Frontispiece to the Biography of Lois Napoleon

But did James Augustus St John inform^[1], influence or reflect the politics of his age?

In The ‘Court Circular’ of ’The Times’ on Wednesday Mar 26, 1851 - a gossip column of the age - there is a brief note that: ‘Mr J.A.St John had an interview yesterday with Earl Gray.”^[2]

The occasion had been, presumably, more than afternoon tea! The ‘Times’ might be referring to the third Earl Grey - Henry George Grey - who had been colonial secretary at the time. But what did they discuss? Editorial policy? James Augustus St John did contribute an article to ‘Bentley’s Miscellany’ in which he advocates building defensive works against a French invasion, but that is merely being prudent.

This article: |“GOVERNMENT PLAN FOR THE DEFENCE OF THE COUNTRY.’ had been a contribution to the 1848 edition of ‘Bentley’s Miscellany’ edited by Charles Dickens. Mr J. A St John begins: We are the only people in the civilized world who, though intent on the accumulation of wealth, neglect all precautions for its defence,’ and then he argues persuasively for the establishment of a ‘militia’ - a’ Dad’s Army’ - as a bulwark against invasion from abroad and, in particular, invasion by the French.

But why this disquietude in 1848? Why were the French to be feared? The ‘Battle of Waterloo’ had been won in 1815 and Napoleon had died in 1821?

Mr St John laments the decline of the French army. “They are not what they were in former days.’ he sighs, no doubt recollecting a time when the French soldiers were: ‘the representatives of the civilization of the kingdom.” Now he states firmly:,‘They are but a fierce, immoral, reckless horde.’

He attributes their sorry state to the French campaign in Algeria which began in 1830 and did not end until 1847. The French, Mr St John comments, in tones resembling today’s rabid press - or the oratory of a parliamentarian, ‘have been guilty of more and worse crimes against humanity than any other army whose exploits are on record. Burning villages, massacring the inhabitants, shutting men up in caves, and roasting them there alive, with every other excess which villainy can conceive and brutality can execute, have been their habitual achievements.”

But did J.A. St John have inside information? Two of his sons, Percy and Bayle St John, were French corespondents. Percy B St John’s eyewitness account. of the 1848 French revolution is now used as a primary historical resource.^[3].

J.A, St John’s interest in the politics of France continued well after this date and his biography^[4]. ’LOUIS NAPOLEON’ Emperor of the French’ was published in 1857^[5].

It is possible that J.A St John had met Napoleon 111 as Napoleon spent time in England before and after his reign and lived, part of the time, at St John’s Wood.

But, in 1848, Mr St John gives one reason for a French invasion - rancour over their defeat by the British - and he imagines what the soldiers would find when they embarked on Great Britain’s shores: ‘They would here have much to revenge, since they could not fail to discover at every step trophies snatched from them on the field of battle, bitter mementos of defeat, the flags of their ships of war, magnificent pieces of artillery, and statues and monuments erected to celebrate victories over them.’ And what would the French troops do? Pillage and rape? Again, Mr St John leaves little to the imagination: “’.... they regard with unbounded prejudice, amounting in most cases to a rooted dislike, the inhabitants of all the surrounding countries, while, with respect to the English, this dislike degenerates into a rancorous and unappeasable hatred. ‘

The British are, naturally, of an entirely different nature, But, as Mr St John points out, the exigencies of war and the experience of peace, had led to a certain relaxation of morals and vigilance and he notes with regret “’... war having been the cause to us of much calamity, of an immense national debt, and of great private sorrow and suffering, we hastily and credulously adopted the belief that it was the last of our great trials as a nation, and that we should thenceforward be able to play the epicureans, and indulge in all the fantastic tricks of luxury and effeminacy.’ But all is not lost. And the reason? Mr St John is of the opinion that the fate of Great Britain is in good hands and he paints a comforting portrait of the prevailing Prime Minister: ‘Instead of being as superficial persons have supposed, a warlike minister, his lordship is the most pacific of all states- men; but, thoroughly understanding human nature as he does, he never dreams of preserving the tranquillity of the world by exposing the wealth and possessions of this empire as a bait to excite the ambition and cupidity of our neighbours.”

Lord Palmerston is in control and: ‘ We have now made the discovery that our interests as a nation could be in no safer hands ; and, reasoning from the past to the future, it will, in my opinion, be our wisest course to place the fullest confidence in his wisdom and genius.’ But did James Augustus St John inform, influence or reflect the politics of his age? Perhaps something of all three.

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