CHAPTER XV.

New Year's Day-Party Spirit-Mass for Louis XVI.— Missionaries-Law of Elections-Profession of a Novice -Racine-French Drama-Departure from Toulouse.

January 1st, 1819. THE weather for the last ten days has been bitterly cold; the thermometer has been below the freezing point, with snow, and sleet, and fog. This is a day of great bustle in France. All the equipages in Toulouse are rattling about, leaving cards of congratulation; for it would be a breach of politeness amongst acquaintance not to exchange visits on this day.-New year's gifts seem more in vogue in France than in England.

16th. The agitation of the public mind, produced by the late reports of changes in the ministry, seems at last to be tranquillized by the appointment of M. de Cazes and his friends. The heat and irritation produced here by the rumour of the appointment of an ultra-royalist ministry, which was believed for four-and-twenty hours, was excessive. The ultra-royalist party awaited the arrival of the next courier with the most intense

anxiety; and if it had brought a confirmation of their hopes, there is no saying what outrages and excesses might not have been committed. The ultra-royalist party in the south of France is characterized by the spirit which massacred the protestants at Nismes; the green cockade is its ensign, and this party is more royalist than the king himself; who is regarded by them as an apostate from the old principles of the ancient régime. These then say, as the friends of our second Charles said, that Louis has interpreted the oubli and pardon of his brother's dying injunctions, into an act of amnesty to his enemies, and an act of oblivion of his friends. On the other hand, the anxiety of those who have benefited by the Revolution— that is, the great mass of the people—was equally evident; for they are taught to regard the appointment of an ultra-royalist ministry, as synonymous with a re-establishment of the tithes of the clergy, and the feudal rights of the seigneur, and a resumption of all the property which has been purchased under edicts of confiscation.

This last is the tenderest point of all; and it is certainly a hard case, that a man who was obliged either to fly his country or lose his head, should upon his return find his estate in the possession of

one of his own servants, who perhaps purchased it for almost nothing during the troubles of the Revolution. But this, it is to be feared, is one of those instances of injustice, which, by being committed and defended by numbers, is placed beyond the reach of punishment; for it is impossible to "indict a whole nation." The sentence of Fiat justitia would be accompanied with a popular convulsion, equivalent to the ruat cœlum of the original maxim; which however true in morals, will not always hold good in politics, of which expediency is the basis: and in which, I believe, we must be contented with what is practicable when we cannot attain what is desirable.

18th. Le Préfet's ball. The Prefect, who is considered, like our Lord Lieutenant, as the representative of the sovereign in the department over which he presides, keeps up a certain state, and amongst other entertainments gives a ball every Monday. The ball was but a shabby business;-three fiddlers, and no supper. Cotillions and quadrilles are so soon over, and the ladies are pledged so many deep, that every French beau is armed with his pencil and tablets to record his engagements, which he claims by presenting his partner with a bouquet of flowers. There is a

very striking contrast between the fashion of the English and French ladies' dress, in disposing the drapery of the neck; and the advantage is for once so much on the side of the latter, in decorum and propriety, that I am surprised our countrywomen are not shamed into an imitation of it.

21st. Solemn service at the cathedral for the repose of the soul of Louis XVI.-The Prefect and the municipality, and the whole body of the professors of the university, attended this mourning ceremonial in grand costume. The church was hung with black, and the funeral anthem was beautiful.

The king's will was read from the pulpit; but, as far as it is possible to judge of the tone and sentiment of a public assembly, it did not appear to me that the impression produced upon the multitude was such as the authors of the ceremony must have contemplated. It might have been different at the first celebration of the anniversary of his murder; and perhaps it would have been better to have limited the mourning to one single occasion; for such feelings must in their nature be transient, and in time pass away altogether. What, for instance, can be more ridiculous than the pretended mournful observance of the 30th of January in

England? By the way, it is rather a singular coincidence that January was the month fatal alike to Louis and Charles, as May was the common month of the restoration of their successors ;-it will be for the Comte d'Artois to take care that the parallel between the families does not continue further.

22d. In the evening to the theatre. The play was Edouard en Ecosse; founded on the adventures of the Pretender in England, the work of M. Duval, who is fond of dramatising English story. The part of Charles Edward was admirably played by Beauchamp. His face and appearance, when he first comes in, pale and worn out with fatigue, presented a striking resemblance of Napoleon. The political allusions, with which the play abounds, were eagerly seized throughout, and applied to the Ex-Emperor.-" Je n'ai fait que des ingrats" was long and loudly applauded. In the last act of the play the air of " God save the King" was incidentally introduced; which afforded the audience an opportunity of manifesting their feeling towards England, which they did not neglectand an universal hiss broke out. A pantomime followed, but a very faint imitation of the inimitable entertainment which is called by that name in