nary, at others internal and purely political, which these two
conflicting interests have mutually waged against each other."

On reading over these pages at the present day, and my entire work of
1820, I retain the impression, which I still desire to establish. On
examining things closely and by themselves, as an historian and
philosopher, I scarcely find any passage to alter. I continue to think
that the general ideas therein expressed are just, the great social
facts properly estimated, the political personages well understood and
drawn with fidelity. As an incidental polemic, the work is too positive
and harsh; I do not sufficiently consider difficulties and clouds; I
condemn situations and parties too strongly; I require too much from
men; I have too little temperance, foresight, and patience. At that time
I was too exclusively possessed by the spirit of opposition.

Even then I suspected this myself; and perhaps the success I obtained
inspired the doubt. I am not naturally disposed to opposition; and the
more I have advanced in life, the more I have become convinced that it
is a part too easy and too dangerous. Success demands but little merit,
while considerable virtue is requisite to resist the external and innate
attractions. In 1820, I had as yet only filled an indirect and secondary
position under the Government; nevertheless I fully understood the
difficulty of governing, and felt a degree of repugnance in adding to it
by attacking those to whom power was delegated. Another conviction began
also from that time to impress itself upon me. In modern society, when
liberty is displayed, the strife becomes too unequal between the party
that governs and those who criticize Government. With the one rests all
the burden and unlimited responsibility; nothing is looked over or
forgiven: with the others there is perfect liberty and no
responsibility; everything that they say or do is accepted and
tolerated. Such is the public disposition, at least in France as soon as
we become free. At a later period, and when in office, I endured the
weight of this myself; but I may acknowledge without any personal
reluctance, that while in Opposition I first perceived the unjust and
injurious tendency of this feeling.

By instinct, rather than from any reflective or calculated intention, I
conceived the desire, as soon as I had committed an act of declared
hostility, of demonstrating what spirit of government was not foreign to
my