Nov. 27, 1860.
“My dear Panizzi,
I return the letter you sent me. It was, I think, quite capable of a good construction on Nov. 4, when it was written; and the writer tells us he had then learned that Ferdinand, evidently meaning Francis, was about to use the French Fleet as a means of escape. By this time he must have pretty well unlearned that piece of knowledge, and the character of the act, I think, stands out such as I described it yesterday. I impute no Machiavelism, or ism of any other kind. What I have been saying to every one all this year has been, Give the Emperor’s acts a fair construction; but a fair construction of these acts unhappily lends to them a rather foul aspect. I entirely withhold even now my belief from any such notions as those which you describe in your last page, and I do not take these false strokes of policy as indications of a plot extending far beyond them. They may be due to uncertainty, and to apprehensions of the future Italy; such as are, however, quite unworthy of a country so able and so certain to hold its own as France. But they are alike deductions from the glory it has won, evils in themselves, menaces to the general peace, and sources of mistrust here, such that as far as they go make it impossible to deny that the feeling is legitimate.
As to my interest in Italy, I wish it could be one-tenth part as useful as it is true. She has been to me for the last eighteen months a principal cause, not only of joy and satisfaction, but even of the desire for political existence.
Yours sincerely,
W. E. Gladstone.”
The substance of these two letters was forthwith communicated as follows by Panizzi to Mérimée:—
“B. M., 29th November, 1860.
“... Shortly after my return I informed Mr. Gladstone of my having had the honour of conversing with His Majesty, and told Mr. Gladstone of the great interest with which the Emperor spoke of him. This gentleman was much pleased with what I told him, but was of opinion that certain actions had been unjustly judged, and felt confident of the loyalty of the Emperor; and, notwithstanding the conduct of General Goyon at Viterbo, and of Admiral Barbier de Tinan at Gaeta, he still adheres to his former opinions.
“But yesterday Mr. Gladstone sent me a long letter, in which he tells me how he deplores the conduct of the Imperial Government at Gaeta, at Viterbo, at Terracina, and, in fact, everywhere; and which almost confirms what he has constantly tried to make people disbelieve. He is much mortified. I answered him, but from a second letter received this morning, I feel I cannot conceal the sudden change in Mr. Gladstone’s convictions. And if so firm a partisan of the Emperor has changed, think what the effect must be on those who have always suspected the Emperor.