Bancroft: Life of William H. Scioard 155 can, of course, be easily shown ; and it has been shown to superfluity ; but it must at least be clear now, as to many it was not then, that it was absolutely necessary to avoid an outbreak during that sad, we had almost said shameful, interregnum, to tide over the interval between the meeting of Congress in December, 1S60, and the advent to his place of the new president. Seward's temper was genuinely hopeful, optimistic. It enabled or helped him to "speak smooth things " or even to "proph- esy false visions" without conscious moral obliquity, and, indeed, with a purely patriotic and honest mind. The end does not sanctify the means, as an abstract proposition, but in this case the end was the highest and the means were not bad. There is no evidence of Seward's insincerity here. He saw with calm vision while others were helpless and hopeless ; and he doubtless believed his most sanguine vaticinations. If it is need- ful to mark his fallibility of judgment here, it is not just, nor warranted by historical proof, to doubt his good faith ; and surely not to question the value of his strenuous and unfailing hope. Macaulay makes one-half of the "true philosophical temperament" to consist in "much hope," and the other half in "little faith." Seward by this standard was at least half a philosopher, and if so, whether he was a whole one or not does not seem important. We lay emphasis upon this passage in his career l.iecause so many, not, however, including Mr. Bancroft, have made it the text of ridicule and depreciation. Our knowledge of Mr. Bancroft's previous studies and pursuits had led us to expect not only a thorough treatment, but a fresh, substantial addition to our appreciation of Seward's diplomatic services. What he gives us is not without merit, in form and substance, but truth compels the verdict that it does not add to .what has already been known and passed upon. Seward's qualifications for Secretary of State, so far as previous study and interest went, were far superior in 1861, to those of any other Amer- ican then living. Chapter XXX. of the second volume is valuable as a general brief view of the diplomatic situation in 1861 ; and it is imme- diately followed by four chapters covering the chief incidents of our re- lations with France and England during the war. These chapters, if not brilliantly or graphically done, are a good specimen of orderly and clear presentation. Here must be noted, however, one omission very difficult to account for, — the notorious M'Crackin letter and the affront which resulted in the summary retirement of Mr. Motley from Vienna, — an incident of which all the world took note, and which in the reced- ing light of more than thirty years ago still brings a hot flush to the brow of all who loved and honored the most brilliant historical writer and the most accomplished gentleman of his generation. We are famil- iar with the apologies offered by thick-and-thin eulogists and personal friends of Seward. They are in vain. The act at best was done without a word of objection or protest from Seward. It goes farther than any act we know of to give credit to the bitter charge of his enemies that the old Secretary clung to his office under President Johnson at the ex-
