The Ecole Polytechnique, and the other schools in which the vacancies are given to those who pass the best examinations, are filled by youths belonging to the middle classes, who, undistracted by society, or amusement, or by any literary or scientific pursuits, except those immediately bearing on their examinations, beat their better-born competitors, who will not degrade themselves into the mere slaves of success in the concours.  Our other object was to obtain the best public servants.  In that we have failed.  We have brought knowledge and ability to an average; diminished the number of incompetent employes, and reduced, almost to nothing, the number of distinguished ones.  Continued application to a small number of subjects, and those always the same, not selected by the student, but imposed on him by the inflexible rule of the establishment, without reference to his tastes or to his powers, is as bad for the mind as the constant exercise of one set of muscles would be for the body.

’We have a name for those who have been thus educated.  They are called “polytechnises.”  If you follow our example, you will increase your second-rates, and extinguish your first-rates; and what is perhaps a more important result, whether you consider it a good or an evil, you will make a large stride in the direction in which you have lately made so many—­the removing the government and the administration of England from the hands of the higher classes into those of the middle and lower ones.’

CORRESPONDENCE.

Paris, Sunday, May 14, 1854.

My dear Tocqueville,—­I write to you in meditatione fugae.  We start for England in an hour’s time.  The last news that I heard of you was the day before yesterday from Cousin.  He read me your letter, which sounded to me like that of a man in not very bad health or hopes.  I trust that the attack of which Madame de Tocqueville wrote to us has quite passed off.

Thiers, who asked very anxiously after you to-day, is earnest that you should be present at the election on the 18th.  The Academy, he said, is very jealous. Vous serez tres-mal vu, if you do not come.

You are at last going seriously to work in the war.  By the end of the year you will have, military and naval, 700,000 men in arms.

I wish that they were nearer to the enemy.

Pray remember us most kindly to Madame de Tocqueville, and let us know where you go as soon as you are decided.

Ever yours,

N.W.  Senior.

St. Cyr, May 21, 1854.

I followed the advice which you were commissioned to give me, my dear Senior.  I have just been to Paris, but as I stayed there only twenty-four hours I have not brought back any distinct impressions.

I saw only Academicians who talked about the Academy, and—­who knew nothing of politics.  It is true that such is now the case with everyone.  Politics, which used to be transacted in open day, have now become a secret process into which none can penetrate except the two or three alchemists who are engaged in its preparation.