The Creevey Papers
John Whishaw to Thomas Creevey, 10 February 1816
“Lincoln’s Inn, Feb. 10th, 1816.
“. . . We have had two distinguished foreigners for
some time in London—General de
Flahaut and Genl.
Sebastiani. The former was one of Napoleon’s
![]()
| 1815-16.] | WHO SHALL LEAD THE WHIGS? | 251 |
![]()
chief favourites, and is the
reputed son of Talleyrand by the present
Madame de Souza, formerly
Madame de Flahaut. He does not inherit the talents of
his parents, but is a handsome, accomplished and very agreeable officer, a
flattering specimen of the manners of the Imperial Court, which assuredly could
not boast of many such ornaments. Sebastiani is nearly the
reverse of all these, with somewhat of an air of pedantry and solemn
importance, of which you may recollect some traits in his famous dispatch. It
is a little curious to sit at table with a person formerly so much talked of,
and who contributed so much to the war of 1803. You may remember that he was
one of Pitt’s principal topics on
that occasion. . . .”
Auguste Charles Joseph Flahault de la Billardrie (1785-1870)
The illegitimate son of Charles Talleyrand; after education in England and serving as
aide-de-camp to Napoleon he took refuge in England upon the restoration of the Bourbons. In
1817 he married Margaret Mercer Elphinstone.
Emperor Napoleon I (1769-1821)
Military leader, First Consul (1799), and Emperor of the French (1804), after his
abdication he was exiled to Elba (1814); after his defeat at Waterloo he was exiled to St.
Helena (1815).
William Pitt the younger (1759-1806)
The second son of William Pitt, earl of Chatham (1708-1778); he was Tory prime minister
1783-1801.
