9-t 



Prinee Bismarck and his Policy. 



points, well known to the writer to his misfortune, I may 

 be slandered to their hearts' content. I hear of the whole 

 affair principally from the officious advocacy of the Elher- 

 feld Zeiiunq, which is sent to me. There is nothing like an 

 inquisition, and friends, who long have partaken of the 

 same cup, are more unjust than foes. I am satisfied. 

 One ought not to rely on men, and I am thankful for 

 every breath which draws me inward." 



In a conversation with the Austrian embassador. Count 

 Karolyi, Bismarck said: " The centre of gravity of Austrian 

 politics ought to rest in Ofen" (the Hungarian capital). 

 This sentence received wings: it was repeated at all courts, 

 was in the mouths of all diplomatists, and gave the court of 

 Vienna food for reflection. 



Neither the court of Berlin, nor the two houses, nor the 

 diplomatists understood him, so that he could cry out with 

 the philosopher Hegel : " Of all my scholars only one un- 

 derstood me, and he misunderstood me." 



With the London treaty of October 31, 1862, between 

 France, England and Spain, Bismarck saw his time slowly 

 approaching, i^apoleon, busily engaged in Mexico, would 

 find neither time nor opportunity to take advantage of 

 Prussia's internal dissensions, which to Bismarck's clear 

 conceptions were merely the prelude to the new order 

 of things, which must lift Prussia to strength and 

 greatness. 



May 23, 1862, Bismarck was transferred from Petersburg 

 as embassador to Paris, one of the boldest and most 

 sagacious movements in modern diplomacy. The ad- 

 vantages derived from this position were incalculable. 

 None of his letters indicated any of his experiences, but 

 after events clearly demonstrated that he most carefully 

 studied Napoleon and his policy. 



Matters at Berlin hurried on to a crisis. The govern- 



