407).

[43] Benedetti, _Ma Mission en Prusse_.

[44] _Papiers Secrets: Les Prefets._

[45] _Reflections and Reminiscences of Prince Bismarck._

[46] _Histoire du Second Empire_, vi. 258.

[47] 'Rien n'etait plus officiel que l'entretien qui se poursuivait en
ce moment entre le ministre des affaires etrangeres et l'ambassadeur
de Prusse.'--Gramont, _La France et la Prusse_, p. 168.

[48] _La France et la Prusse_ (1872), pp. 131-2.

[49] _L'Empire Liberal_, p. 270.

[50] _Historical Essays_, p. 222.

[51] 'Au debut nous avions demande au Roi de conseiller ou d'ordonner
a son parent de renoncer, ce qui entrainait implicitement une garantie
que la candidature ne se reproduirait plus. Le Roi ayant refuse
d'intervenir, et la candidature ayant disparu a son insu, nous avions
reclame sous une forme explicite, notre premiere demande.'--_L'Empire
Liberal_, p. 453.

[52] Some light is thrown on these obscure intrigues by Lord Acton in
the essay already cited. He writes that in 1869 Bismarck learned from
Florence that Napoleon was preparing a triple alliance against him,
and sent a Prussian officer, Bernhardi, to Madrid. 'What he did in
Spain has been committed to oblivion. Seven volumes of his diary have
been published; the family assures me (Acton) that the Spanish portion
will never appear.... The Austrian First Secretary said that he
betrayed his secret one day at dinner. Somebody spoke indiscreetly on
the subject, and Bernhardi aimed a kick at him under the table, which
caught the shin of the Austrian instead. He was considered to have
mismanaged the thing, and it was whispered that he had gone too far--I
infer that he offered a heavy bribe to secure a majority in the
Cortes. Fifty thousand pounds of Prussian bonds were sent to Spain at
midsummer 1870.... I know the bankers through whose hands they
passed.'--_Historical Essays_, p. 214.

[53] _L'Empire Liberal_, p. 475, footnote. Prince Napoleon told M.
Ollivier that the emperor repeated this to him several times.

SIR SPENCER WALPOLE[54]

1839-1907

Sir Spencer Walpole's death in 1907 left a gap in the front rank of
contemporary English Historians. To a volume of his collected essays,
published in the following year, his daughter, Mrs. F. Holland,
prefixed an admirable memoir of his private life and character, with
affectionate reminiscences of her father's 'strenuous work, his
universal kindliness, and his simplicity of soul.' On this personal
subj