4 JANUARY 1845, Page 17

Treating the retirement of M. Villemain from the French Ministry

as 4a political death," the Morning Chronicle sketches his characteristics. " In the Cabinet, M. Villemain was a friend of England, and a follower more of Marshal Soul than of M. Guizot. M. Villemain was eloquent, but ungainly. He resembled Curran, supposing Curran to have been swelled to his size. Their attitude and eloquence were not dissimilar. Villemain was poor, until those later days which saw him accumulate so many places. Still he remained to the last most simple in his habits. 4. There are,' he used to say, three sorts of Peers in France—Peers with their own carriage, Peers who drive in a hackney-coach, and Peers who ft,F43, an umbrella. I am of the last class.'"