Lord Palmerston, who had succeeded Lord Aberdeen as foreign secretary, was exceedingly indignant at this royal trick; for Louis Philippe had distinctly promised Queen Victoria, when he entertained her at his royal chateau in Normandy, that this marriage of the Duc de Montpensier should not take place until Queen Isabella was married and had children.  Guizot also came in for a share of the obloquy, and made a miserable defence.  The result of the whole matter was that the entente cordiale between the governments of France and England was broken,—­a great misfortune to Louis Philippe; and the English government was not only indignant in view of this insincerity, treachery, and ambition on the part of the French king, but was disappointed in not securing the hand of Queen Isabella for Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg.

Meanwhile corruption became year by year more disgracefully flagrant.  It entered into every department of the government, and only by evident corruption did the king retain his power.  The eyes of the whole nation were opened to his selfishness and grasping ambition to increase the power and wealth of his family.  In seven years a thousand million francs had been added to the national debt.  The government works being completed, there was great distress among the laboring classes, and government made no effort to relieve it.  Consequently, there was an increasing disaffection among the people, restrained from open violence by a government becoming every day more despotic.  Even the army was alienated, having reaped nothing but barren laurels in Algeria.  Socialistic theories were openly discussed, and so able an historian as Louis Blanc fanned the discontent.  The Press grew more and more hostile, seeing that the nation had been duped and mocked.  But the most marked feature of the times was excessive venality.  “Talents, energy, and eloquence,” says Louis Blanc, “were alike devoted to making money.  Even literature and science were venal.  All elevated sentiments were forgotten in the brutal materialism which followed the thirst for gold.”  The foundations of society were rapidly being undermined by dangerous theories, and by general selfishness and luxury among the middle classes.  No reforms of importance took place.  Even Guizot was as much opposed to electoral extension as the Duke of Wellington.  The king in his old age became obstinate and callous, and would not listen to advisers.  The Prince de Joinville himself complained to his brother of the inflexibility of his father.  “His own will,” said he, “must prevail over everything.  There are no longer any ministers.  Everything rests with the king.”