e of butchery, lording it in France, is to me most
offensive. I abhor everything which they admire. They are proud of
walking about in uniform with a knife by their side. I prefer the man
without the uniform and without the knife. They despise all who are
engaged in commercial pursuits. I regard merchants and traders as the
best citizens of a free country. They imagine that the man whose
ancestors have from generation to generation obscurely vegetated upon
some dozen acres, is the superior of the man who has made himself great
without the adventitious aid of birth; I do not. When Jules Favre met
Bismarck over here the other day, the latter spoke of Bourbaki as a
traitor, because he had been untrue to his oath to Napoleon. "And was
his country to count for nothing?" answered Favre. "In Germany king and
country are one and the same," replied Bismarck. This is the abominable
creed which is inculcated by the military squires who now hold the
destinies of France and of Germany in their hands; and on this
detestable heresy they dream of building up a new code of political
ethics in Europe. Liberalism and common sense are spreading even in the
army; but take a Tory squire, a Groom of the Chamber, and a
Life-guardsman, boil them down, and you will obtain the ordinary type of
the Prussian officer. For my part, I look with grim satisfaction to the
future. The unity of Germany has been brought about by the union of
Prussian Feudalists and German Radicals. The object is now attained, and
I sincerely hope that the former will find themselves in the position of
cats who have drawn the chestnuts out of the fire for others to eat. If
"Our Fritz," still following in the steps of his ancestors, throws off
his Liberalism with his Crown Princedom, his throne will not be a bed of
roses; it is fortunate, therefore, for him, that he is a man of good
sense. I am greatly mistaken if the Germans will long submit to the
horde of squires, of princes, of officers, and of court flunkeys, who
together, at present, form the ruling class. Among the politicians here
there is a strong feeling of dislike to the establishment of a Republic
in France. If they could have their own way they would re-establish the
Empire. But those who imagine that this is possible understand very
little of the French character. The Napoleonic legend was the result of
an epoch of military glory; the capitulation of Sedan not only scotched
it, but killed it. A Frenchman still bel