It was at this period of peace and tranquillity that Talleyrand died, on the 17th of May, 1838, at eighty-two, after serving in his advanced age Louis Philippe as ambassador at London.  The Abbe Dupanloup, afterward bishop of Orleans, administered the last services of his church to the dying statesman.  Talleyrand had, however, outlived his reputation, which was at its height when he went to the Congress of Vienna in 1814.  Though he rendered great services to the different sovereigns whom he served, he was too selfish and immoral to obtain a place in the hearts of the nation.  A man who had sworn fidelity to thirteen constitutions and betrayed them all, could not be much mourned or regretted at his death.  His fame was built on witty sayings, elegant manners, and adroit adaptation to changing circumstances, rather than on those solid merits winch alone extort the respect of posterity.

The ministry of Count Mole was not eventful.  It was marked chiefly for the dissensions of political parties, troubles in Belgium, and threatened insurrections, which alarmed the bourgeoisie.  The king, feeling the necessity for a still stronger government, recalled old Marshal Soult to the head of affairs.  Neither Thiers nor Guizot formed part of Soult’s cabinet, on account of their mutual jealousies and undisguised ambition,—­both aspiring to lead, and unwilling to accept any office short of the premiership.

Another great man now came into public notice.  This was Villemain, who was made Minister of Public Instruction, a post which Guizot had previously filled.  Villemain was a peer of France, an aristocrat from his connections with high society, but a liberal from his love of popularity.  He was one of the greatest writers of this period, both in history and philosophy, and an advocate of Polish independence.  Thiers at this time was the recognized leader of the Left and Left Centre in the Deputies, while his rival, Guizot, was the leader of the Conservatives.  Eastern affairs now assumed great prominence in the Chamber of Deputies.  Turkey was reduced to the last straits in consequence of the victories of Ibrahim Pasha in Asia Minor; France and England adhered to the policy of non-intervention, and the Sultan in his despair was obliged to invoke the aid of his most dangerous ally, Russia, who extorted as the price of his assistance the famous treaty of Unkiar-Skelessi, which excluded all ships-of-war, except those of Russia and Turkey, from the Black Sea, the effect of which was to make it a Muscovite lake.  England and France did not fully perceive their mistake in thus throwing Turkey into the arms of Russia, by their eagerness to maintain the status quo,—­the policy of Austria.  There were, however, a few statesmen in the French Chamber of Deputies who deplored the inaction of government.  Among these was Lamartine, who made a brilliant and powerful speech against an inglorious peace.  This orator was now in the height of his fame, and but for his excessive vanity and sentimentalism might have reached the foremost rank in the national councils.  He was distinguished not only for eloquence, but for his historical compositions, which are brilliant and suggestive, but rather prolix and discursive.