f Sweden, a member of the Institute of France and of the
principal scientific societies of the United States. It has been already
noted in these pages that his _alma mater_, Yale, conferred on him the
degree of LL.D.

I have said that I find no note of complaint in Morse's letters. Whatever
his feelings of disappointment may have been, he felt it his duty to send
the following letter to Count Walewski on September 15, 1858. Perhaps a
slight note of irony may be read into the sentence accepting the
gratuity, but, if intended, I fear it was too feeble to have reached its
mark, and the letter is, as a whole and under the circumstances, almost
too fulsome, conforming, however, to the stilted style of the time:--

On my return to Paris from Switzerland I have this day received, from the
Minister of the United States, the most gratifying information which Your
Excellency did me the honor to send to me through him, respecting the
decision of the congress of the distinguished diplomatic representatives
of ten of the August governments of Europe, held in special reference to
myself.

You have had the considerate kindness to communicate to me a proceeding
which reflects the highest honor upon the Imperial Government and its
noble associates, and I am at a loss for language adequately to express
to them my feelings of profound gratitude.

But especially, Your Excellency, do I want words to express towards the
august head of the Imperial Government, and to Your Excellency, the
thankful sentiments of my heart for the part so prominently taken by His
Imperial Majesty, and by Your Excellency, in so generously initiating
this measure for my honor in inviting the governments of Europe to a
conference on the subject, and for so zealously and warmly advocating and
perseveringly conducting to a successful termination, the measure in
which the Imperial Government so magnanimously took the initiative.

I accept the gratuity thus tendered, on the basis of an honorary
testimonial and a personal reward, with tenfold more gratification than
could have been produced by a sum of money, however large, offered on the
basis of a commercial negotiation.

I beg Your Excellency to receive my thanks, however inadequately
expressed, and to believe that I appreciate Your Excellency's kind and
generous services performed in the midst of your high official duties,
consummating a proceeding so unique, and in a manner so graceful, that
personal kindness