Besides, as I have just said, we had in view not the fleeting moment but the future history of the world. The tree, the seed of which we have planted, is likely to grow but slowly, like everything else that is destined to increase and throw down deep roots. We shall not be able to repose in the shade of its branches, but those who follow us will gather its fruits. I have faith in our work for the future. The ideas that we have aroused in the minds of the governments and of the peoples cannot vanish like deceptive mirages. They have their _raisons d’être_ in the universal consciousness. Like every human conception, they meet, in their application, with periods of arrested development and even, if one may thus express one’s self, with passing eclipses. But nothing shall prevent their onward course. The end which we have set before ourselves is that of a forward march in constant progress. It is the law of history. Blind is he who does not see it. So then, _sursum corda_, and let us remember that Christ blamed men of little faith. You can remind your assembly of this in order that it may be taken in elsewhere. Accept, madam, my very sincere regards Nigra LXII THE TURN OF THE CENTURY 1900 or 1901 · Address to the powers · Letters from Henryk Sienkiewicz · Letter from the Prince of Mingrelia · Count Apponyi’s press scheme · The Interparliamentary Conference at Paris · Count Apponyi on the Conference · Dr. Clark’s action regarding Chamberlain and President Kruger · _Altera pars_ · The troubles in China · Letters from Yang-Yü to my husband · The Peace Congress at Paris · The Bloch family · Madame Séverine · The Exposition · Dinner at Professor Charles Richet’s · Miss Alice Williams · Literary work · Nomination of the Hague judges · Letters from Martens and Schönborn · D’Estournelles’s lecture in Vienna · Dr. Holls’s mission · Our silver wedding · Letter from Tolstoi · First assignment of the Nobel prizes · Dunant’s thanks · Decennial celebration of the Union · Letters of congratulation from Passy, Szell, Schönborn, D’Estournelles, Chlumecky, Rosegger and Björnson Now we began to write 1900. A new century. To be sure the ancient controversy raged a good deal as to whether the century began with the cipher or with the figure one; but I think that the number 1901 signifies that the first year of the twentieth century is finished, so that it begins with 1900, therefore it already is.[44] To be sure, time runs without figures into the Ocean of Eternity, but such turning points are always impressive.