THE MEMOIRS OF FRANÇOIS RENÉ

VICOMTE DE CHATEAUBRIAND

SOMETIME AMBASSADOR TO ENGLAND

BEING A TRANSLATION BY ALEXANDER TEIXEIRA DE MATTOS
OF THE MÉMOIRES D’OUTRE-TOMBE WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
FROM CONTEMPORARY SOURCES. In 6 Volumes. Vol. IV

“NOTRE SANG A TEINT
LA BANNIÈRE DE FRANCE”

LONDON: PUBLISHED BY FREEMANTLE
AND CO. AT 217 PICCADILLY MDCCCCII

CONTENTS

VOLUME IV

BOOK VII 1-30

Changes in the world–The years 1815 and 1816–I am made a peer of
France–My first appearance in the tribune–Various speeches–The
_Monarchie selon la Charte_–Louis XVIII.–M. Decazes–I am struck
off the list of ministers of State–I sell my books and my Valley–My
speeches continued, in 1817 and 1818–The Piet meetings–The
_Conservateur_–Concerning the morality of material interests and that
of duty–The year 1820–Death of the Duc de Berry–Birth of the Duc de
Bordeaux–The market-women of Bordeaux–I cause M. de Villèle and M.
de Corbière to take office for the first time–My letter to the Duc
de Richelieu–Note from the Duc de Richelieu and my reply–Notes from
M. de Polignac–Letters from M. de Montmorency and M. Pasquier–I am
appointed Ambassador to Berlin–I leave for that embassy

BOOK VIII 31-63

The year 1821–The Berlin, Embassy–I arrive in Berlin–M.
Ancillon–The Royal Family–Celebrations for the marriage of the
Grand-duke Nicholas–Berlin society–Count von Humboldt–Herr von
Chamisso–Ministers and ambassadors–The Princess William–The
Opera–A musical meeting–My first dispatches–M. de Bonnay–The
Park–The Duchess of Cumberland–Commencement of a Memorandum on
Germany–Charlottenburg–Interval between the Berlin Embassy and
the London Embassy–Baptism of M. le Duc de Bordeaux–Letter to M.
Pasquier–Letter from M. de Bernstoff–Letter from M. Ancillon–Last
letter from the Duchess of Cumberland–M. de Villèle, Minister of
Finance–I am appointed Ambassador to London

BOOK IX 64-112

The year 1822–My first dispatches from London–Conversation with
George IV. on M. Decazes–The noble character of our diplomacy under
the Legitimacy–A parliamentary sitting–English society–Continuation
of the dispatches–Resumption of parliamentary labours–A ball
for the Irish–Duel between the Duke of Bedford and the Duke of
Buckingham–Dinner at Royal Lodge–The Marchioness Conyngham
and her secret–Portraits of the ministers–Continuation of my
dispatches–Parleys on the Congress of Verona–Letter to M. de
Montmorency; his reply foreshadowing a refusal–A more favourable
letter from M. de Villèle–I write to Madame de Duras–Death of
Lord Londonderry–Another letter to M. de Montmorency–Trip to
Hartwell–Note from M. de Villèle announcing my nomination to the
Congress–The end of old England–Charlotte–Reflexions–I leave
London–The years 1824, 1825, 1826 and 1827–Deliverance of the King
of Spain–My dismissal–The Opposition follows me–Last diplomatic
notes–Neuchâtel, in Switzerland–Death of Louis XVIII.–Coronation of
Charles X.–Reception of the knights of the Orders

BOOK X 113-146

I collect my former adversaries around myself–My public
charges–Extract from my polemics after my fall–Visit to
Lausanne–Return to Paris–The Jesuits–Letter from M. de Montlosier
and my reply–Continuation of my polemics–Letter from General
Sébastiani–Death of General Foy–The Law of Justice and Love–Letter
from M. Étienne–Letter from M. Benjamin Constant–I attain the
highest pitch of my political importance–Article on the King’s
saint’s-day–Withdrawal of the law on the police of the press–Paris
illuminated–Note from M. Michaud–M. de Villèle’s irritation–Charles
X. proposes to review the National Guard on the Champ de Mars–I write
to him: my letter–The review–The National Guard disbanded–The
Elective Chamber is dissolved–The new Chamber–Refusals to
co-operate–Fall of the Villèle Ministry–I contribute towards forming
the new ministry and accept the Roman Embassy–Examination of a reproach

BOOK XI 147-219

Madame Récamier–Childhood of Madame Récamier described by M. Benjamin
Constant–Letter to Madame Récamier from Lucien Bonaparte–Continuation
of M. Benjamin Constant’s narrative: Madame de Staël–Madame
Récamier’s journey to England–Madame de Staël’s first journey to
Germany–Madame Récamier in Paris–Plans of the generals–Portrait
of Bernadotte–Trial of Moreau–Letters from Moreau and Masséna to
Madame Récamier–Death of M. Necker–Return of Madame de Staël–Madame
Récamier at Coppet–Prince Augustus of Prussia–Madame de Staël’s
second journey to Germany–The Château de Chaumont–Letter from
Madame de Staël to Bonaparte–Madame Récamier and M. Mathieu de
Montmorency exiled–Madame Récamier at Châlons–Madame Récamier at
Lyons–Madame de Chevreuse–Spanish prisoners–Madame Récamier in
Rome–Albano-Canova: his letters–The Albano fisherman–Madame Récamier
in Naples–The Duc de Rohan-Chabot–King Murat: his letters–Madame
Récamier returns to France–Letter from Madame de Genlis–Letters from
Benjamin Constant–Articles by Benjamin Constant on Bonaparte’s return
from Elba–Madame de Krüdener–The Duke of Wellington–I meet Madame
Récamier again–Death of Madame de Staël–The Abbaye-aux-Bois

BOOK XII 220-304

My Embassy to Rome–Three kinds of materials-Diary of the road–Letters
to Madame Récamier–Leo XII. and the Cardinals–The ambassadors–The
old artists and the new artists–Old Roman society–Present manners
of Rome–Town and country–Letter to M. Villemain–Letter to Madame
Récamier–Explanation concerning the memorandum I am about to
quote–Letter to M. le Comte de La Feironnays–Memorandum on Eastern
Affairs–Letters to Madame Récamier–Letter to M. Thierry–Dispatch to
M. le Comte de La Ferronnays–More letters to Madame Récamier–Dispatch
to M. le Comte Portalis–Death of Leo XII.–Dispatch to M. le Comte
Portalis–Letter to Madame Récamier

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

VOL. IV