duct with Austria, Prussia, and Russia, or to recall at once,
as they wished to do, her Minister at Madrid, and thus to give up all
renewed attempts at conciliation. It was said that, while using this
language, he had his resignation already prepared and visible in his
portfolio. Powerful supporters were not wanting to this policy. The Duke
of Wellington, recently arrived in Paris, had held a conversation with
M. de Villele, and also with the King, on the dangers of an armed
intervention in Spain, and proposed a plan of mediation, to be concerted
between France and England, to induce the Spaniards to introduce into
their constitution the modifications which the French Cabinet itself
should indicate as sufficient to maintain peace. Louis XVIII. placed
confidence in the judgment and friendly feeling of the Duke of
Wellington; he closed the debate in the Council by saying, "Louis XIV.
levelled the Pyrenees; I shall not allow them to be raised again. He
placed my family on the throne of Spain; I cannot let them fall. The
other sovereigns have not the same duties to fulfil. My ambassador
ought not to quit Madrid, until the day when a hundred thousand
Frenchmen are in march to replace him." The question thus decided
against the promises he had made at Verona, M. de Montmorency, on whom a
few days before, and at the suggestion of M. de Villele, the King had
conferred the title of Duke, suddenly tendered his resignation. The
'Moniteur,' in announcing it, published a despatch which M. de Villele,
while holding _ad interim_ the portfolio of foreign affairs, addressed
to Count de Lagarde, the King's minister at Madrid, prescribing to him
an attitude and language which still admitted some chance of
conciliation; and three days later M. de Chateaubriand, after some
display of appropriate hesitation, replaced M. de Montmorency as Foreign
Minister.

Three weeks had scarcely passed over, when the Spanish Government,
controlled by a sentiment of national dignity more magnanimous than
enlightened, by popular enthusiasm, and by its own passions, refused all
constitutional modification whatever. The ambassadors of the three
Northern Powers had already quitted Madrid. The Count de Lagarde
remained there. On the refusal of the Spaniards, M. de Chateaubriand
recalled him, on the 18th of January, 1823, instructing him at the same
time, in a confidential despatch, to suggest the possibility of amicable
measures; and of this he also apprised the