442

LIFE OF OOBDEN, [ons

oar. Vienna, July 10th.—Paid a visit in company with M-&r.43.
 de H. to Prince Metternich, whose appearance hardly
denotes the veteran of seventy-five. His head and count”
nance convey the impression of high polish rather than
native force of character, and his conversation is 0r°
subtle than profound. He talks incessantly, perhaps in order
bo choose his own topics; the state of Italy was his prt”
cipal theme, and he professed to be apprehensive of violent
disorders in that country. He entered into a long essay upon
differences of race, and the antagonisms of nationality
Europe. ‘Why did Ttaly still have favourable feeling
towards France, notwithstanding the injuries she had ®
ceived from the latter country ? Because the wo nation®
were of the same race. Why were England and France
inveterately opposed ? Because upon their opposite coasts
the Teutonic and Latin races came into close contact !
Again and again he returned to the state of Italy, spoke
of their jealousies and hatreds, one town of another ; gid
that a man in Milan would not lend his money upon mort
gage in Cremona or Padua, because ‘he could not see the
church steeple.” It struck me that his hatred of the ItaliaD®
partook of the feeling described by Rochefoucault when 2
says that we never forgive those whom we have injured-Speaking
 of Austria, he dilated upon the great diversity of
the character and condition of the people, and seemed to P?
vindicating his conservative policy. How could they ba"®
a representative system, when men from different parts of
the empire, if assembled as representatives in the capita
could not understand each other ? The Emperor was King
of Hungary, of Lombardy, and of Bohemia, Count of Tyrol
and Archduke of Austria.’ He alluded to the generally co®”
fortable state of the people, and wished me to examine Dt
their condition. He seemed to speak on the defensive
like a man conscious that public opinion in Europe was nob