"Anger and çoisRenéenvy are evil counsellors; it is not by means of the passions and by proceeding with jerks and starts that States are governed.
"_P.S._--The Septennial Act has been passed this evening in the Chamber of Deputies. One may say that M. de Chateaubriand's doctrines triumph after he has left the Ministry. This Act, which he had long ago conceived as the complement of our institutions, will, together with the Spanish War, for ever mark his passing in public life. It is very keenly regretted that M. de Corbière should, on Saturday, have snatched the opportunity of speaking from him who was then his illustrious colleague. The Chamber of Peers would at least have heard the swan's song.
"As for ourselves, it is with the liveliest regret that we enter again upon a career of combats which we hoped that we had, thanks to the union of the Royalists, abandoned for ever; but honour, political loyalty, the good of France do not permit us to hesitate as to the course which we should take."
The signal for the reaction was thus given. M. de Villèle was not too much alarmed by it at first; he did not know the strength of men's opinions. Many years were necessary to overthrow him, but he fell at last.
I received from the President of the Council a letter which settled everything and which proved, to my great simplicity, that I had taken nothing of that which makes a man respected and respectable:
"I have hastened to lay before His Majesty the Order by which you are granted a full and entire discharge for the sums which you have received from the Royal Treasury, for secret expenses, during the whole time of your ministry.
"The King has approved of all the provisions of this Order, which I have the honour to forward you herewith in the original.
My friends and I expedited a prompt correspondence:
THE VICOMTE DE CHATEAUBRIAND TO THE MARQUIS DE TALARU[229]
"I am no longer minister, my dear friend; they contend that you are. When I obtained the Madrid Embassy for you, I said to several persons who still remember it:
"I am anxious to have been a prophet. M. de Villèle is holding the portfolio _ad interim._
THE VICOMTE DE CHATEAUBRIAND TO THE COMTE DE RAYNEVAL[230]
"I have finished, monsieur; I hope that you have still plenty before you. I have endeavoured that you should have no reason to complain of me.