524 IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE-IV 



anarchy, the less I admire him. He seems to me eminently 

 an architect of ruin. 



It is true that when France was wallowing in the misery 

 into which he and men like him had done so much to 

 plunge her, he exerted himself wonderfully to accomplish 

 her rescue; but when the history of that country during 

 the last century shall be fairly written, his career, brilliant 

 as it once appeared, will be admired by no thinking patriot. 



I came to have far more respect for another states 

 man whom I then met Duruy, the eminent historian of 

 France and of Rome, who had labored so earnestly under 

 the Second Empire, both as a historian and a minister of 

 state, to develop a basis for rational liberty. 



Seated next me at dinner, he made a remark which 

 threw much light on one of the most serious faults of the 

 French Republic. Said he, l i Monsieur, I was minister of 

 public instruction under the Empire for seven years ; since 

 my leaving that post six years have elapsed, and in that 

 time I have had seven successors. 



On another occasion he discoursed with me about the 

 special difficulties of France; and as I mentioned to him 

 that I remembered his controversy with Cardinal de 

 Bonnechose, in which the latter tried to drive him out of 

 office because he did not fetter scientific teaching in the 

 University of Paris, he spoke quite freely with me. Al 

 though not at all a radical, and evidently willing to act 

 in concert with the church as far as possible, he gave 

 me to understand that the demands made by ecclesiastics 

 upon every French ministry were absolutely unendurable ; 

 that France never could yield to these demands ; and that, 

 sooner or later, a great break must come between the 

 church and modern society. His prophecy now seems 

 near ing fulfilment. 



Among the various meetings which were held in con 

 nection with the exposition was a convention of literary 

 men for the purpose of securing better international ar 

 rangements regarding copyright. Having been elected 

 a member of this, I had the satisfaction of hearing most 



