than it satisfies moral feeling, irritates more than it
restrains, moves indifferent spectators to pity, and appears to those
who are interested an act of war falsely invested with the forms of a
decree of justice. The intimidation which it conveys at first,
diminishes from day to day; while the hatred and thirst of vengeance it
inspires become hourly more intense and expansive; and at last the time
arrives when the power which fancies itself saved is exposed to the
attacks of enemies infinitely more numerous and formidable than those
who have been previously disposed of.

A day will also come, I confidently feel, when, for offences exclusively
political, the penalties of banishment and transportation, carefully
graduated and applied, will be substituted in justice as well as in fact
for the punishment of death. Meanwhile I reckon, amongst the most
agreeable reminiscences of my life, the fact of my having strenuously
directed true justice and good policy to this subject, at a moment when
both were seriously compromised by party passions and the dangers to
which power was exposed.

These four works, published successively within the space of two years,
attracted a considerable share of public attention. The leading members
of Opposition in the two Chambers thanked me as for a service rendered
to the cause of France and free institutions. "You win battles for us
without our help," said General Foy to me. M. Royer-Collard, in pointing
out some objections to the first of these Essays ('On the Government of
France since the Restoration'), added, "Your book is full of truths; we
collect them with a shovel." I repeat without hesitation these
testimonies of real approbation. When we seriously undertake to advocate
political measures, either in speeches or publications, it becomes most
essential to attain our object. Praise is doubly valuable when it
conveys the certainty of success. This certainty once established, I
care little for mere compliments, from which a certain degree of
puerility and ridicule is inseparable; sympathy without affected words
has alone a true and desirable charm. I had a right to set some value on
that which the Opposition evinced towards me; for I had done nothing to
gratify the passions or conciliate the prejudices and after-thoughts
which fermented in the extreme ranks of the party.

I had as frankly supported royalty, as I had opposed the Cabinet; and it
was evident that I had no desire to consign