xx) COUNT PRBSIGNY ON THE EMPIRR. 763

‘Ponsible and improper influence over the acts of the Emperor.
He blamed M. Fould for having encouraged and flattered
'he Emperor into this habit of ruling by his personal will,
tdependent of his Ministers, by which he was bringing
Sreat danger on his dynasty; that he had not the genius
of the first; Napoleon, to whom his flatterers compared him,
Or his mastery of details ; and that in attempting to interfere
With everything, nothing was properly superintended. That
be (Count de P.) was very unhappy at this state of things;
that he had been for some years remonstrating against it;
that he was now penning another memorial on the subject, a
‘ough copy of which he had in his pocket; and that if he
failed to effect the desired reform, he should retire from the
Service of the Emperor, and withdraw altogether from public
life; that he was entitled to a salary of 1200L a year as
Senator, or to a pension of 40001. a year as privy councillor;
that he should not accept either, but would gather together
bis small private fortune and retire upon that.”
“ April 26.—Called on M. Herbet, the Chairman of the
French commission for arranging the details of the Treaty.
M. Herbet had been six years Consul at London. In the
course of conversation he remarked good-humouredly upon
the aristocratic manners of the English people. When he
went first to London he wag a junior attaché to the Embassy,
and he was then a welcome guest at the tables of the great;
but when he was appointed Consul-general, with important
duties and 40,000 francs per annum, he was no longer
comme l faut, and found himself hardly worthy to be the
Buest of our principal merchants.
“ May 20.—Breakfasted with Emile de Girardin, and after-Wards
 sat with him in his garden whilst he gave me the
Bonaparte programme of foreign policy, which in brief
amounted to this :——that France must extend her frontier to
the Rhine, after which the Emperor could afford to grant

1860.

Ar. 58.