whether Jomini does not still inspire it, is doubtful. At any rate it is Gortschakoff’s policy which it represents. People are now talking of his retirement, and that Lobanoff, the Ambassador at Constantinople, is selected to be his successor. Those who are well informed, however, do not believe this, nor do they think he will retire from office as long as he lives.” I said: “Lobánoff? How are these Russian names really pronounced? Górtschakoff and Lobánoff?” “He is called, Górtschakoff, but otherwise the position of the accent is quite uncertain--sometimes before, sometimes after, and sometimes on the middle syllable. He is now old, feeble, and decrepit; yet, notwithstanding his failing powers, the anti-German publications are placed to his credit--and not without reason. They also account in part for his popularity in Russia--and his vanity has not decreased. After 1874 it seemed as if his thirst for fame would give him no peace. At the time of the Reichstadt Convention he is understood to have said: ‘Je ne veux pas filer comme une lampe qui s’éteint; il faut que je me couche comme un astre.’” I had not rightly understood him, and asked: “How did you say that, Serene Highness?” He then repeated the French phrase more slowly, and said afterwards: “Please show it to me. You will have written it correctly, I suppose?” I handed him the paper, and he observed: “The ‘e’ is missing in ‘comme,’ and the accent in ‘éteint.’” He then continued: “You might bring in, at the same time, that he has really been stupid as a politician. He has only acted for himself during the last four years--that was in the preparations for the Turkish war, and no one can say that he displayed any particular skill in bringing it about. The relations with Austria--or, indeed, even with Rumania--were not skilfully managed. What did he do during the six months which he spent at Bucharest? The old fop was more occupied with the fair sex than with business. The relations with Austria and Germany were also not properly cleared up, although it ought to have been his chief task to assure himself definitely of the position of Austria towards the aims of Russia.” In the further course of conversation, Schuvaloff’s name came up, and I said he was regarded by many persons as Gortschakoff’s successor. The Chancellor replied: “Schuvaloff is a clever man, but he has no chance. There is too much Court intrigue against him, and the Emperor Alexander will not have about him a man of real weight. Otherwise Schuvaloff would be excellent from the point of view of peace.”