r hardened lady politicians who talk of nothing
else, of whom I could name several, but will not.

PEMBROKE LODGE, _November_ 24, 1848

We have just had a visit from Louis Philippe. He spoke much of
France--said that his wishes were with Louis Bonaparte rather than
with Cavaignac for the presidency.

John expressed some fear of war if Louis Bonaparte should be
elected; the King said he need have none, that France had neither
means nor inclination for war. His account of the dismissal of
Guizot's Ministry was that he said to Guizot "What's to be
done?"--that Guizot gave him three answers: "Je ne peux pas donner
la Reforme. Je ne peux pas laisser dissoudre la garde nationale. Je
ne peux pas laisser tirer les troupes sur la garde nationale." Upon
this he had said to Guizot that he must change his Ministry: "Cela
l'a peut-etre un peu blesse--ma foi, je n'en sais rien. Il a dit
que non, que j'etais le maitre."

When he heard that the National Guard said, if the troops fired on
the mob, _they_ would fire on the troops, he knew that "la
chose etait finie," and when he went out himself among the National
Guard, to see what the effect of his presence would be, La
Moriciere called out to him, "Sire, si vous allez parmi ces gens-la
je ne reponds pas de votre vie. Ils vont tirer sur vous." He
answered whatever might come of it he would "parler a ces braves
gens"; but they surrounded him, grinning and calling out "La
Reforme, nous voulons la Reforme," pointing their bayonets at him
and even over his horse's neck.

_Lady John Russell to Lady Mary Abercromby_

WOBURN ABBEY, _December_ 10, 1848

The great question of the French Presidency is decided, whether for
good or for evil to other countries none can foresee, but certainly
to the disgrace of their own. For here is a man, known only by a
foolish attempt to disturb France, to whom no party gives credit
for either great or good qualities, raised to the highest dignity
in the new Republic, one of the advantages of which was to be that
men should rise by their own merits alone. The common language of
Frenchmen, or at least of French Royalists on the subject, is that
they consider his election as a step to the restoration of
Monarchy--but it is a shabby way of making the step, or it may
prove a false one. You know we have ha