Those who accuse him, as is so often done, of lowering the standard of political morality which prevails in Europe, know little of politics as they were at the time when Schwarzenberg was the leading statesman.
It was his fate at once to be brought in close contact with the most disagreeable side of political life.

In all diplomatic work there must be a good deal of espionage and underhand dealing.

This was a part of his duties which Bismarck had soon to learn.

He was entrusted with the management of the Press.

This consisted of two parts: first of all, he had to procure the insertion of articles in influential papers in a sense agreeable to the plans of the Prussian Government; secondly, when hostile articles appeared, or inconvenient information was published, he had to trace the authors of it,--find out by whom the obnoxious paper had been inspired, or who had conveyed the secret information.