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Front Page  Titles (by Subject) TO M. GUSTAVE DE BEAUMONT. - Memoir, Letters, and Remains of Alexis de Tocqueville, vol. 2
TO M. GUSTAVE DE BEAUMONT. - Alexis de Tocqueville, Memoir, Letters, and Remains of Alexis de Tocqueville, vol. 2 [1861]Edition used:Memoir, Letters, and Remains of Alexis de Tocqueville. Translated from the French by the translator of Napoleon’s Correspondence with King Joseph. With large Additions. In Two Volumes (London: Macamillan, 1861). 2 vols.
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- Memoir, Letters, and Remains of Alexis De Tocqueville, Vol. Ii
- Letters of Alexis De Tocqueville.
- 1835: To M. De Corcelle.
- To Count MolÉ.
- To Lord Radnor. *
- To Henry Reeve, Esq.
- To John Stuart Mill, Esq.
- To the Same.
- 1836: To the Same.
- To Henry Reeve, Esq.
- To the Same.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- To M. Gustave De Beaumont.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- To J. S. Mill, Esq.
- 1837: To N. W. Senior, Esq.
- To H. Reeve, Esq.
- To the Same.
- To Count MolÉ. President of the Cabinet ( Prime Minister. )
- Answer From Count MolÉ to M. De Tocqueville.
- To Count MolÉ.
- To M. Gustave De Beaumont.
- 1838: To the Same.
- To the Same.
- To the Same.
- 1839: To the Same.
- To the Same.
- To the Baron De Tocqueville.
- To M. J. J. AmpÈre.
- To J. S. Mill, Esq.
- To M. J. J. AmpÈre.
- 1840: To H. Reeve, Esq.
- To the Same.
- To M. J. J. AmpÈre.
- To H. Reeve, Esq.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- To M. J. J. AmpÈre.
- To the Baron De Tocqueville.
- To J. S. Mill, Esq.
- 1841: To the Baron De Tocqueville.
- To M. J. J. AmpÈre.
- To the Same.
- 1843: To M. Gustave De Beaumont.
- To Lord Radnor.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- 1844: To the Same.
- 1846: To Charles Buller, Esq. *
- To M. De Corcelle.
- 1847: To M. Dufaure.
- To N. W. Senior, Esq.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- 1848: To Mademoiselle Denise De Tocqueville.
- To N. W. Senior, Esq.
- To the Comtesse Louis De Kergorlay.
- To Lord Radnor.
- To M. Gustave De Beaumont (in London).
- To the Same.
- 1849: To G. Grote, Esq.
- To Lord Radnor.
- 1850: To the Comtesse De Circourt.
- Extract From the Journal Kept By Mr. Senior In the Spring of 1850.
- To Mrs. Grote.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- Extracts From the Journal Kept By Mr. Senior During His Visit to Normandy.
- To M. Dufaure.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- To M. G. De Beaumont.
- To M. Dufaure.
- To the Comtesse De Circourt.
- 1851: To M. Gustave De Beaumont.
- To the Comtesse De Circourt.
- To M. Dufaure.
- To N. W. Senior, Esq.
- To M. Gustave De Beaumont.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- To N. W. Senior, Esq.
- To the Editor of the “times.”
- “ the High Court of Justice,
- Extracts From Mr. Senior’s Journal.
- 1852: To N. W. Senior, Esq.
- To M. Gustave De Beaumont.
- To the Comte De Circourt.
- To M. Dufaure.
- To the Comtesse De Circourt.
- To Henry Reeve, Esq.
- To the Comtesse De Circourt.
- 1853: To Baron Bunsen.
- To Henry Reeve, Esq.
- To M. Gustave De Beaumont.
- To Baron Bunsen.
- To W. R. Greg, Esq.
- T. M. Freslon (formerly Minister of Public Instruction).
- To N. W. Senior, Esq.
- To W. R. Greg, Esq.
- To M. Freslon.
- To the Comte De Circourt.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- To the Comtesse De Circourt.
- To M. Freslon.
- To M. Rivet.
- To M. Gustave De Beaumont.
- To M. Freslon.
- To the Comtesse De Circourt.
- To Mrs. Grote.
- To the Comte De Circourt.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- 1854: To the Comtesse De Circourt.
- Extract From Mr. Senior’s Journal.
- To Baron Edouard De Tocqueville.
- Extract From Mr. Senior’s Journal.
- To the Comte De Circourt.
- To the Same.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- To the Comtesse De Circourt,
- To M. Gustave De Beaumont.
- To M. De Circourt.
- To M. Gustave De Beaumont.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- To the Same.
- To the Same.
- 1855: To N. W. Senior, Esq.
- To Mrs. Grote.
- To N. W. Senior, Esq.
- To Mrs. Grote.
- To M. Gustave De Beaumont.
- Extracts From Mr. Senior’s Journal.
- To Madame Swetchine.
- To N. W. Senior, Esq.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- To Mrs. Austin.
- To M. De Circourt.
- To N. W. Senior, Esq.
- To Madame Swetchine.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- To the Comte De Circourt.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- To the Same.
- 1856: To Madame Swetchine.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- To the Same.
- To Baron Bunsen.
- To M. Charles De RÉmusat.
- To Madame Swetchine.
- To M. Victor Lanjuinais (formerly Minister of Commerce).
- To Prince Albert De Broglie.
- To Madame Swetchine.
- To M. De RÉmusat.
- To Mrs. Grote.
- To M. Duvergier De Hauranne.
- To N. W. Senior, Esq.
- To Madame Swetchine.
- To Mrs. Grote.
- To M. Lanjuinais.
- To Madame Swetchine.
- To N. W. Senior, Esq.
- To Henry Reeve, Esq.
- To Madame Swetchine.
- To M. Gustave De Beaumont.
- To Madame Swetchine.
- 1857: To M. A. Rivet.
- To M. J. J. AmpÈre.
- To Mrs. Grote.
- To M. Freslon.
- To Henry Reeve, Esq.
- To Madame Swetchine.
- To N. W. Senior, Esq.
- To M. J. J. AmpÈre.
- To the Comtesse De Circourt.
- To Lady Theresa Lewis.
- Extracts From Mr. Senior’s Journal.
- To Henry Reeve, Esq.
- To Mrs. Grote.
- To N. W. Senior, Esq.
- To Lord Radnor.
- To M. J. J. AmpÈre.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- To Lord Hatherton.
- To Mrs. Hollond.
- To M. J. J. AmpÈre.
- To the Same.
- To M. Freslon.
- To the Comtesse De Circourt.
- To Lady Theresa Lewis.
- To M. Freslon.
- To M. Gustave De Beaumont.
- To N. W. Senior, Esq.
- To Lord Hatherton.
- 1858: To M. J. J. Ampere.
- To Henry Reeve, Esq.
- To Sir James Stephen.
- To N. W. Senior, Esq.
- To Lord Hatherton.
- To Henry Reeve, Esq.
- To M. Freslon.
- To the Same.
- Extract From Mr. Senior’s Journal.
- To M. Gustave De Beaumont.
- To M. Freslon.
- To M. De Circourt.
- To Mrs. Grote.
- To N. W. Senior, Esq.
- To Lord Hatherton.
- To Sir G. C. Lewis.
- To W. R. Greg, Esq.
- To M. Freslon.
- To the Comte De Circourt.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- To M. J. J. AmpÈre.
- To the Same.
- 1859: To M. Lanjuinais.
- To J. S. Mill, Esq.
- To the Comte De Circourt.
- To M. C. Rivet.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- To the Vicomte Édouard De Tocqueville.
- To the Comtesse Hippolyte De Tocqueville.
- To Henry Reeve, Esq.
- To M. Freslon.
- To M. J. J. AmpÈre.
- To M. Gustave De Beaumont.
- To Baron Bunsen.
- To M. Lanjuinais.
- To N. W. Senior, Esq.
- To the Comte De Circourt.
- To M. De Corcelle.
- To M. J. J. AmpÈre.
TO M. GUSTAVE DE BEAUMONT.
Tocqueville, November 20, 1857.
* * * * * *
All this indisposes me to my work. Often I should have abandoned it, if the want of some really useful employment did not soon make me miserable. This want forces me back to it after I have been driven from it by despair. To the troubled state of my mind is to be added the intrinsic difficulty of the subject. To treat it with novelty seems an absurd attempt, yet I cannot repeat the common-places which we have heard ever since we were children. Even before I had tired the reader, I should be tired to death myself. Besides, I must mix ideas with facts, tell enough of the latter to make the former intelligible, to make the reader feel their importance, and do all this without writing a history, properly so called. I sometimes ask myself, and with some doubt, Can all this be done? I think that I discern the object which I wish to paint, but the light is so uncertain that its features escape me.
In your letter before last, you describe well the manner in which the little occupations of the country take possession of one’s life, and fill it till it can hold nothing else. To a certain degree I feel this, and I am surprised sometimes at the amusement which I feel in these small details, and at the importance which I attach to things which really have scarcely any. To think about the French Revolution requires an effort; one’s thoughts flow easily when their subject is how to make a sheep-fold or build a stable. But I know myself; my incurable restlessness, and the changeableness of my feelings too well, to think that mere country life and country employments would satisfy me.
As for you, do not talk to me of being sad. You have no right to be so when you have such a son. I saw him the other day, for an instant, at Sainte Barbe. I fell into the sin of envy. His person is as distinguished as his mind. It is impossible to be more intelligent, more affectionate, more noble in ideas or in feelings. I understand your anxiety as to his choice of a profession. After all, I envy you your anxiety. You do not know what it is to grow old in solitude. The happiness of my married life thus becomes itself a source of pain. It is terrible to feel that only one single being attaches me to life, and to consider what interest this world would have left for me if I lost her.
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