Manchester, 21 December 1866 

Dear Moor, 

I also think that the leaders in Western Europe will do their 
utmost to preserve the peace next year and until everyone is 
equipped with breech-loaders. However, whether the Russians 
will not consider this very time opportune for cutting Austria 
down to size with Bismarck’s help, for annexing Galicia and dividing 
Turkey up into a multitude of small Slav _ states, is 
another question. Moreover, it could happen that in France, too, 
war will become a_ necessity—for the sake of this military 
reorganisation, because without a war good old Boustrapa % will 

« of the first volume of Capital (see this volume, pp. 174-75) - > some 

not be able to get it accepted. The last war* has placed the fellow 
in a curious dilemma: either he lets everything stand as it is, in 
which case he will no longer be a match for Prussia, or else he 
carries the matter out, which will be disastrous for him, first 
because of his tremendous unpopularity, and second because he is 
completely debonapartising the army. From the moment that some 
kind of military service for all is introduced in France, the 
praetorian system *” will cease of its own accord and the 25-30% 
of RE-ENLISTED FELLOws, Who now serve in the French army, will 
disappear for the most part. However, as there will still be 
substitution,*’ this time Mr Bonaparte will find himself in the 
comical predicament of needing the support of the bourgeoisie to 
oppose the peasantry. But the course of history really is quite 
impudently ruthless in dealing with this noble fellow, and he must be 
forgiven if he loses faith in the ways of God and the World. I hope 
he, like me, reads his Horace for recreation: justum ac tenacem 
propositi virum,” etc. Old Horace reminds me in places of Heine, who 
learnt a great deal from him and was au fond politice’ no less 
common a cur. Remember how the sterling fellow challenged the 
vultus instantis tyranni and licked Augustus’ boots. And the old goat 
is quite charming in other respects, too. 

I will get the book‘ for you next week if I can. 

It is very pleasing about the articles in the Revue des deux Mondes 
and Fortnightly, although I have not yet been able to read them. 
Revue contemporaine’ does not exist here. 

Wehner, who was recently in Germany, tells the following 
anecdote, which was told by Bennigsen (of the National Associa- 
tion *) himself: when Bennigsen had his meeting with Bismarck 
before the war, the latter expounded his whole National- 
Associationist German policy to him, whereupon Bennigsen 
enquired how it was that Bismarck was choosing the difficult path 
of war in order to carry it out, instead of simply ‘relying on the 
support of the people’, as the liberal cry has it. Bismarck stared at 
him for a few moments and then said: Could you jump a ditch 
with a rheumatic nag? He also brought back the news that the 
unhappy Crown Prince,’ who used to put on such liberal airs, has 

a the Austro-Prussian war - > a just man, firm of purpose (Horace, Odes, IIT, iii, 
1) - © basically - 4 in respect of politics - © the tyrant’s threatening countenance 
(Horace, Odes, III, iii, 3) - f J. E. Th. Rogers, A History of Agriculture (see previous 
letter) - 8 L. Reybaud, ‘L’économie politique des ouvriers’, Revue des deux Mondes, 
Vol. 66, 1 November 1866; the leading article in The Fortnightly Review, No. 37, 
December 1866. - » See this volume, p. 338. -' Frederick William 

become even more crazed than the old man? since the war, which 
is one good thing at least. 

I enclose another two five-pound-notes, so that you shall not 
be quite without money over the holidays: 

M/W 34768, London, 12 October 1866, 

I/S 49080, Manchester, 26 January 1866, in the not entirely 
unfounded expectation that the accounts will indemnify me for it at 
the end of the year. 

Many regards to the apis. 

Your 
F. E.