RECOLLECTIONS OF LOUIS PHILIPPE. [From the " Spectator"]

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 513, 15 March 1851, Page 3

RECOLLECTIONS OF LOUIS PHILIPPE. [From the " Spectator"]

From the notices compiled for the daily journals ws collect such prominent facts as recall the stages rather than incidents of a life almost unparalleled in vicissitude either in history or romance. Louis Philippe was born in Paris, on the 6th of October, 1773. He was the eldest sou of Louis Philippe Joseph Duke of Oileam, morn popularly known under the Revolutionary title of Philippe E^alife", and of Marie, only daugh'er and heiress of. the wealthy Duke of Penthievre. The Oi leans branch of the Bourbon family, of which Lonis Philippe became the head, originated in Philippe youu.er son of LouU the 'lhirteenth, created Due d'Orleans by his elder brother Louis the Fourteenth, and of whom Louis Phi ippe was the grandson's great grandson. Philippe the first duke of Orleans was twice married ; hu second wife being Elizabeth Charlotte, of ibhemij, granddaughter of James the first of England. From this Btock the Orleans family are descended. The edrly education of Louis Philippe, and of the other four children of Philippe Egalite. was intrusted to the care of Madame de Sillerv, afterw,ir is better known by her subsequently adopted title of Countess de> Genlis. While receiving instruction in Vriiiotis branches of polite learning, the young Duke of Vrilois. (as the late Monarch was at that time styled,) the Duke of Alontpensier, the Count Boaujolais, and their sister the Princes Adelaide, learned the English, German, and Italian languages, through being atteuded by domestics who respectively conversed in those languages. The bo>s ai*o were trained to endure all kinds of bodiiy fatigue, and were taught a Vctnety of amusing industrial exercises. At St. Leu, a pleasant country residence near Paris, where the family resided under the charge of Madame Ue Genlis, the young Princes cultivated a small gaiden under the direction of a German gardener; and they were instructed in botany and the practice of medicine by a medical gentleman who was the companion of then- ramble?. The young Duke of Valois took a pleasuie in the*e pursuits, and in the induatridloxccupations of the ateliers constructed for them, in which they were taught turning, basketmaking, weaving, and carpentiy. The Duke excelled in cabinetsnaking ; and, assisted only by his brother the Duke of Montpensier, made a handsome cupboard, and a table with drawers, for a poor woman in ths village of St. Leu. During his early youth, the Duke de Vulois showed evidences of a good disposition ; which Madame de Genlis sets fortli in flattering terms— "The Duke ofClmtres (he had succeeded to this title on his fathei'* becoming Duke of Orleaus, in 1785) has greatly improved in disposition during the past year: he was bom with good inclinations, and is now become intelligent and virtuous. Possessing none of the frivolities of the age, he disdains the pUeiililK'Si which occupy the thoughts cf so many yoQng men of rank — such as fashions, dress, trinkets, tollies ot all kinds, and the desire for novelties. He has no passion lor money; he is disinterested ; despises glare ; and is consequently truly noble. Finally, he has an excellent bean ; which is common to his bi others and bistpr, aud which, joined to reflection, is capable of producing all oilier good qualities." A journal which was kept at the instance of his preceptress has been made public : the agitation which pteceded the great Revolution was now in full swing, and some extracts from this journal show the Duke's early political associations, as well ns his practical diligence in the arquisuion of •• useful knowledge." ♦' Nov, 2. (1790) — I was yesterday admitted a member of the Jacobins, and much applauded. I returned thanks for the kind reception thty were so kind as to give me, and I ,<B«ured them that I should never deviate from the duties of a good patriot atul a good citizen. " Nov. 26. 1 went this morning to the Hotel Dieo. The next visit I shall dress the patients myself. " Dec. 2. I went yesterday morning to the Hotel Dseu. I dressed two patients, and gave one six and the three others six livies. "Jan. 8. (1781) — In the morning to the Assembly ; at six in the evenin? to the Jacobins. M. de Noa lies presented a work on the Revolution by Mr. Joseph Towers, in answer to Mr. Burke. He praised it highly, and proposed that I bhould be appointed to translate it. This proposition w»s adopted with great: applause ; and I foolishly consented, but expressing my fear that I should not fulfil their expectations. I returned borne at a quarter-past seven- At night my father told me that he did not approve of it, and I must excuse myself to the Jacobins on Sunday." Some yean before this he bad been appoin'ed honorary Colonel of the Fourteenth Repiment of Dragoons. In June, 17£M> he proceeded to Vendonae, wiih M. Pieyre, and assumed the personal command. The refusal of a numerous body of the clergy in many parts of Fiance to Ufcc an oath prescribed by the Constitution, to which Louis the Sixteenth had assented, led to considerable coco mot ons. During the stay of the Duke of Chartrts at Vendome, a popular fermeut oa itiis subject luoke out, and two of the nonjuriug clergymen would have been murdeiedhad not the Duke come to their rcscne. He thus describss the occurence in his journal— "June 27. — At noon I bad brought back the regi« ment, but witb orders not to unboot or unsaddle. I asked Messrß. Dubois d'Albis, Jacquemin, and Phillippe, to dinner. They brought us word that the people had collected in a mob, and were about to hang two piicsts. I ran immediately to the place, followed by Pieyre, Duboi«, and d'Alois. . . .The Mayor stood motionless before the door, not opening his mouth. I therefore addressed some of the most violent of the mob, and endeaToured to explain ' bow wrong it would be to hang men without trial ; that, moreover, they would be eoing the woik of the executioner which, they considered infamous; that there were judges whose duty it was to deal with these men.' The mob answered that the judges were aristocrats, and that they did not punish the guilty. I repheo, ' That's your own fault, as they are elected by yourselves ; but you must not take the law into your own hands.' There was now much confusion ; at last one voice cried— ' We will spare them for the Bake of M. de Charlre3.' ' Yes, yes, ye»!' cried the people ; 'heis a good patriot ; he edih'id us all this morning*. Bring them out ; we shall do them no harm.' I wett up to the room where the unhappy men were, and asked them if they would trust themselves to me? they said ye 3. I preceded them down stairs, and exhorted the people not to forget wlut th<*y had promised. They cned out again, 'Be easy ; they shall receive no barm.' I cUled to the driver to hungup the carnage: upon which the crowd cr.ed out, 'No voiture— un toot, on foot, that we may have the hatisfaetion ot hooting them and expelling them ignomiuioubly from the town.' ' Well, 5 1 said, 'on foot ; be it so ; 'tis the same thing to me, for you are too honest to forfeit your word.'.. ..We passed a little wuodi-n bridge oJ a few plunks without rails: theie the mob cried to tluow them into the*, river, nnd endeavoured, by puttin» sticks aiross, to 'make them fall into the water. I an'iun reminded them of their promise, and they bcram ; quicf. When we weie about a mile out ot the town, sou c ot' tue country-pejple came tunning down the lull, and threw themselves upon us, c-i'l nsj o-it, • Hang oi drown thtf

two rascals !' v 'One of them seized one of the poor wretches by the' coat, and the crowd rushing in, forced away the Mayor and M d 1d 1 Albis It is but justice to the people of Vendome to say that tbfy Kept their word, and tried to induce the peasants to d« no violence to the men. Seeing, however, that if I continu d my march, some misfortune muU inevitably occur, 1 cried we must rnke them to prison ; and >hen all the people cried, 'To prison! to pnsoa'!' Some voice 1 ; orieil, ' They must ask pardon of God, and thank M. de Clmrtr-fs for their li\es.' That was soon done, and we set out for the prison. Another entry describes his good fortune and cool readmei-8 m saving a man's life. " August 3.— Happy day ! I have s.ived a man's life, «r ra her have contributed to save it. This evpn» intr, after having read a little of Pope, MetastaMo, and Emile, I went to bathe. Edward and I were dressing oui selves, when I heard cries of ' Help, help ! I am diowning!' I ran immediately to the cry; as did Edw rd, who was farther. I canoe first, and could ouly see the tops of the persons finders. I laid hold of that hand ; which seized mine with indescribable strength, and by the way in which he held me, would have drowned me, if Edward had not come up and seized one of his legs, which deprived him of the power of jumping on me. We then pot him ashore. He could scarcely speak ; but he neve-thi'less expressed great gratitude to me, as well as to Edward. I think with pleasure on the effect this will produce at Bellechasse. lam born under a happy »tar ! Opportunities offer themselves in every way : I have only to avail myself of them. The mnn we fcaved is one M. Siret, an inhabitant ofVen-onoe, sub-engineer in the office of Roads and Bridges. Igo to bed happy ! "August 11. Another happy day. I had been invited yesteidiy to attend at the Town-house with Borne non-commissioned offiens and privates. I went to-day, and wag received with an address; there was then read a letter from M. Shet, who proposed that the n unicipal brd\ should decree that a civic crown should be given to any citiz n who should save the life of a fellow creature, and that, o\ course, one should be presented to me. The municipal b»dy adopted the proposition, ond I received a crown amid.st the applause of a numerous assembly of spectators. I was veiy much nshamed. I nevertheless expressed my gratitude as well as I could." The habits of regulated s'udy which preceding references indicate, are very prominently illustrated by m my such entries as this — " Yesterday morninjr at exercise On returning, I undressed, and read somp of HuuhuU, Julihs Cass-ir, Steinheim, and Mably. D,ned, and after dinner read nonie of Ipsipyle, Meta«tasio, Heloise, and Pope. At five, to the riding-house ; and afterwards read Emilei" Such were his youth and earliest manhood. In 1791 he moved with his regiment to Valenciennes, find entered on a more stirring military life. He made his first campaign in the yenr which followed the declaration of war against Austria in 1792 ; fou»luat VaSmyt under Kellerman, with a bravery that u emphatically praised by contemporaneous English newspapers — then little expecting that they were lauding a future King; and again distinguished himself under Dumourirz at Jemappes. The Revolution had now reached itsrlimßX— in 1703: on the 21st of January in that year, Louis the Sixteenth was led to ths scaffold. About the same date, the Duke ofChartres and General Dumriuritz were sum* moned before the Committee of Public Safety. Already apprehensive that the cause of moderation was lost, and sensible how vain would be their prospect of life in the hands of such judges, they fled to the frontier ; evaded a close pursuit; and reached first the Speniih Netherlands, and ultimately Switzerland. The Duke'» sister, Mademoiselle Adelaide, afterwards his attached and influential counsellor through life, had also leached Schaff hausen wich Madame de Genlis, and the two parties proceeded together to Zurich. But the emi»sa ries of the Directory were unceasing in their quest of him through central Europe : Mademoiselle Adelaide was therefore placed in the convent of Sainte Claire, near Bremgarten ; and the Duke set out on a series of wanderings in disguise. From these he was recalled by M. de Montysquiou, to take a place, incognito, as a teacher in the Academy of Reichnau, a village at the junction of the two Upper Rhines in the South-eastern part of Switzerland. He anived in the bumble condition of a pedestrian, a stick in his hand and a bundle on his back, and furnished with a letter of introduction to M. Jost. the head master of the establishment. Being examined by the officers of the institution, he was found fully qualified for his proposed duties, .md allhouL-h only twenty years of age, was unanimously admitted. Here, under the feigned tiiirae of ChabaudLatour, and without being recogniz'd by any one save M. Jost, he taught geography, hmtoiy, the Fiench and English languages, and mathematics, for the space of eight months. He not only gave satisfaction to his employers and pupils, but eaijied the eiteem and friendship of the inhabitants of Reichnau. It was while thus filling the post of a humble schoolmaster, that he was made acquainted with the trial of his father the Duke of Orleans before the Revolutionary tiibunal, and his death on the scaffold. Some political events taking place in the Grisons, Mademoiselle d'Orleans thought it proper to quit the convent at Biemgarten, and to join her aunt, the Princess of Conti, in Hungary. M. Montesquiou believed he might now give un asylum to the Prince, of whom his enemies had for some time lost all trace. The Duke consequently resigned his office of teacher at Reichnau, receiving the mo^t honourable testimonials of hi,s behaviour and abilities, and retired to Bremgarten. Here he remnined, under the name of Corby, until, the end of 1794; when he quitted Switzerland, his retreat there being no longer a secret. He again stepped forth tht-c ugh the world, a wan, derer without known rank, and almost without meins; yet we find that he was never wholly destitute, and that his leading idea was ever the accumulation of know- i ledge, especially the knowledge of nations and men. He essayed to cross the Atlantic from Hamburg ; but funds failed him, and he walked through Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Lapland, towaidsthe uttTmost regions of Nonbern Europe: in August 1795 he stood on the icy headlands of the North Cope, but eighteen degrees fiom the Arctic Pole itself. Tra* versing Bothnia and Finland, but shunning Russia fromdistiust of the Empress Catherine, he returned to Copenhagen; and remained there for some time in seclusion and poverty. The Directory, baffled in all their attempts to explore his hiding-place, opened j negotiations with him through his mother j and in 1796 it was agFeed that he should emigrate to Arne rica, and be joined there by his two younger brothers Montpensiev and Beaujolais, while the sequestration pat on his mothei's property should he removed. The brothers joined each other at Philadelphia, in October 1796 ; and were treated with great respect by General Washington, then at the head of the young Federal Republic. Towards the end of 1797, they learned the expulsion from France of all the members of the Bjurbon family remaining theie, and the deportation of their mother to Spain. Endeavouring to reach Spain through Cuba, they were ticated with rrarked

disrespect by the island Spannh authorities, and compelled to pass to England through the Bahnmas. Queen Victoria's father, then Governor of the Bahamas as Duke of Kent, showed them sympathy and gave them the assistance and distinction of a passage !< to kngland in a vessel-of-war. From this country I they i mewed t'.eir efforts to gain Spain, the British ['Government giving them a passage to Minorca; but iheii efforts were again thwarted. In 1807, the Duk<- of Orleans lost his brother Montnensier ; whose delicate constitution sunk under the hardships of his lot. The amiable and accomplished prince lies buried among our own kings and w.irriors in Westminster Abbey. Beaujolais, of similar delicate fiame, was accompanied by the Duke of Orleans to Malta, in the hope of prolonging hii life ; but he died there, in 1808. ' Proceeding from Malta to the Court of Sicily, the Duke of Orleans gained the heart of Amelia, the King's second daughter, and married her. in November 1809. The Regency of Spain offered him military command, but did not fulfil their promiie of terms : u few months 1 sojourn in Spain were followed by a retirement to Paleirno. On the abdication of Bonaparte, in 1814, the scattered remnants of the French Royil Family assembled in Pans ; to be again dispersed for the memorable Hundred Days of Napoleon'i return from Elba, in 1815. On the ultimate fall of the Emperor and the return of Louis the Eighteenth, the Duke of Orleans obeyed the ordinance authorising all princes of the blood to take their seats in the Chamber of Peers ; but, having become diitasteful to the Government, he retired to England ; and not having been summoned to the Chamber of Peers a second time, he turned his whole attention in retirement at Twickenham to the education of his family. From this retirement in the land of friendly foreigners he was again roused by political convulsions in his own country. In July, 1830, that revolution occurred which eventually placed him on the throne. The cau?e of the el ler branch of the Bouibons having been pronounced hopeless, the King in effect bring discrowned, and the throne rendered vacant, the Provisional Government which had risen out of the s ruggle, and in which Lafitte, Lafayette, Thiers, and othei politicians had taken the lead, turned towards the Duke of Orleans, whom it was proposed, in the first instance, to invite to Parii, to become L eulenaotGeneral ol the Kingdom, aud afterwards, in a more regulai manner, to become King. The Duke of Orleans during the insurrection had been residing in seclusion <it his country-teat, and, if watching the course of event.*, apparently taking no active pait in dethroning his kiniman. M. Thiers and M Scheffer were appointed to conduct the negotiation, and visited Neuilly for the purpose. The Duk«, however, was Hbsent, and the interview took place with the ihe Dutchefs and Princess Adelaide; to whom they repi evented the danger with which the nation wat menaced, and that anarchy could only be averted by the prompt decision of tne Duke to place himself at the head of the new constitutional monarchy. M. Thiers expressed his conviction " that nothing was left the Duke of Orleans but a choice of dangers, and that, in the existing itate of things, to recoil from the possible perili of royalty was to run full upon a republic and lti inevitable violences." The substance of the communication having been made known to the Duke, on a day's consideration he acceded to the request, and at noon on the 31st came to Paris to accept the office which, had been assigned to him. On the 2nd of August the abdication of Cbarlei the Tenth aud his son was placed in the hands of theLieuteuantGeneral ; the abdication, however, being in favour of the Duke of Bourdeaux. On the 7th, the Chamber of Deputies declared the throne vacant ; and on the Bth the Chamber went in a body to the Duke of Orleans, and offered him the crown on the terms of a revised charter. On the 9th he accepted the offer, nnd became, not like hisi predecessors feudal lord o France and King of the dominion; of his hereditary line, but the elected comtituiional monarch of the French nation. Under all the circumstances of his career and elevatiou, there was a full confidence in the industrial and commercial clussei of Frenchmen that his reign would encourage the steady advance of constitutional liberty. His talents for government were believed to be high ; his early sympathies had been with the people ; and his experience and great knowledge of the world would teach him that the best security of his crown would be to preserve that prestige which had placed him on the thione. How he failed to realize these hopes, is too well known to our readers to need any notice in this brief memornndum. As if distrusting the inherent strength of his position, be endeavoured to fortify it l>y successively allying his children to many reigmr.g families of Europe. He married his eldest .son, Ferdinand Duke of Orleans, to the Princess Helen of Mecklenburg-Schwerin ; his daughter Louisa, to Leopold King of the Belgians ; his ion Louis, Duke of Nemours, to the Princess Victoria of Saxe Coburg Gotha ; his daughter Clementina, to Prince Augustus of Saxe Coburg Gotba; his son Francis, Prince of Joinvillci to the Prince* Frances Caroline of Brazil ; his son Henry, Duke of Aumale, to the Princess Caroline of Salerno; and his son Antony, Duke of Montpenfcier, to Louisa, sister and heir presumptive of the jeigning Queen of Spain. His government became marked, above ati others in Europe, for the personal ruling of the King alone ; and the whole official machinery of the state became enervated, if not corrupted, by the pervading influence of centralized and unconscientious officiahty. Such a state of tilings could not endure indefinitely ; but the catastrophe was certainly unexpected even by those who desired to hasten it ; at least it was not deemed likely to befall till the removal of the skilful masterhdiid, In February 1843, however, the crisis arrived. A political agitation, headed by M. Odilou Barrot, suddenly turned into panic ; in the midst of which even M. Entitle de Girardin came to be regarded as the emblem ot moderation when he offered for signature a bulletin of the King's abdication in favour of his infant grandson. In the next scene we saw a noble mother silently presenting and pleading for the right of her royal son, before the National Representative Chamber of the Monarchy ; to be rejected with con tumely by the mob of Paiis, and amidst the wreck of the Legislature itself. The last scenes weie the flight of the deposed King and his family, in detachmeniß separated and scattered for increased chances of escape to foreign lands ; ultimately to our own protecting shores.

The Right Leg,— Having noticed that this limb was more frequently the seat of accidents than the left in the wards, I made the comparison accurately, at one time, of those in the house; and found that of sixteen Binop'e and compound fractures and amputations of the leg or thigh, tlurteen were in the rii-ht, and but thiee in the lefi limb. If a hypothesis were allowed, possibly the fuct might be explained on the idea that it i>>, in thiscountiyi chiefly fiom reckleisneit and overha te that accidents occur ; the ' best foot forward' tuffedng the most injury.— Dr. Harts^orne, tn American Journal of Hied, Sciences*

The Great Overworked. — We must positirely iisue a commission of our own to enquire into the condition of tbe working classes. Notwithstanding all the recent investigation into this subject, it appears that among the sous of Toil theie is a body of white slaves— if we should not rather say white and black slaves — whose existence heretofore has been quite unsuspected. In the late discussion on the Ecclesiastical Commission Bill, Mr. Gladstone made the following remarkable assertion in reference to an individual of this class : — " He ventured to say that t?ie Bishop of London worked twice as liaid as any uoiking clergjmanin the diocese." The perspiration of the mitred brow, then, is a great deal more copious Ih.in most people are aware of. An opinion prevails that the principal employment of a biihop is comprised in ordaining; confirming, consecrating churches ; making venations of the nature of angels' visits ; preaching when he has nothing else to do, and writing works on divinity during leisure hourb. These occupations are spread over so much timei that they cannoi be very onerous ; and an occasional evening's attendance in the House of Lords during the session, can add no very back-bieaking weight to them. How is it then lhat a pielute is 60 monstrously overworked ? Nay, we must and will send mi emissary to Lambeth and Fulham to ferret all this out. We have a dark su-ipuion that the spiritual meditations— if not duties — of the right reverend Bench, are rather inter fcred with by business relative to willi and ecclesiastical property ; so that a bishop hat to do his owu work, and a lawyer's and estate-auent's, too. If this is the ca>>e, perhaps Lord Ashley will bring in a Ten Hours Bill to abridge episcopal labour; or, as that plan may not be very piacticable, peradventure the Premier will emancipate the prelates altogether from their secular serfdom Something must be done to cure the headache, which, .f Mr. Gladstone is right, ii enclosed in the mitre. It is strange, however, that a Lord Spiritual can generally find time to marry members of the nobility who aie above being united by a ♦' working e'ergyman." Nevertheless, if the work of the British bishop is proportionate to his pay, it certainly is something enormous. — Punch

Envelope Machine. — We {Manchester Examiner) have been favoined with an inspection ot a newly indented Envelope Machine, patented by Remond, which is now being made at the Atlas Works (Messo. Sharpe and Co.'»), < ixford- street. It ii small and of simple construction, consisting of a "carrier," with " plunger" and " folding-box," which has on one side a stamper, continually supplied with colouring matter, and on the otli«r a plain bit of wood, covered with felt, and supplied with gum. The whole is woiked by means of bellows. In working, the paper, winch has already been shaped by a die, is placed on the "tarrier," from which it is immediately tuken off by a powerful aspnation from the bellows, and carried forward to the " folding-box," when the " plunger" diops on it and squares, it, the " stampei" and " {jumnaer" on either side dropping himultaneously on the edges. By another operation these edges are blown down, and the envelope, now gummed and stamped, is thrown off the machine by a side opening. The machine is worked by steam, and is capable, we believe, of throwing off fiom fifty to Mxty envelopes per minute. Has it never struck any of our ingenious contemporaries, th.it the name " prince Arthur William Patrick Albert" was iUggested by the exclamation of the loyal Irishwoman, on the occasion of the royal visit to Dublin. — ' Och, Queen, dear, make one of them 'Prince PairicK,' and nil Ireland will die for you." If is at !ea»t delightful to think that this simple incident lived in the memory of our gracious Sovereign, and that the honest Irishwoman's burst of loyal enthusiasm has met with so grateful a response.— Dundee /ldvei User.