at
they would, had he attached himself to a more popular cause, but he
deserves much credit for having faithfully and constantly adhered to his
principles. M. Lamartine, the poet, who professes to be independent of
any party, is also a very admired speaker, and so was Sebastiani, but
now he is passing fast into the vale of years, and has lost that spirit
and energy which formerly gave much force to his speeches. M. Mole is
another of those statesmen who has filled the most important political
stations, but now is getting old and more quiet. As to dilating upon the
merits and demerits of those persons who compose the present ministry,
it would be but time lost, as they are so often changed in France that
their brief authority is often _brief_ indeed, and with the exception of
M. Guizot, (who is certainly a host within himself), and Marshal Soult,
there is not any character that is particularly prominent, or remarkable
for any extraordinary talent. The career of the Marshal is, I presume,
well known to most of my readers, and the manner in which he was
received in England proves the degree of estimation in which he was
there held. He was the son of a notary at St. Amand, where he was born
in 1769, being the same year which gave birth to Napoleon, Wellington,
and Mehemet Ali. Admiral Duperre, the Minister of Marine, served with
great credit to himself throughout the war, and commanded the force
which defeated our attempt to take the Isle of France, in 1810, and the
naval portion of the expedition employed in the capture of Algiers, was
placed under his orders. There are yet a good many men whose names have
been long and well known in the political world, who still take a more
or less active part in the affairs of the nation, amongst whom may be
cited the Baron Pasquier, President of the Chamber of Peers; M. Sauzet,
President of the Chamber of Deputies, and the ministers Duchatel for the
interior, Cunin Gridaine for commerce, Teste for public works, and
Lacave Laplagne for finances; to whom may be added the Duke de Broglie,
the Comte Montalivet, Dufaure, Joubert, Salvandy, Delessert, Isambert,
Ganneron, etc., also the brothers Dupin, the eldest highly celebrated as
an avocat, and the younger (Charles), for his writings upon the naval
department, upon statistics in general, and a very clever work upon
England. Amongst the extreme radicals, Ledru Rollin may be cited,
General Thiard, Marie, a barrister of rising talent, and a yo