Life of Henry Reeve, vol 2 | Page 8

the rest. To which, I answer that the result will be nothing but
water mixed with blood....

I am sorry to see the English Press more and more unjust to the
Emperor Napoleon. It is really silly to keep on schooling France--not
the Emperor--for preferring an imperial to a parliamentary government.
If the English had the institutions which in France seem to be but the
concomitants of despotism, they would educe from them a large
amount of political liberty. But if the French--like the woman in
Molière prefer being governed, it would be wise for the English peers
to accept the fact; and instead of sneering at and irritating France
whenever she wishes to do some good, to get out of the beaten track, to
conquer hearts, not territories, it would be better honestly to co-operate
with her, and thus attain valuable results--a profitable success, and the
deliverance of France from the fatal support of Russia, which she
accepts as a _pis-aller_, but which in the long run can only be to her
hurt. More than all others, the English Press, which is so proud--which
has good reason to be proud--should assist in the 'study of the
questions;' should anticipate the negotiations; should elevate and
elucidate them by judicious suggestions, basing everything on a firm
alliance of the Western Powers.
But alas! where is the English statesman, where is even the great writer
or the newspaper capable of inaugurating such a policy? For lack of
these, we see England vying with France in courtesy to Russia--in
anxiety to please her. But to this the Emperor Napoleon does at least
add his theory of nationalities, which is sufficient to reassure us on the
score of his flirtation with Russia; does the English Government or the
English press do anything of a similar nature? Alas! Alas! England is
certainly great, but it is selfishly for herself. Will she never be able to
offer other nations--whatever the circumstances may be--anything but
insults, or her own institutions as patterns.
Pardon de ce bavardage et mille amitiés--avec tous mes compliments
pour Mesdames Reeve.
L. ZAMOYSKI.
Je joins un mot de la Ctsse. K. pour vous, reçu à l'instant.
From the Countess Krasinska _Paris, 29 mars._--Le Comte Zamoyski a

bien voulu me communiquer votre lettre, monsieur, et j'ai été bien
sincèrement touchée du souvenir d'affection que vous conservez à un
ami qui n'a cessé non plus, je puis vous le garantir, de vous porter un
sentiment inaltérable et sincère. Bien souvent, en me parlant des jours
de sa jeunesse, mon mari me parlait de cette amitié qui vous unissait et
qui en a été un des meilleurs rayons. Il m'avait aussi parlé des
manuscrits que vous aurez, et je vous avoue que vous allez au-devant
de mes désirs et de ma prière en voulant bien les communiquer. Je tiens
infiniment à recueillir tout ce qui a échappé à ce grand coeur et à cette
vaillante plume, et je commence un travail qui ne sera sans doute
complet que dans quelques années. Je vous serai donc on ne peut plus
reconnaissante si vous vouliez bien confier entre mes mains ce que
vous possédez, soit en copie, soit original, comme vous le voudrez,
m'engageant à vous remettre ce précieux dépôt dès que nous en aurons
fait usage, et dès que vous le réclamerez.
J'espère lorsque vous viendrez à Paris que je pourrai vous présenter,
monsieur, les deux fils de Sigismond et sa petite fille, et vous demander
pour les enfants un peu de ce coeur que vous aviez pour le père.
From Lord Brougham _Cannes, April 9th_.--I fear I have but a bad
account to give of poor Tocqueville; he has been worse again, and
to-day he received the Communion. Dr. Maure has just told me he
hardly thought he could live over the month, but he (Dr. M.) has always
been much more desponding than the other physician. One great evil
has befallen him. Beaumont, who had really been a nurse to him these
three weeks, is suddenly called away to Paris by the telegraph, owing to
some illness in his own family, and this is an irreparable loss to
Tocqueville.
We are all here in great anxiety about peace and war. Cavour, whose
conduct--and that of his master--is as bad as possible, has no doubt
received strong assurances of support from L. N. and his vile cousin;
and the war party at Turin are exulting, considering that the Congress
can do nothing to prevent the outbreak with Austria, upon which they
reckon for certain, and, I fear, with some reason. The utter want of
good faith in L. N. becomes daily more manifest.... Yet, though even

the military men are crying out against the war, and all other parties,
without any exception, are against him, one sees nothing that