Alphonse Lamartine, an idol of the French…

Alphonse Lamartine, an idol of the French people during the events of 1848, fails to win an election in 1849 and retires from public life to devote his time to writing.

In the election of the legislative assembly in May 1849, the two extremes-the radical left and the monarchist right-make impressive gains, whereas the moderate republicans, who had shaped the new system, are nearly eliminated.

The moderates emerge with only eighty seats, the radicals with two hundred, the monarchists with almost five hundred.

But the monarchist majority lacks coherence, being split into legitimist and Orléanist factions that distrust each other and differ on political principles.