day, they were either denied to have occurred, or attributed to some evil and mysterious cause. We should have been happy to make further reference to Mr. Madden's two volumes and touched upon the really interesting chapters on Swedenborg, Maniacal Epidemics, the Flagellation Mania, the Convulsive Chorea, as well as what is termed Theomania. It is only fair to remark that Mr. Madden has collected in these volumes a large and varied mass of information on the subject

of mental disease and excitation. We could wish, however, that the matter had been arranged more commodiously, and that the work had indicated a greater faculty in our author for order and symmetry. The subject is specially interest ing at the present moment, when electrobiology, clairvoyance, and spirit-rapping among the learned experimentals, and witchcraft and magic amongst the ig norant and superstitious, find unqualified acceptance.

From Colburn's New Monthly Magazine.

KING SWORD

AND

As the Memoirs of the Duke of Ragu-| sa, which have afforded so curious an insight into the condition of France, military and political, during the last fifty years, are drawing to their close, they are arousing a vast amount of acrimony and ill-will in Paris. This was naturally to be expected, for the last portion of the Memoirs refers to statesman and warriors, some of whom are still left on the scene, or whose death has been so recent that they still live in the memory of their contemporaries. Hence, too, considerable hesitation has been evinced by the editor: originally he designed that the Memoirs should terminate with the overthrow of Charles X.; but fortunately he has altered his mind, and brought them down to the year 1841. The history of two such reigns requires hardly any commentary: it has been already verified by succeeding events, and the Bourbons, true to their character of learning nothing and forgetting nothing, paved the way for that happier state of things which can alone secure the prosperity and welfare of France.

“Mémoires du Maréchal Marmont." Vols. 8 and

9. Paris: Perratin.

In truth, the French were magnanimous in the extreme: they allowed Charles X. the greatest latitude; and even when the pressure grew intolerable, they urged him to concessions which might have secured the throne for his family; and when at length they rose in self-defense, their treatment of the bigoted king was marked with a degree of moderation, which may probably be ascribed to the contempt they felt. The reign of Charles X. commenced under the most flattering auspices, and his abolition of the censorship put the crown on his popularity. But a false step soon changed the current of public opinion. The king had said to the general officers who followed Louis XVIII. on foot to the tomb: "You accompanied my brother's remains on foot; henceforth you will be near my person on horseback." A few days later thep were dismissed on half-pay. It is supposed that this ungracious step was insisted upon by M. de Villèle, who was jealous of the popularity the king had acquired with the army, and wished to show that the power was in himself alone. The clergy, too, soon did their share in estranging the public mind:

1857.]

KING SWORD AND KING PEN.

"I must confess that the intriguing movements | whole world was aware. But as regards of the French clergy were perceptible every the praises he bestows on Russia, we are where. Now, if the French nation is religious bound to be silent; for the French emand disposed to render to the priests all that is bassador evidently succumbed to that rare We may make their due in the interests of morality and religion, the priests become an object of antipathy fascination which is the specialty of the to them as soon as they interfere in secular Russian reigning house. matters and yet, among us, it is a mania of room, however, for one anecdote referring theirs to do so. They were found in the to the present emperor: provinces to be intriguants, and insubordinate toward their superiors; and, at court, seizing every opportunity to interfere in the highest Whatever lengths they political questions. might go to, they were always sure of impunity. A mandate of the Cardinal de Croï, Chaplaingeneral of the Army, and Archbishop of Rouen, an honest man, but passive instrument of the intriguers by whom he was surrounded, caused intense excitement. In this extravagant publication he seized the civil authority, and upset all the laws which governed the kingdom. This, however, produced no unpleasant results, so far as he was concerned. Prince Metternich, who was then at Paris, said to me: 'At Vienna, a priest, for such conduct, would have been stripped of his office and sent to a seminary.' But Cardinal De Croï did not even receive a reThis mode of action, so primand from royalty. terrible in its effects, was felt everywhere, even in the army. The chaplains of divisions had too great authority conceded them, which humiliated the officers. They made regular reports to the chaplain-general. They sent notes about the conduct of the officers, and the minister of war frequently gave appointments in accordance with them. More than once the chaplain-general overthrew the labors of the inspectors. In what country could such a system possibly succeed?"

The death of the Emperor Alexander
secured Marmont the embassy to Russia,
to which country he proceeded, with a
magnificent retinue, in February, 1826.
On the road, he stopped at Berlin, to pay
a visit to the king. He speaks in high
terms of all the military arrangements of
the Prussians, and the simplicity which
characterized the court. Among other
sights, he visited the arsenal, which was
decorated with an immense number of
captured French flags. He consoled him
self, however, on closer examination, by
finding that these flags had belonged to
the French regiments before the eagles
were given in exchange. They had been
found in a store during the occupation of
Paris. There was also a large quantity
of flags belonging to the Garde Nationale;
and, as Marmont justly says, all these
flags, collected with such care and dis-
played with such pride to the ignorant,
only attested the entrance of foreign ar-
mies into France and Paris, of which the
VOL. XLII.-NO. I.

"I witnessed with admiration the education
given by Nicholas to his son, a charming prince
of rare beauty, and in whom time will doubtless
develop great qualities. I asked the Emperor
to allow me to be presented to him, and he re-
plied: You want to turn his head. It would
be a fine motive of pride for the little fellow, if
he were to receive the homage of a general who
has commanded armies. I am much affected by
your wish to see him, and you can satisfy it
when you go to Zarsko Zelo. You will have an
opportunity to meet my children. You will ex-
amine them, and talk with them; but a formal
introduction would be unsuitable. I wish to
make a man of my son before I make a prince of
him.' The entire staff of this heir to a great
empire consisted of a lieutenant-colonel, his
governor, and the masters engaged in his educa-
tion. More than once, the emperor, on hearing
the details of the education of the Duke of Bor-
deaux, lamented with me the ridiculous pomp
which surrounded that prince from his birth."

The coronation at Moscow was accom-
panied by an event of great importance-
the unexpected arrival of Constantine, who
had long declined being present. Even
for that sanguinary tyrant Marmont can
find words of apology-almost of praise.
The only thing that can be justly said in
his favor is, that he was sensible of his
own defects, and therefore resigned the
throne; but beyond that our sympathies
with the butcher of Warsaw can not go.
For the Emperor Nicholas, the effects of
his visit were incalculable; for the Rus-
sians are great sticklers for the hereditary
right of kings, and they could not quite
comprehend the escamotage which had
taken place. Constantine's presence at
the coronation showed the legitimacy of
the succession, and every murmur was
hushed. After the coronation festivities
were over, Marmont had the distinguished
honour of dining en famille with the em-
peror, who added to the honor of the
invitation by the remark: "I have asked
you to a dinner without ceremony; you
will dine with Madame de Nicholas."
With the dessert entered the heir-appar-
ent, who went through his exercise as a
private in the presence of the guests.
Who can doubt but that Nicholas had

5

66

thenceforward one stanch partisan the more at the court of France. It is, in truth, surprising at what a cheap rate monarchs can purchase friendship. After leaving Moscow, Marmont spent some days with Constantine at Warsaw. The grand duke, he tells us, was not a great general, for he was deficient in one of the most indispensable qualities. He also takes occasion of this visit to give us his views of the Russian army. The only noteworthy paragragh, as applying to recent events, is the following:

men.

"To prove the indispensable slowness of recruiting in the Russian army, I will mention a recent fact. At the period when I quitted Russia, the army was at such a strength that, after deducting the troops in Asia, Finland, and the home garrisons, there were 300,000 men in readiness to be concentrated on any point, in addition to the army of Poland and the Cossacks. The two Turkish campaigns carried off by illness, plagues, etc., and the enemy's fire, 200,000 This estimate may appear exaggerated, but it was made by Prince Woronzoff, one of the most celebrated Russian generals, whose assertion is an authority for me. The state of Europe not being alarming, the authorities did not hasten to fill up their places. When the Polish insurrection broke out, in 1830, scarce 120,000 men could be collected. During that war, which lasted nine months, the utmost strength concentrated did not exceed 150,000 men, which prolonged the contest. The great strength of the Russian army, in 1826, resulted from the levies extraordinary of 1812 and 1813, which were only disposable in 1815, and were kept up by peace having endured since that period."

The embassy to Russia, although flattering to Marmont's pride, was his ruin in a financial point of view. During his absence, his affairs fell into such a state of confusion, that he was forced to sell up every thing to satisfy his creditors, and only reserved to his own use five hundred a year. The king lent him £20,000 in his hour of need; but the revolution of July finally stripped him of all the hopes he had entertained of being able to rescue his paternal property. A prospect was held out to him of the supreme command of the expedition to Algiers, but this he was eventually juggled out of by the minister But these personal matters need not detain us; events were daily occurring in Paris which presaged the impending storm, the most important of which was the dissolution of the National Guard. On Louis XVIII.'s return to France, he

of war.

had decided that the National Guard
should perform the service at the palace
on the 3d of May, being the anniversary
of his entrance into Paris. This was
kept up by Charles X., who, however, al-
tered the day to the 12th day of April,
the anniversary of his entry in 1814. It
was also the custom to have a grand re-
view of the National Guard on this occa-
sion. Things went on quietly till 1827,
when the populace began to grow dis-
satisfied, and the king was inclined to de-
fer the review sine die, but was over-per-
suaded by the Duke of Reggio,
The absolutist
commandant of the force.
party did all in their power to exacerbate
the people, and spread rumors that the
king's life would be endangered at this re-
view. The troops were consigned to
their barracks, and cartridges issued to
them. On the appointed day, 50,000 men
of the Garde Nationale assembled on the
Champ de Mars. Things went on very
quietly, the only exceptions being, that in
three of the legions the cry of" Vive le
Roi!" was accompanied by others of
"Down with the Ministers!" "Down
with Villèle!" and isolated shouts of
"Down with the Jesuits!" After the
troops had marched past, the Duke of
Reggio went up to the king to receive his
orders. Charles X. replied to him, in our
author's hearing: "M. le Maréchal, you
will issue a general order, in which you
will inform the National Guard of my sa-
tisfaction with the number and excellent
appearance of those present at the review,
as well as the sentiments expressed on my
behalf, while adding my regret that a few
cries which it pains me to hear were
mixed with them."

per

"The king set out for the Tuileries. On arriving there and dismounting, he took leave of us at the foot of the staircase. He came up to me and said, with that air of bonhomie peculiar to him, 'Come, there were more good than bad.' I immediately replied, Why, more than seven eighths were good.' Such was the king's temwhen he returned home; but the legion of the Chaussée d'Antin, the same which had uttered hostile cries, while passing under the windows of the Minister of Finance, set up one hoarse shout of 'Down with Villèle !' minister was dining with M. Appony, the Austrian embassador, and was immediately informed of the insult. In this fury he quitted the table and went to the Tuileries, where he induced the king to order the dissolution of the National Guard. The men on duty were dismissed hurriedly and disgracefully in the middle of the

The

1

night, without having even been relieved from other hand, his resolution is unchangeable, their posts."