1716. ABBÉ DUBOIS. 229 But when the Regent became anxious for the friendship of England, he saw the necessity of yielding much, if not all, of his pretensions at Mardyke. He withdrew the negotiation from the reluctant and unfriendly management of M. de Chateauneuf, the French Resident at the Hague, and he determined to intrust it to his own most confidential adviser, the Abbé Dubois. The Abbé Dubois, afterwards Cardinal and Prime Minister, was at this time sixty years of age. His father was a poor apothecary, near Limoges. Young Dubois came to Paris in hopes of a bursarship at a college; but failing in this object, he combined an opportunity for learning with the means of livelihood by acting as servant to the Principal. He afterwards became tutor in the family of a tradesman named Maroy; and it is a curious fact, that young Maroy, who in the days of his poverty had been his pupil, in the days of his greatness became one of his postilions. A more favourable turn of fortune afterwards assigned to Dubois a subaltern post in the education of the Duke of Chartres, and the prince and the preceptor soon became inseparable friends. A ready wit, undaunted assurance, and sagacious counsels, recommended Dubois, who, moreover, did not scruple to augment his favour by the most shameful services. His agency triumphed over the virtue of rustic beauties, and introduced them by stealth into the apartments of the young Duke, at the Palais Royal; and, unlike some other teachers, Dubois always followed in his own conduct the same maxims which he prescribed or permitted to his pupil. On completing this excellent education, the venerable ecclesiastic was ** I used the word Abbé as most consistent with the present custom, although I believe that in sterling English writing the word Abbot should be employed to denote not only the real superior of a monastery, but also the titular distinction common amongst the French clergy. I find it used in the latter sense by the best writers of the best times of our literature, in the lively letters of Lady M. W. Montagu (vol. i. p. 97, &c. ed. 1820), the grave despatches of Bolingbroke (To Lord Strafford, March 7. 1712), and the masterly memoirs of Clarendon (Life, vol. iii. p. 356, &c. Oxf. ed.). I take the liberty of mentioning these authorities, having formerly been termed "a bigoted purist" for my use of the word Abbot in the War of the Succession (Edin. Review, No. cxii. p. 499.). for some time attached to the embassy of Marshal Tallard in England, but he always continued his connexion with the Palais Royal, and was looked upon by the Duke of Chartres, then of Orleans, as one of his surest and most steady counsellors. He adhered to that prince through good report and ill report; and, on returning, directed the political course of His Royal Highness with the highest degree of foresight and sagacity. His profligate character was, however, so notorious, that when Philip became Regent, it was not without much opposition and clamour that he could appoint him a counsellor of state. The Regent's own words on that occasion show his true opinion of his favourite: “Let me "beg of you, my dear Abbé, to be a little honest!"* The gross vices of Dubois, and his shamelessness in the high ecclesiastical dignities which he afterwards attained, have justly made his name infamous with later times. But they have also, less justly perhaps, dimmed his great reputation for talents. Where any one quality stands forth very prominently from a character either for good or evil, posterity in general confine their attention to that alone, and merge every other in it. We remember that Dubois was most unprincipled we forget that he was most able. It would be difficult to name another French statesman of the last century who more thoroughly understood at once the foreign relations and the domestic administration of his country, or who brought more skill, resolution, and activity to promote them, whenever they were combined with his own aggrandisement. We cannot but admire the vigour of an intellect which was never unnerved either by poverty in youth or by pleasure in old age; which triumphed over all his rivals for power; and raised him at length, a priest without religion and a politician without honour, to the highest pinnacles of the Church and of the State! "L'Abbé, un peu de droiture je t'en prie." (Sevelinges, Mémoires Secrets du Cardinal Dubois, 2 vols. Paris, 1814.) This is a very valuable work, compiled from the MS. correspondence of Dubois. I have found it particularly useful for the negotiations at Hanover and the Hague. It should be compared with the English documents printed in Coxe's Walpole. 1716. MEETING AT THE HAGUE. 231 In explanation of this remarkable phenomenon, we may also observe, that even in the smallest trifles, this accomplished knave had trained every faculty to the purpose of penetrating the thoughts of others, and concealing his own. Thus, for example, he had accustomed himself to a slight stammer in conversation, with the view of never being discomposed by any sudden question, and of gaining a few moments for reflection without appearing to pause." * Let us observe, likewise, that, notwithstanding his brilliant success, Dubois was anything but happy. "Would to Heaven," said he to Fontenelle, when in the fulness of his power, "that I were now living in a garret, with a single "servant, and fifteen hundred francs a year!" It was Dubois whom the Regent selected for the negotiation with England, not only on account of his superior dexterity, but also because, during his former residence in that country, he had had the advantage of forming a personal acquaintance, and even friendship, with Secretary Stanhope. He was therefore instructed to proceed to the Hague, at the time of King George's passage, under the pretence of buying books and pictures, and to endeavour, without any ostensible character, to see Stanhope, and to sound the intentions of the English Cabinet. Dubois fulfilled this mission with his usual address: he had several interesting conferences with Stanhope**, and convinced himself that, though there were still many difficulties and prejudices in the way of a treaty, yet that they should not be considered as insuperable. On hearing this opinion, and reading the minutes of what took place at the Hague, the Regent determined to employ Dubois in prosecuting what he had ably begun, and to send him on a second and more decisive mission. The Abbé accordingly set off for Hanover, which he reached on the 19th of August. He was still without any public character, con* Mém. de St. Simon, vol. xii. p. 190. ed. 1829. July, 1716. See the Mémoires Secrets de Sevelinges, vol. i. p. 189– 208.,.for an ample detail of these conferences, taken from the minutes of Dubois. In his cealed his name, and lodged at Stanhope's house. first interviews with that Minister, he endeavoured, by every artifice, to entrap his adversary, and obtain some advantage in the negotiation. Thus, at the outset, he offered none but very insufficient expedients with respect to Mardyke, proposing little more than to alter the sluices, whilst the same depth of water was still to be preserved; and attempting to perplex the whole matter by a great bundle of draughts and other papers, which he had brought with him. Stanhope, in answer, expressed himself determined not to recede in any respect from his original demand. "As to the "succession to the throne of France," says Stanhope, "I "offered to draw up an article with him, expressing His "Majesty's guarantee of the same to the Duke of Orleans in 66 as strong terms as he could suggest; but when we came "close to the point, I found that, notwithstanding the "guarantee of this succession be the only true and real "motive which induces the Regent to seek His Majesty's "friendship, yet the Abbé was instructed rather to have it "brought in as an accessory to the treaty, than to have an "article so framed as to make it evident that was his only "drift and intent. He insisted, therefore, very strongly for "three days, that His Majesty should in this treaty guarantee "the Treaty of Utrecht, the 6th article of which treaty con"tains every thing which relates to the succession of the "Crown of France."** It might easily be shown how much embarrassment and danger would have resulted to the new Government of England, had they been unwarily drawn in 66 * Hanover was at that period not a little overflowing with strangers. Lady M. W. Montagu describes the scene in her usual lively style: "The vast number of English crowds the town so much, it is very good luck to get one sorry room in a miserable tavern. I dined to-day with the "Portuguese ambassador, who thinks himself very happy to have two "wretched parlours in an inn. . . . . The King's company of French come"dians play here every night: they are well dressed, and some of them not "bad actors. His Majesty dines and sups constantly in public." To the Countess of Bristol, Nov. 25. 1716. **Despatch from Secretary Stanhope to Lord Townshend, dated Aug. 24. 1716, and printed in Coxe's Walpole, vol. ii. p. 68-72. It contains a full account of the whole negotiation at Hanover. See also the Mémoires de Sevelinges, vol. i. p. 213-221. 1716. NEGOTIATIONS AT HANOVER. 233 to accept this insidious proposal, and to guarantee the whole treaty so shamefully concluded by their predecessors. Stanhope accordingly met this request with a positive refusal. "The Abbé, finding me thus peremptory, talked of going "away immediately, which threat I bore very patiently; but, "thinking better of it, he brought himself to be satisfied, if "an article should be inserted to guarantee the 4th, 5th, and "6th articles of the Treaty of Utrecht between France and 'England, and the 31st between France and Holland, the "two former of which relate only to the succession of Eng"land, and the two latter contain every thing which concerns "that of France, and the renunciations upon which it is "founded." This scheme not being liable to the same objections as the former, Stanhope drew up an article accordingly, and laid it before the King, who approved of it, and desired him to endeavour to bring Dubois to consent to it, "which, however," adds Stanhope, "it has cost me three days' wrangling to do." 66 As to the Jacobite cause, the Abbé made no difficulties, but offered three expedients, by which the Pretender would be sent beyond the Alps, either before or immediately after the ratification of the treaty. Reserving the option of one of these, and leaving the article of Mardyke to be determined in England, the preliminaries were conditionally signed by Stanhope and Dubois, and immediately forwarded both to London and to the Hague, it having been intended from the first that the treaty should, if possible, be a triple one, so as to include the Dutch; and they, on their part, eagerly entering into these views, and seeing the wisdom of closely adhering to the policy of England. * On receiving the preliminaries, Lord Townshend and Mr. Methuen, who acted as Secretary of State during Stanhope's absence, expressed entire satisfaction, and only doubted whether the Regent would ever consent to demolish * Lord Townshend even complained of their being too anxious to treat "that forward disposition which appears in too many there for "negotiating with France." Mr. Poyntz to Secretary Stanhope, Sept. 8. 1716, O. S. Coxe's Walpole. |