^T. 69,] TO R. W. CHURCH. 609 



supposed its strong side, military force and military 

 ability. But now, it is painful to see France reduced 

 to sucli 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 jealoixs 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 fancy that a united Germany wiU tend to 

 peace in Europe, when one section can no more be 

 played off against another. 



