I returned on April 18, sprained my ancle on the 19th, and have been on my back ever since.  I have spent the time in looking through Fonfrede, who is a remarkable writer, and makes some remarkable prophecies, in finishing Grote’s ninth and tenth volumes, in reading Kenrick’s ’Ancient Egypt,’ which is worth studying, and in reading through Horace, whom I find that I understand much better after my Roman experience.

I differ from you as to the chances of reaction in this country.  I believe that we are still travelling the road which you have so well mapped out, which leads to democracy.  Our extreme gauche, which we call the Manchester School, employs its whole efforts in that direction.  It has great energy, activity, and combination.  The duties of Parliament and of Government have become so onerous, and the facing our democratic constituencies is so disagreeable, and an idle life of society, literature, art, and travelling has become so pleasant, that our younger aristocracy seem to be giving up politics, and hence you hear the universal complaint that there are no young men of promise in public life.

The House of Commons is full of middle-aged lawyers, merchants, manufacturers, and country-gentlemen, who take to politics late in life, without the early special training which fitted for it the last generation.

I fear that the time may come when to be in the House of Commons may be thought a bore, a somewhat vulgar spouting club, like the Marylebone Vestry, or the City of London Common Council.

I do not know whether Lord Derby has gained much in the last four months, but Lord John has certainly lost.  His Reform Bill was a very crude gachis, without principle, and I think very mischievous.  I ventured to say nearly as much to Lord Lansdowne, who sat by my sofa for an hour on Sunday, and he did not take up its defence.  Then his opposition to the present Ministry has been factious, and to punish him, he was left the other day in a minority of fifty per cent.  People begin now to speculate on the possibility of Lord Derby’s reconstructing his minority on rather a larger basis, and maintaining himself for three or four years; which, in these times, is a good old age for a Minister.  One admirable result of these changes is the death of Protection.  Those who defended it in opposition are found to abandon it now they are in power.  So it has not a friend left.

Pray send me word, by yourself or by Mrs. Grote, when you leave Paris.  My vacation begins on May 8, but I shall not move unless I recover the use of my legs, nor then I think, if I find that you will be absent.

Kindest regards to Madame de Tocqueville.

Ever yours,

N.W.  SENIOR.

Paris, November 13, 1852.

I am unlucky, my dear Senior, about your letters of introduction.  You know how much I have wished and tried to make the acquaintance of Lord and Lady Ashburton, but without success.  I should also, I am sure, have had great pleasure in meeting Mr. Greg.