My Paris Diary of 1870 387 



this a general outcry from all sides. A Hohenzollern, it is said, at the 

 Escurial will complete the wild beast show of Europe. We have already- 

 seen a Bonaparte at Fontainebleau, a Savoy at Venice, a Hapsburg in 

 Mexico, to-day the rage is for German Kings, the most wonderful phenom- 

 enon of the age. Yesterday we drove to St. Germain with a mixed company 

 of Americans, French, Jews, and Brazilians, to dine there on the terrace. 

 The event of the day was Grammont's speech in the Chambers. He 

 declared that if the candidature of Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern was 

 not withdrawn ' France would know how to act without hesitation and 

 without weakness.' This being considered a declaration of war with 

 Prussia was tumultuously applauded by all parties in the House. The 

 move is considered an excellent one for the Bonapartists, who need a 

 show of energy to cover their humiliations of the past four years, for the 

 first place in Europe is every day becoming more plainly Prussian. 

 Whether the Germans are beat in the war, or the Emperor Napoleon, I shall 

 feel some satisfaction. St. Germain looked lovely as it always does," 



Though my diary does not record it, I remember well the excitement 

 there was among us that evening at the news which had been brought down 

 by Frank Lascelles, or some other diplomatist of our party, and how in 

 the beautiful summer's night we walked upon the terrace after dinner, 

 and looked across the river towards Paris, and how someone suggested, 

 though we none of us had much misgiving as to the fortunate issue of the 

 war, the possible trouble there might be for the fair city which we loved. 

 Our imagination for a moment encircled it with a girdle of armed men, 

 and a gulf seemed opened suddenly at our feet of unknown adversity. Yet, 

 as I have said, none of us, not even those who ought to have known it, had 

 a suspicion of the unreadiness of France for a serious campaign. There 

 had been a comparative lack of interest in the Paris newspapers at the 

 first announcement of the Hohenzollern candidature, which was treated by 

 them as only another rebuff for the Imperial diplomacy, and it was not till 

 Grammont made his valorous speech, and after him Ollivier that a cry, 

 a Berlin, began to be raised. 



" 8th July. — There has been a report that Prim has abandoned his 

 Hohenzollern, but this is not true. The German papers affect not to treat 

 the French menace as serious. At Madrid the Cortes are to assemble for 

 the vote on the 20th. If the present candidature is not withdrawn before 

 that date the position of France will become less simple. 



" To-night I start for Southampton to meet my brother Francis, leaving 

 Anne here. He is returning from Australia via the Cape and Madeira." 



[A fortnight's break occurs here in my diary caused by my absence 

 from Paris.] 



" 2jth July. — I have been more than a fortnight in England, and my 

 journal has been interrupted, but I will recapitulate the events which have 

 led to the declaration of war. In answer to the French demand of a with- 

 drawal of Prince Leopold's candidature Prim denied the right of France 

 to interfere. At first all previous knowledge of the candidature was denied 

 in Prussia, but it soon appeared that King William had given his assent to 

 the Prince's acceptance. But on the matter being pressed by the French 



