ET. 59.] TO hk. W. CHURCH. 609 
supposed its strong side, military force and military 
ability. But now, it is painful to see France reduced 
to such straits, and I long to see peace made with as 
little weakening of France as may be. Only, if it 
goes on, this chastening, and the effort it may induce 
France to make, may regenerate her spirit. But, as 
you say, only the prophetic books of Scripture furnish 
language in which to express one’s feelings and senti- 
ments 
. And then this nation will I judge, saith the 
Lord” — sounds in your ears, as these vast changes 
sweep on. 
If I fail to enter wholly into your feelings as to 
Bismarck and Prussia, here is Mrs. Gray, who has been 
anti-Prussian from the very first, and who shares all 
your misgivings, and more. Now, I think it a pity, 
and a loss to the world, that the German people should 
be broken up into jealous rival kingdoms and little 
principalities, always liable to be played off against 
each other by outlying nations. I think Germany as 
such ought to take its place as a great Central Euro- 
pean power. And yet a simple centralized govern- 
ment is dangerous ; at best could ill replace local gov- 
ernments. So I hope for, and expect, a close confed- 
eration of German states, in a restored and efficient 
German empire, the states of which will be as closely 
united as those of our Federal Union, but yet sover- 
eignties in all that relates to internal concerns. I 
don’t despair of the Germans working out a fairly 
successful constitutional parliamentary system, along 
with state parliaments, etc., after their own fashion. 
And I faney that a united Germany will tend to 
peace in Europe, when one section can no more be 
played off against another. 
