Assembly elected by universal suffrage, sitting at most for a year, governing, like the Convention, through its committees, or a single despot, appointed for a week, and not re-eligible, is the sort of ruler that they would prefer.  The last five years have perhaps disgusted Martin with his Asiatic democracy, but his earlier volumes are coloured throughout by his prejudices against all systems implying a division of power, and independent authorities controlling and balancing one another.’

We talked of the Secret Police.

‘It has lately,’ said Tocqueville, ’been unusually troublesome, or rather it has been troublesome to a class of persons whom it seldom ventures to molest.  A friend of mine, M. Sauvaire Barthelemy, one of Louis Philippe’s peers, was standing at the door of his hotel reading a letter.  A gentleman in plain clothes addressed him, announced himself as an agent de police, and asked him if the letter which he was reading was political.  “No,” said Barthelemy, “you may see it.  It is a billet de mariage.”  “I am directed,” said the agent, “to request you to get into this carriage.”  They got in and drove to Mazas.  There Barthelemy was shown into a neat room with iron bars to the windows, and ordered to wait.  After some time Louis Pietri, the Prefet de Police, arrived.

’"I am grieved,” he said, “at giving you so much trouble, but I have been commanded to see you in this place, and to inform you that the Emperor cannot bear that a man in your high position should systematically misrepresent him.

’"L’Empereur fait tout ce qu’il peut pour le bonheur de la France, et il n’entend pas supporter une opposition aussi constante et aussi violente.  Effectivement il ne veut pas d’opposition.  Voulez-vous le tenir pour dit, Monsieur, et recevoir de nouveau mes excuses du derangement que j’ai du vous causer?  Pour le present vous etes libre."’

[Mr. Senior left Paris on the next day.

M. de Tocqueville paid his promised visit to England in June, and was received with a perfect ovation.—­ED.]

CORRESPONDENCE.

London, July 10, 1857.

I was too ill, my dear friend, to go to you yesterday.  Dr. Ferguson tells me that I have been doing too much, and prescribes perfect rest.

I have already read half your journal of 1857.  It is very curious; but I am glad that you have disguised me.

It is terrible to be in London, and to see so little of you; but the force of circumstances is greater than the force of wishes.

Ever yours,

A. DE TOCQUEVILLE.

Tocqueville, August 6, 1857.

You may already have had news of me through some of our common friends, my dear Senior, but I wish, besides, to give you some myself, and to thank you again for the kind welcome I received from you and in your house during my stay in London.

I regret only that I was unable to be more with you, and that, in spite of myself, I was drawn into a whirlpool which carried me away and prevented me from following my inclinations.