The affair of Neuchatel gave him an opportunity of earning the personal gratitude of the King, and he did not neglect it, for he knew that in the royal prejudice was the strongest impediment to an alliance.  In 1857 Bismarck was sent to Paris to discuss this and other matters.  Two years before he had been presented to the Emperor, but it had been at the time when he was opposed to the French policy.  Now for the first time the two men who were for ten years to be the leaders, now friends, then rivals, in the realm of diplomacy, were brought into close connection.  Bismarck was not impressed by the Emperor’s ability.  He wrote: 

“People exaggerate his intellect, but underrate his heart.”  Napoleon was very friendly; his wish to help the King went farther than his duty to follow French policy.  He said:  “Why should we not be friends; let us forget the past; if everyone were to attach himself to a policy of memories, two nations that have once been at war must be at war to all eternity; statesmen must occupy themselves with the future.”

This was just Bismarck’s opinion; he wrote home suggesting that he might prepare the way for a visit of the Emperor to Prussia; he would like to come and it would have a good effect.  This was going farther than the King, grateful though he was, would allow; he told Gerlach not to answer this part of the letter at all while Bismarck was in Paris.  Bismarck, however, continued in his official reports and private letters to urge again and again the political advantages of an understanding with France; it is Austria that is the natural enemy, for it is Austria whose interests are opposed to Prussia.  If they repel the advance of Napoleon, they will oblige him to seek an alliance with Russia, and this was a danger which even in those days Bismarck never ceased to fear.  Prince Napoleon, cousin of the Emperor, was at that time on a visit to Berlin; on his way through Frankfort he had singled out Bismarck, and (no doubt under instructions) had shown great friendliness to him; the Kreuz Zeitung again took the opportunity of insulting the ruler of France; Bismarck again remonstrated against the danger of provoking hostility by these acts of petty rancour, disguised though they might be under the name of principle.  He did not succeed in persuading the King or his confidant; he was always met by the same answer:  “France is the natural enemy of Germany; Napoleon is the representative of the Revolution; there can be no union between the King of Prussia and the Revolution.”  “How can a man of your intelligence sacrifice your principles to a single individual?” asks Gerlach, who aimed not at shewing that an alliance with France would be foolish, but that it would be wrong.  Five years before, Bismarck would have spoken as Gerlach did; but in these years he had seen and learnt much; he had freed himself from the influence of his early friends; he had outgrown their theoretic formalism;