I felt convinced the present system could not continue long in France.  It might do for a few years, as a reaction; but when things were restored to their natural course, it would be found that there is an unnatural union between facts that are peculiar to despotism, and facts that are peculiarly the adjuncts of liberty; as in the provisions of the Code Napoleon, and in the liberty of the press, without naming a multitude of other discrepancies.  The juste milieu that he had so admirably described[4] could not last long, but the government would soon find itself driven into strong measures, or into liberal measures, in order to sustain itself.  Men could no more serve “God and Mammon” in politics than in religion.  I then related to him an anecdote that had occurred to myself the evening of the first anniversary of the present reign.

[Footnote 4:  When the term juste milieu was first used by the King, and adopted by his followers, Lafayette said in the Chamber, that “he very well understood what a juste milieu meant, in any particular case; it meant neither more nor less than the truth, in that particular case:  but as to a political party’s always taking a middle course, under the pretence of being in a juste milieu, he should liken it to a discreet man’s laying down the proposition that four and four make eight, and a fool’s crying out, ’Sir, you are wrong, for four and four make ten;’ whereupon the advocate for the juste milieu on system, would be obliged to say, ’Gentlemen, you are equally in extremes, four and four make nine.’” It is the fashion to say Lafayette wanted esprit.  This was much the cleverest thing the writer ever heard in the French Chambers, and, generally, he knew few men who said more witty things in a neat and unpretending manner than General Lafayette.  Indeed this was the bias of his mind, which was little given to profound reflections, though distinguished for a fort bon sens.]

On the night in question, I was in the Tuileries, with a view to see the fireworks.  Taking a station a little apart from the crowd, I found myself under a tree alone with a Frenchman of some sixty years of age.  After a short parley, my companion, as usual, mistook me for an Englishman.  On being told his error, he immediately opened a conversation on the state of things in France.  He asked me if I thought they would continue.  I told him, no; that I thought two or three years would suffice to bring the present system to a close.  “Monsieur,” said my companion, “you are mistaken.  It will require ten years to dispossess those who have seized upon the government, since the last revolution.  All the young men are growing up with the new notions, and in ten years they will be strong enough to overturn the present order of things.  Remember that I prophesy the year 1840 will see a change of government in France.”