f Belleisle's, were enormous, palpable to France and all mortals: but
perhaps these were trifling to the replacement of them by such GLOIRE
as there had been. A GLOIRE of plunging into War on no cause at all; and
with an issue consisting only of foul gases of extreme levity. Messieurs
are of confessed promptitude to fight; and their talent for it, in some
kinds, is very great indeed. But this treating of battle and slaughter,
of death, judgment and eternity, as light play-house matters; this of
rising into such transcendency of valor, as to snap your fingers in the
face of the Almighty Maker; this, Messieurs, give me leave to say so, is
a thing that will conduct you and your PREMIERE NATION to the Devil, if
you do not alter it. Inevitable, I tell you! Your road lies that way,
then? Good morning, Messieurs; let me still hope, Not!"

Diplomatist Kaunitz gained his first glories in this Congress of Aix;
which are still great in the eyes of some. Age now thirty-seven; a
native of these Western parts; but henceforth, by degrees ever more, the
shining star and guide of Austrian Policies down almost to our own New
Epoch. As, unluckily, he will concern us not a little, in time coming,
let us read this Note, as foreshadow of the man and his doings:--

"The glory of Count, ultimately Prince, von Kaunitz-Rietberg, is
great in Diplomatic Circles of the past Century. 'The greatest of
Diplomatists,' they all say;--and surely it is reckoned something to
become the greatest in your line. Farther than this, to the readers of
these times, Kaunitz-Rietberg's glory does not go. A great character,
great wisdom, lasting great results to his Country, readers do not trace
in Kaunitz's diplomacies,--only temporary great results, or what he and
the by-standers thought such, to Kaunitz himself. He was the Supreme
Jove, we perceive, in that extinct Olympus; and regards with sublime
pity, not unallied to contempt, all other diplomatic beings. A man
sparing of words, sparing even of looks; will hardly lift his eyelids
for your sake,--will lift perhaps his chin, in slight monosyllabic
fashion, and stalk superlatively through the other door. King of the
vanished Shadows. A determined hater of Fresh Air; rode under glass
cover, on the finest day; made the very Empress shut her windows when
he came to audience; fed, cautiously daring, on boiled capons: more I
remember not,--except also that he would suffer no mention of the word
Death by any mortal. [Ho