Tuesday, 4 June 1878

Preservation of titles; equality before the law; all other equality is impossible. Respect for the old families, honours to foreign princes. Protection of the arts; luxury and elegance.
These dynasties, these ministers who take root and rot in place, infesting the country — these court protections... That is the misfortune, that is the ruin. Whereas a leader constantly renewed, changed, ministries swept away often, officials given fresh air — now that is what makes a country bright and healthy and consequently capable of anything, if it has intelligence; and that is one thing the French will not lack.
They reproach the Republic with blood, with mud, and a thousand other fine things. Good Lord — look at the beginnings of everything, especially when half the country spoils, obstructs, and fights. Several attempts have failed; there were Napoleonic memories, there was Saint Helena. What is there now?... The barren M. de Chambord; after him the Orléans... the Orléans do not amuse me — one does not love debased, bastardised things. As for Napoleon III, he has forever ruined his line. The Republic of today is the true one — long awaited, definitive, a blessing of heaven arrived at last. What do a few freethinkers matter who exist under every regime? What do the exaggerations employed to arrive at the right measure matter? One receives anyone at all — but is the country a salon? Let party men choose their guests; but the Republic is not a party, it is the whole country, and the more that come to it, the wider it will open its arms, and when everyone has come there will be neither proscribed nor abandoned nor chosen — there will be no more parties. There will be France, and then those who are at fault will be punished, but not disowned — how could they be?
Does a criminal stain the whole country? Does a wicked man ruin a city? One stands aside from him, one punishes him — but one does not [sentence unfinished]
For the present the Republic has too much to do to concern itself with individuals — it is busy bringing everyone together, and afterwards if someone is a thief his punishment will be inflicted, but without telling him to go to the devil or turn Bonapartist.
What are these party ideas? There should be none.
They make it a crime for republics to have scoundrels in their ranks — yet what nation has none? The Republic is not a salon, a coterie. If all of France were to become
Legitimist or Imperialist — would they all be pure, all without stain?
Good night — I am rambling because I am in the devil of a hurry.
The town house at 250,000 francs and all the rest — for me who loves my interior so dearly, my books, my notebooks, my inkpot... yes, but none of it exists! There are people who have everything; I have nothing.
I went to the Exhibition and then to the Bois. At the Exhibition we encounter the Marquis de Pascarola, from Naples; at the Bois, all the universe.
Marcuard is no doubt vexed about his April Fool, for he does not come a second time.
The soirée of M. de Tunis, under-director at the Foreign Ministry, appears in Le Figaro and in two other papers. We are mentioned.
I had something to say... I no longer remember.
Fio wants me to come with her and her people to lunch tomorrow at the Exhibition. They leave the day after tomorrow. I would rather go to the Salon with de Daillens and arrange to meet some gentlemen there.
I had resigned myself to being bored with the English because they were to go to the Chamber, and I would have gone with them — but they leave the day after tomorrow, no more Versailles, consequently. So I need make no sacrifices.
I think I am going to undertake a piece of work... I am already at it... in Germany I shall have time to write perhaps before then.