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One thing, which I thought, at the time, of good augury, was the very favourable reception he gave to Tocqueville's Democracy in America. It is true, he said and thought much more about what Tocqueville said in favour of democracy, than about what he said of its disadvantages.
Oh! if Grant could do the same thing to Lee's army, not only would the Rebellion be broken, but the Copperhead party would be scattered to the winds! Do you read anything this summer but reports from Borrioboola Gha? The best book I have read Ticknor's "Prescott," Alger's "Future Life," Furness's "Veil Partly Lifted," etc., notwithstanding is De Tocqueville's "Ancient Regime and the Revolution."
Yet, unless substantial mental cultivation in the mass of mankind is to be a mere vision, this is the road by which it must come. If any one supposes that this road will not bring it, I call to witness the entire contents of M. de Tocqueville's great work, and especially his estimate of the Americans.
"Here ended his political life. It ended with liberty in France." The remaining years of Tocqueville's life were spent in a retirement which might have been happy, had he not felt too deeply for happiness the despotism which weighed upon France.
The Historical Essays on England, by Rémusat, an ardent admirer of hers, was largely influenced by her Considérations, while Tocqueville's Ancien Régime contains many of her ideas. Literature owes even more to her works, which encouraged the study of foreign literatures; almost all translations were due to her works.
This last change, which took place very gradually, dates its commencement from my reading, or rather study, of M. de Tocqueville's Democracy in America, which fell into my hands immediately after its first appearance.
For an explanation of these defects, shall we fall back upon a convenient maxim of De Tocqueville's and admit with him that "a democracy is unsuited to meditation"? We are forced to do so. But then comes the inevitable second thought that a democracy must needs have other things than meditation to attend to.
Nay more, the "American experiment" has interested the talent of Europe; and our political literature is already enriched by De Tocqueville's "Democracy in America," by von Holst's "Constitutional and Political History of the United States," and by Bryce's "American Commonwealth."
"Happy or unhappy, my country shall have all my life; I will never be unfaithful to her even were I sure of finding elsewhere a brilliant destiny." While Cavour was in Paris, Tocqueville's Democracy in America was published, and immediately gave its author European fame.
The American publishers of M. De Tocqueville's "Democracy in America," have been frequently solicited to furnish the work in a form adapted to seminaries of learning, and at a price which would secure its more general circulation, and enable trustees of School District Libraries, and other libraries, to place it among their collections.
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