rck-Jahrbuch_ is equally indispensable; without this it
would be impossible for anyone living in England to use the innumerable
letters, documents, and anecdotes which each year appear in German
periodicals. Of collections of documents and letters, the most important
are those by Herr v. Poschinger, especially the volumes containing the
despatches written from Frankfort and those dealing with Bismarck's
economic and financial policy. A full collection of Bismarck's
correspondence is much wanted; there is now a good edition of the
private letters, edited by Kohl, but no satisfactory collection of the
political letters.

For diplomatic history between 1860 and 1870, I have, of course, chiefly
depended on Sybel; but those who are acquainted with the recent course
of criticism in Germany will not be surprised if, while accepting his
facts, I have sometimes ventured to differ from his conclusions.

September, 1899. J.W.H.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I. PAGE
BIRTH AND PARENTAGE..................................... 1

CHAPTER II.
EARLY LIFE, 1821-1847.................................. 14

CHAPTER III.
THE REVOLUTION, 1847-1852.............................. 34

CHAPTER IV.
THE GERMAN PROBLEM, 1849-1852.......................... 70

CHAPTER V.
FRANKFORT, 1851-1857................................... 86

CHAPTER VI.
ST. PETERSBURG AND PARIS, 1858-1862................... 127

CHAPTER VII.
THE CONFLICT, 1862-1863............................... 162

CHAPTER VIII.
SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN, 1863-1864......................... 192

CHAPTER IX.
THE TREATY OF GASTEIN, 1864-1865................... ...226

CHAPTER X.
OUTBREAK OF WAR WITH AUSTRIA, 1865-1866................240

CHAPTER XI.
THE CONQUEST OF GERMANY, 1866..........................259

CHAPTER XII.
THE FORMATION OF THE NORTH GERMAN CONFEDERATION,
1866-1867..............................................291

CHAPTER XIII.
THE OUTBREAK OF WAR WITH FRANCE, 1867-1870.............315

CHAPTER XIV.
THE WAR WITH FRANCE AND FOUNDATION OF
THE EMPIRE, 1870-1871..................................346

CHAPTER XV.
THE NEW EMPIRE, 1871-1878..............................377

CHAPTER XVI.
THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE AND ECONOMIC REFORM, 1878-1887 ....405

CHAPTER XVII.
RETIREMENT AND DEATH, 1887-1898........................440

INDEX..................................................465

ILLUSTRATIONS.

BISMARCK _Frontispiece_
[From a painting by F. Von Lenbach.]

BISMA