Such things suit _you_; they do not
suit _us_. Our habits are economical and prudent, perhaps timid. We like
the petty commerce of commission and detail, we prefer domestic
manufactures to factories, we like to grow moderately rich by small
profits, small expenditure, and constant accumulation. We hate the
_nouveaux riches_, and scarcely wish to be among them. The progress for
which we wish is political progress--not within, for there we are
satisfied to oscillate, and shall be most happy if in 1860 we find
ourselves where we were in 1820--but without. I believe that our master's
_sortie_ against Belgium was a pilot balloon. He wished to see what
amount of opposition he had to fear from you, and from Belgium, and how
far we should support him. He has found the two former greater than he
expected. I am not sure that he is dissatisfied with the last.'
I spent the morning at H.'s. He too attacked me about the Canal.
'Do entreat,' he said, 'your public men to overrule their ill-conditioned
colleague. I told you a year ago, the mischief that you were doing, but I
do not think that you believed me. You may find too late that I was
right.
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