24 RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



and from the loyalty of his character. I take care to 

 arrange with him in respect of everything which bears 

 upon our common instructions. 



" M. de Forbin-Janson will convey this despatch 

 and the preceding one. M. d'Harcourt has authorised 

 him to proceed to Paris in order that he may tell you 

 what he has seen and what the present condition of 

 Eome is, as his information is likely to be of use. 



" I begged Signor Mazzini to hand me a note 

 explaining his views as to the present situation of 

 Eome, and he readily acceded to my request. I have 

 the honour to forward you a copy of his letter, which 

 you will, I feel sure, consider a very remarkable one. 



" FERDINAND DE LESSEPS." 



Annex to Despatch No. 2. 



"Sir, You ask me for a few notes upon the pre- 

 sent condition of the Bom an Eepublic, and I will write 

 them for you with that frankness which has for twenty 

 years been the invariable rule of my political life. We 

 have nothing to conceal or to disguise. "We have of 

 late been singularly vilified in Europe, but we have 

 always said to those to whom we have been so calum- 

 niously denounced, ' Come and see for yourself.' 

 You are here, and can therefore verify for yourselves 

 how far these accusations are true. Your mission can 

 be carried out with full and complete freedom. We 

 have saluted it with joy, for it is our best safeguard. 



