shame or rage on the part of Napoleon. He seemed to have steeped his character in the tragedies of the Convention, and to be playing with death suspended at the word of the master, as he played with execution suspended at a gesture from Robespierre. Of all the survivors of that epoch he alone showed that he was not exhausted or weary of temerity. Thrown by his bold manoeuvre on the one side between tyranny seeking to re-establish itself, and liberty striving to revive—and on the other, between Napoleon ready to sacrifice the country to his interest, and France, which was not willing to sacrifice itself totally foi one man— Fouche intimidated the Emperor, flattered the Republicans, reassured France, held out a signal to Europe, encouraged Louis XVIII., negoci- . ated with the foreign courts, corresponded by signsandhintswithM.de Talleyrand, and by his attitude kept all in suspense. A difficult and gigantic part, at once elevated and low, but tremendous —and one to which history has not hitherto paid sufficient attention; a part devoid of nobleness, but not of patriotism or moral courage, in which a subject placed himself on a level with his master, a minister above his sovereign, an old proconsul of the Reign of Terror above the kings whom he bad punished, and whom he was going to recall while claiming their gratitude; the arbiter of the Empire, of the Restoration, or of Liberty, but arbiter through duplicity. Such a part is not to be found in history, except among the eunuchs, masters of their masters under the lower Empire of Byzantium, or amongst the mayors of the palace of the kings of the early French monarchy. The Cardinal de Retz, in modern times, had something of this genius of intrigue applied to affairs of state. But Fouche was a Cardinal de Retz of a more tragic cast, struggling with men and events more imposing than those of the Fronde, and moving thrones, congresses, and empires, with the same threads with which his prototype only moved factions. History, whilst condemning Fouche, cannot refuse to him during this period of the Hundred Days a boldness of attitude, a superiority in the management of parties, and a greatness in intrigue, which would place him in the rank of the first statesman of his age, if modern history recognized real statesman without dignity of character and without virtue." Lafayette—is thus described when the Assembly met on the morning after Napoleon's return from the field of Waterloo. " Lafayette ascended the tribune. The whole Revolution seemed to ascend it with him, for the first time since 1789. His name was resonant, his appearance imposing; imagination anticipated, and all eyes followed him. Tall in stature, noble, pale, cold in aspect, with a reserved look, which appeared to veil mysterious thoughts; with few gestures, restrained and caressing; a weak voice without accent, more accustomed to confidential whisperings than oratorical explosions; with a sober, studied, and elegant elocution, wherein memory was more conspicuous than inspiration ; he "was neither a statesman nor a soldier, nor an orator, but an historical figure, without warmth, without colour, without life, but not without prestige ; detatched from the midst of a picture of another age, and reappearing on the scene in a new one. No one knew what he was going to say. He might equally by a word attach to Napoleon the still undecided revolutionists, or snatch them from him to his ruin. " When for the first time," .said he, " for so many years,l raise a voice which the old friends of liberty will still recognise, I feel myself called upon to speak to you of the dangers of the country, which you alone have now the power of saving. " The sinister rumours which were spread about are now unhappily confirmed. This is the moment we should rally round the ancient tricoloured standard of liberty, equality, and public order. It is that alone which we have to. defend against foreign pretensions and internal treason. Permit a veteran of this sacred cause, who was always exempt from the spirit of faction, to submit to you some preliminary resolutions, of which you will, I hope, perceive the necessity." A silence of deep thought and reaction followed these words through all the Assembly. Though temperate in accent, they were deadly

in intention towards Napoleon. They had been framed upon inuendo, tliat perfidy of eloquence, to carry to the ears of the auditors and to the very soul of Fiance what it would be as yet improper to express in words. This " veteran of liberty," who thus reappeared upon the scene, held out in the tribune the revolution with himself against a vanquished depotism. The old tricoloured flag, distinguished by a single epithet from the Imperial tricoloured flag, prostituted to the glory of one man alone, sufficiently designated the colours of the Revolution ; while the ■' internal treasons," necessary to prevent the dictatorship of Napoleon, sufficiently indicated, without naming it. The blow was> given, the man was struck; the Emperor and the Empire were covertly held up as public enemies to the National Representation, to Europe, to the Nation, to the Republicans, to the Patriots, and even to the Royalists. The whole patriotism of the country separated, with Lafayette its symbol, from the cause of Napoleon. What remained to him ? Implacable Royalists, an unpopular family, and a personal party weak and vanquished. Lafayette, triumphant and applauded far more by hearts than hands, seemed to have been nurturing within his soul during fifteen years this single moment. Was it, however, his part to be the first to strike this wreck of glory—he who had been delivered from the dungeons of Olmutz, and restored to liberty, to his country, and to his family, by the intervention of Napoleon? It must have cost him greater pangs than those who owed Bonaparte nothing except hatred. But ideas have no gratitude,patriotism has no weakness of the heart. Lafayette owed much to Louis XVI., and yet he did not object to being his keeper at the Tuileries and at Varennes. He owed something also to Napoleon, but did not hesitate to become his executioner. Are there different laws, then, for nature and for policy ? The hearts of men must answer the question.

Walks and Talks of an American Farmer in England.—An American gives the following glowing and enthusiastic description of his first introduction to the rural scenery of England. " In a few minutes they go off in carriages, and room is left us in the little waiting-room to strap on our knapsacks. The rain slackens—ceases, and we mount by stone steps up a bank of roses and closely-shaven turf, to to the top of the bridge over the cutting. There we were right in the midst of it. The country—and such a country —green, dripping, glistening, gorgeous ! We stood dumb-stricken by its loveliness, as, from the bleak April and bare boughs we had left at home, broke upon us that English May—sunny, leafy, blooming May in an English lane ; with hedges, English hedges, hawthorn hedges, all in blossom; homely old farm houses, quaint stables, and haystacks; the old church spire over the distant trees; the rpild sun beaming through the watery atmosphere, and all so quiet—the only sounds the hum of bees and the crisp grasstearing of a silken-skinned, real, unimported Hereford cow, over the hedge ! No longer excited by daring to think that we should see it, as we discussed the scheme round the old-home-fire ; no longer cheering ourselves with it in the stupid, tedious ship ; no more forgetful of it in the bewilderment of the busy town : but there we were right in the midst of it! Long time silent, and then speaking softly, as if it were enchantment indeed, we gazed upon it, and breathed it —'never to be forgotton! At length we walked on, rapidly, but frequently stopping, one side and the other, like children in a garden: hedges still, with delicious fragrance, on each side of us, and on, as far as we can see, true farm-fencing hedges; nothing trim, stiff, nice, and amateur-like, but the verdure broken, tufty, low, and natural. They are set on a ridge of earth thrown out from a ditch beside them, which raises and strengthens them as a fence. They are nearly all hawthorn, which is now covered in patches, as if after a slight fall of snow, with clusters of white or pink blossoms over its light green foliage. Here and there a holly-bush, with bunches of scarlet berries, and a few other shrubs, mingle with it. A cart meets us—-a real, heavy, big-wheeled English cart; and English horses — real, big, shaggy-hoofed, sleek, heavy English cart horses ; and a carter —a real apple-faced, smock-frocked, red-headed, wool-hatted carter —breeches, stockings, hobnailed shoes, and "Gee-up Dobbin" English carter, Little birds hop along in the road be-

fore us; and we guess at their names, first of all electing one to be .Robin Redbreast. We study the flowers under the hedge, and determine them nothing else than primroses and buttercups. Through the gates we admire the great, fat, clean-licked, contented-faced cows, and large, white, long-woolled sheep. What else was there ? I cannot remember; but there was that altogether that made us forget our fatigue, disregard the rain, thoughtless of the way we were going—serious, happy, and grateful. And this excitement continued for many days."