nough afterwards to
introduce his "grand thoughts" into the army. Two things, says Thiers,
impose upon Frenchmen--military glory and profound silence. Trochu has
the first to win, and he apparently scorns the latter. He is a species
of military doctrinaire, and he finds it difficult to avoid lecturing
soldiers or civilians at least once a day. I was looking at him the
other day, and I never saw calm, serene, self-complacency more clearly
depicted upon the human countenance. Failure or success will find him
the same--confident in himself, in his plans, and his grand thoughts. If
he eventually has to surrender, he will console himself by coupling with
the announcement of his intention many observations--very wise, very
beautiful, very lengthy, and very stale.

Mr. Herbert tells me that there are more English here than he had
imagined. He estimates their number at about 4000, about 800 of whom are
destitute. The funds at his disposal for them would have already run
short had not Mr. Wallace again largely contributed to them. They are
fed with rice and Liebig, but the great difficulty has been to find fat
to add to this mess. The beasts that are killed are so lean that it is
almost impossible to obtain it except at an extravagant price. Tallow
candles have been seriously suggested, but they too are scarce. The
English, as foreigners, cannot claim rations, and were it not for the
kindness of Mr. Herbert and Mr. Wallace, they would, I am afraid, really
starve. All their rich fellow-countrymen, with the exception of Mr.
Wallace, have left Paris, and even if they were here they would not be
able to do anything unless they had money with them, as it is impossible
to draw on London. Winter is coming on, and clothes and fuel as well as
food will be wanted. I would suggest to the charitable in England to
send contributions to Mr. Herbert. I can hardly suppose that Count
Bismarck would decline to let the money pass through the Prussian lines.
I hear that Mr. Washburne has obtained a half permission to send his
countrymen out of the town, if so, I think it would be well if the poor
English were also to leave; but this, of course, will require money.

The Nuncio has managed to get away; he declined to take letters with
him. E. Washburne, United States Minister, Lopez de Arosemana, Charge
d'Affaires of Honduras, Duke Aquaviva, Charge d'Affaires of Monaco, and
the other members of the Corps Diplomatique still here, have signed and
publ