ged his tactics; the minister of the
monarchical reaction became again the factious revolutionist. He caused
to be secretly published and circulated, "Reports to the King," and the
"Notes to the Foreign Ministers," less calculated to enlighten the
authorities he addressed, than to prepare for himself arms and allies
against the Government and the party, from which he saw that he was
about to be excluded. He was of the number of those who try to make
themselves feared, by striving to injure when they are no longer
permitted to serve.

Neither the liberal reforms of M. de Talleyrand, nor the revolutionary
menaces of the Duke of Otranto, warded off the danger which pressed on
them. Notwithstanding their extraordinary abilities and long experience,
both mistook the new aspect of the times, either not seeing, or not
wishing to see, how little they were in unison with the contests which
the Hundred Days had revived. The election of a Chamber decidedly
Royalist, surprised them as an unexpected phenomenon; they both fell at
its approach, and within a few days of each other; left, nevertheless,
after their common downfall, in opposite positions. M. de Talleyrand
retained credit; the King and his new Cabinet loaded him with gifts and
royal favours; his colleagues during his short administration, Messieurs
de Jaucourt, Pasquier, Louis and Gouvion St. Cyr, received signal marks
of royal esteem, and retired from the scene of action as if destined to
return. Having accepted the trifling and distant embassy to Dresden,
Fouche hastened to depart, and left Paris under a disguise which he only
changed when he reached the frontier, fearful of being seen in his
native land, which he was fated never again to behold.

The Cabinet of the Duke de Richelieu entered upon office warmly welcomed
by the King, and even by the party which had gained the ascendency
through the present elections. It was indeed a new and thoroughly
royalist Ministry. Its head, recently arrived in France, honoured by all
Europe, and beloved by the Emperor Alexander, was to King Louis XVIII.
what the king himself was to France, the pledge of a more advantageous
peace. Two of his colleagues, Messieurs Decazes and Dubouchage, had
taken no part in public affairs previous to the Restoration. The four
others, Messieurs Barbe-Marbois, de Vaublanc, Coretto, and the Duke of
Feltri, had recently given proofs of strong attachment to the regal
cause. Their union inspired hope witho