338 THE WAR OF 



were in Heligoland at the time of the declaration of 

 war, and had to flee as speedily as possible with the 

 whole troop of visitors, in order not to be prevented 

 from returning by the blockade. The telegram of my 

 eldest son, then sixteen, from Cuxhaven may pass as 

 a sample of the deep emotion and courage that had 

 taken possession of all Germany - - "I must join too'', 

 words that happily could not be translated into action, 

 as before the completed seventeenth year no one is 

 accepted in the Prussian army. 



The war with France, like that of 1866, was 

 speedily carried to a victorious issue for Germany, 

 after a struggle of tremendous proportions. The joyful 

 consciousness, that Germans from all parts for the first 

 time in the course of their history fought and con- 

 quered side by side under the same flag, made the 

 heavy sacrifices, with which the gloriously achieved 

 victories had to be purchased, appear more endurable, 

 and lightened the profound mourning and misery, which 

 the war entailed. It was a glorious and elevating 

 time, which has left impressions never to be effaced 

 on all who lived through it; and coming generations 

 will assuredly never suffer the feeling of devout grati- 

 tude to die out, which the nation owes to the great 

 leaders who put an end to its ignominious discords, 

 and made it united and powerful. 



Although I had entirely renounced political acti- 

 vity after the year 1866, I still continued to take the 



