CORRESPONDENCE.

Kensington, August 20, 1856.

My dear Tocqueville,—­A few weeks after my return to London your book reached me—­of course from the time that I got it, I employed all my leisure in reading it.

Nothing, even of yours, has, I think, so much instructed and delighted me.  Much of it, perhaps, was not quite so new to me as to many others; as I had had the privilege of hearing it from you—­but even the views which were familiar to me in their outline were made almost new by their details.

It is painful to think how difficult it is to create a Constitutional Government, and how difficult to preserve one, and, what is the same, how easy to destroy one.

* * * * *

Mrs. Senior is going to Wales and to Ireland, where I join her, after having paid a long-promised visit to Lord Aberdeen.

I like the conversation of retired statesmen, and he is one of our wisest.  Thiers has just left us.  I spent two evenings with him, but on the first he was engrossed by Lord Clarendon, and on the second by the Duc d’Aumale and by Lord Palmerston.  They were curious rapprochements, at least the first and third.  It was the first meeting of Palmerston and Duc d’Aumale.  I am very much pleased with the latter.  He is sensible, well informed, and unaffected.

Kindest regards, &c.

A.W.  SENIOR.

Tocqueville, September 4, 1856.

I have read, my dear Senior, your letter with great pleasure.  Your criticism delights me, for I rely on your judgment and on your sincerity.  I am charmed that you have found in my book more than you had learned from our conversations, on my view of our history.  We have known one another so long, we have conversed so much and so unreservedly, that it is difficult for either of us to write anything that the other will think new.  I was afraid that what may appear original to the public might seem trite to you.

The Reeves have been with us; we have passed together an agreeable fortnight.  I had charged Reeve to bring you, whether you would or not.  Did he make the attempt?  I am sure that you would have enjoyed your visit, and we should have rejoiced to have under our roof two such old friends as you and Reeve.

I am glad that you have printed your article; pray try to send it to me.

It seems that you intend this winter to anchor in Rome.  It increases my regret that I cannot be there.  It is out of the question.  My wife’s health and mine are so much improved that the journey is not necessary, and business of all kinds keeps us at home.  If you push on to Naples, you will, perhaps, enjoy the absence of the rascally king whom you and I found there five years ago.  I applaud the virtuous indignation of the English against this little despot, and their sympathy with the unhappy wretches whom he detains arbitrarily to die slowly in his prisons, which, though not placed in the African deserts or the marshes of Cayenne, are bad enough.  The interest which your great nation takes in the cause of humanity and liberty, even when that cause suffers in another country, delights me.  What I regret is that your generous indignation is directed against so petty a tyrant.