Charles Maurice de Talleyrand Perigord, Prince of Benevento, died on
the evening of the 17th instant. His disease was a gangrene, which carried him off in the eighty-fourth year of his age. Some time before his death, he bad thought proper to make his peace with the Church of Rome. Many may have forgotten that Talleyrand was Bishop of Autun, and "assisted" at some remarkable scenes in the French Revolution in his capacity of Republican Prelate, not duly consecrated and appointed by the Pope. He officiated, in 1789, before the "altar of the country," in the Champ de Mars, and was excommu- nicated. In 1803, the Pope exempted him from all ecclesiastical vows. The Archbishop of Paris, although the dying diplomatist and states- man was relieved from the censure of the Pope, kept aloof from the bedside of the dying man ; but Louis Philip visited Talleyrand several times. Mole, Thiers, and other distinguished Frenchmen, were also ad- mitted into his chamber. Before his death, Talleyrand signed a re- tractation of his "religious errors." ' We are carefully informed of the circumstance by a correspondent of the Morning Post; who also assures the public, that "of late years Talleyrand had bestowed most serious thoughts upon the common lot of humanity." He appears to have re- tained to the last his habitual calmness of mind, and apparent indiffer- ence to every thing. He left the Dutchess de Ditto, his niece, all he had to leave. Talleyrand was always extravagant in his household and per- sonal expenditure ; and needed the 100,000 francs per annum which Louis the Eighteenth granted, and Louis Philip continued to him. There are memoirs which, according to the will, are not to be published till thirty years after his death. They are said to contain a laboured apology for his political life. His will is entirely in his own hand- writing. Of course there are doubts as to the sincerity of the religious acts which Talleyrand performed at the close of life. The Paris cor- respondent of the Times, says- " Divisions have broken forth among his relatives and fi iends as to the de. gree of sincerity which is to be attached to these last acts of piety of his so di- veruely-checketed life : whilst many affect to believe in their seriousness, and truth, others do not hesitate to pronounce them mere mummeries, adopted for the purpose of avoiding the scoodalons scenes which otherwise would necessarily have attended the burial of an excommunicated Bishop. " Amongst the latter, it is related, that M. Thiets had made himself remark- ably conspicuous. When the Prince gave up his last breath, that gentleman, who was among the numerous spectators of that awful spectacle, is said to have exclaimed, with a levity certainly inopportune and inisplaced, That by that pasquinade M. de Talleyrand was crowning a life of which he might have said
with more truth, like the Emperor Auirtisros •
aim, do you think out 'mouthed, Well, gentle- ...-se ',toyed my part well ? "But these inconsiderate words were uttered in the presence of a feminine champion, celebrated by the passion with which she has successively inspited M. de Chateaubriand and Count Mole, and who is now, although a very in. triguing politician, an apparently sincere devotee, who, taking up the cudgels in favour of Prince Talleyrand's sincere repentance, and in vindication 'It at least offended propriety, rudely assailed M. Thiers. Upon
ing to defend himself, the Countess de C. is iatter attempt. to liatie called him publicly 'a perfect blackguard.' N
ex- pected to allay the Now ;:o.ts very edifying scene can hardly be ex- the 1-• character of the relations already subsisting between
...se and present Presidents of the Council."
There are doubts as to the amount of the property Talleyrand has left. It is suspected that his estates are mortgaged to an immense amount. We have some reason to know that such is the case. The last words he uttered were addressed to Louis Philip, wh.. speared very much affected by them. The funeral took place on Tuesday, with considerable pomp. Minis- ters, Ambassadors, and members of the Royal Household attended it. The anecdotes of Talleyrand, poured out on the occasion of his death, are generally of a commonplace character ; but as they are re- laud of a really clever person and one who has filled a large space in his contemporary world, we select a few of them.
"Prince Talleyrand," says the Temps, " one day asked his secretary for a pamphlet which he wished to read after dinner, and the work was accordingly brought. In the evening, the Prince wee feund rasleep its his eitey.ehair, pamphlet was lying open at his feet, just as it had fallen from his ha5,177, was a violent libel against himself, which had been unable to fix his anon' s.
on the seurrillity which filled it pages. to
The Ansi de la Religion states, that although the Archbishop of Paris ee, not with Prince Talleyrand at the moment of his death. this Prelate bad Nen to his hotel twice during the day to make inquiries. "The Archbishop," continues this journal, " took great interest in the Prince, and declared the he would give his life to save him. On this being reported to the Prince, b, said, " Tbe Archbishop has a much better use for his life.' " As to the political memoirs which he leaves behind him, Prince Tongues! has directed that they shall not be published till thirty yeats after his death, But his secretary, M. Perrey, having possessed himself of a great part of the manuscript, it is believed that, unless great pecuniary sactifices be made, the defunct's intentions will be in a great measure frustrated. Among the pipm that M. Perrey is known to have possessed himself of, are satirical portrun pi Madame de Steel, Madame de Geniis, Count Mole, the Duke de Dail Duke de Choiseul, and more than one hundred other contemporaries.
The Prince, on Thursday morning, seeing his great niece, the daughter the Baron de Talleyrand, who had just taken her first common' • "Such is life. There you see its beginning—here its end." He then pw sensed his young relative with a watch.
It is also not yet cleared up whether the Prince really readily and willingly submitted himself to all those acts of penitence and confession which lase sealed his reconciliation with the Church of Rome, or whether great Wine has not been exercised to wring them from his dying moments. Some of hit intimate friends (and Count Montrond amongst others), are clamorous again, the mummerieu to which he has been subjected."
The Paris journals have obituary notices of the deceased politician, tinged with their various predilections, but all of them in effect desctih. ing him as an accomplished and successful scoundrel.
The Bavarian statesman, Von Rudbart, died at Trieste, on the llth instant.
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