These South German children of nature are very corrupt." His opinion of the diplomatists does not seem to have improved as he knew them better.

Years later he wrote: "There are few diplomatists who in the long run do not prefer to capitulate with their conscience and their patriotism, and to guard the interests of their country and their sovereign with somewhat less decision, rather than, incessantly and with danger to their personal position, to contend with the difficulties which are prepared for them by a powerful and unscrupulous enemy." He does not think much better of his own Prussian colleagues; he often complains of the want of support which he received.

"With us the official diplomacy," he writes, "is capable of playing under the same roof with strangers against their own countrymen." These letters are chiefly interesting because of the light they throw on his own character at the beginning of his diplomatic career; we must not take them all too seriously.

He was too good a raconteur not to make a good story better, and too good a letter-writer not to add something to the effect of his descriptions; besides, as he says elsewhere, he did not easily see the good side of people; his eyes were sharper for their faults than their good qualities.[4] After the first few passages of arms he got on well enough with Thun; when he was recalled two years later Bismarck spoke of him with much warmth.

"I like him personally, and should be glad to have him for a neighbour at Schoenhausen." It is however important to notice that the first impression made on him by diplomatic work was that of wanton and ineffective deceit.