e held in check; fidelity and discipline
were evidently necessary; the associates of the chief could not desert,
and dared not to assail him with their importunities.

But during the course of the year 1822 the conspiracies were subdued,
the perils of the monarchy dissipated, the parliamentary combats,
although always bitter, had ceased to be questions of life and death,
and the preponderance of the right-hand party appeared to be firmly
established in the country as in the Chambers. Other difficulties and
dangers then began to rise up round M. de Villele. He had no longer
menacing enemies to hold his friends in check; disagreements, demands,
enmities, and intrigues beset him on every side. The first attacks
sprang from questions of internal policy, and originated in the bosom of
his own Cabinet.

I have no desire to pronounce severe judgment on the revolutions which
agitated Southern Europe from 1820 to 1822. It is hard to say to nations
badly governed, that they are neither wise nor strong enough to remedy
their own evils. Above all, in our days, when the desire for good
government is intense, and none believe themselves too weak to
accomplish what they wish, unrestrained truth on this subject offends
many sincere friends of justice and humanity. Experience, however, has
supplied numerous inferences. Of the three revolutions which occurred in
1820, those of Naples and Turin evaporated in a few months, without any
blow being struck, before the sole appearance of the Austrian troops.
The Spanish revolution alone survived, neither abandoned nor
established, pursuing its course by violent but uncertain steps,
incapable of founding a regular government and of suppressing the
resistance with which it was opposed, but still strong enough to keep
alive anarchy and civil war. Spain, under the influence of such
commotions, was a troublesome neighbour to France, and might become
dangerous. The conspirators, defeated at home, found shelter there, and
began to weave new plots from that place of refuge. In their turn, the
Spanish counter-revolutionists found an asylum in France, and prepared
arms on both sides of the Pyrenees. A sanatory line of troops, stationed
on our frontier to preserve France from the contagion of the
yellow-fever which had broken out in Catalonia, soon grew into an army
of observation. The hostile feeling of Europe, much more decided and
systematic, co-operated with the mistrust of France. Prince Metternich