The Old Duffers of the Revolution of 1848

In 1848, there were plenty of old duffers still kicking around who did not have to read about the revolution in history books. They had lived through it. King Louis Philippe is himself an obvious example. Chancellor Metternich became a conservative absolutist and feared further reform because he feared the return of the guillotine. Jacques Cháro DuPont de Lue was an avowed republican who never given up hope that one day the revolution would come back. But as is always the case, the fact of having lived through an event does not create some common takeaway.