Mocquard, secretary to the Emperor, saying that
the manner in which he had been treated in Decem-
ber, 1851, rendered such a step impossible. He
added that he thought he had the *' right to abstain
from a formality which would perhaps be painful
not alone to himself." Berryer 's letter and M. Moc-
quard 's reply thereto attracted considerable atten-
tion at the time. The latter said among other things
that *^the Emperor regrets that in the eyes of M.
Berryer, political interests outweigh the academi-
cian's duties. His presence at the Tuileries would
not have caused the embarrassment he appears to
fear. His Majesty occupying so high a position

406



EPISODES IN THE EMPEROR'S LIFE

could have seen in the Academy's chosen candidate
only the orator and author ; the adversary of to-day
would have been remembered only as the former
defender." But Berryer did not not go to the Tuile-
ries and remained in his self -chosen isolation, as far
as the Second Empire was concerned, to the end of
his life.
