La plupart des écrits diplomatiques, et surtout les lettres, les complimens, les notes officielles n'ayant qu'un objet assez circonscrit, n'exigent point cette rigueur de methode, ces détails de plan et cette chaîne de divisions qu'on retrouve dans des ouvrages plus etendus; il suffit que la matière soit divisées en chefs géneraux nettement circonscrits, et que ces parties soient respectivement placées dans leur enchaînement mutuel.

III. Des Convenances.

Jusque ici nous avons parlé des caractères genéraux du style qui convient à toute espèce de composition diplomatique. Mais ce serait bien peu connaître les convenances, si l'on croyait avoir rempli ses devoirs en respectant ces conditions, et si l'on ne variait pas son ton d'après les circonstances. Le temps, le mœurs, la nature des relations, le genere de l'ecrit, l'importance des affaires, etc. tracent au vrai politique la nuance du ton qu'il doit prendre. Suivant ces circonstances, le style prendra un caractère de supériorité ou de déférence et même de respect, de force, de vehemence, de fermeté, d'amitié ou de froideur, de confiance ou de réserve; il se rapprochera plus ou moins des formes oratoires où il restera plus près des formes simples de la discussion.

Pour donner au style ce precieux merite, qui resulte de son juste rapport avec les circonstances, il faut avoir un tact sûr et exerce, être constamment maître de soi et de ses passions, connaître la valeur des termes qu'on emploie et les moyens qui peuvent varier le style; il faut enfin connaître les formes particulières que l'usage a introduites, et qui tiennent au ceremonial.

[TRANSLATION.]

Although the style of political writings may be susceptible of many variations, all are submitted to rules, the application of which is constant and gencral.

In all of them should be found a declared end; just, luminous, and solid ideas, a firm, rapid and methodical proceeding, pure and correct diction, clear, natural and precise expressions, and a style noble and circumspect: in fine, that taste, which, adapting itself in every case to circumstances, time and persons, never allows the style to be above, or beneath, the subject.

Some of the qualities of this style, are merely grammatical, and relate to the diction. Others have greater affinity to reasoning, or argument; and belong, more particularly, to the principles of logic.

The last, in fine, belong to proprieties, and are not the least important.

I. Qualities which pertain to Diction.

Correctness and purity of style are too essential, to permit one to act a diplomatic part, without having previously acquired these first bases of expression. Grammatical, or other errors, in acts designed for greater or less publicity, throw ridicule upon the author; weaken the consideration which he should merit, and injure his course. These errors may, besides, give rise to equivoques and to mistakes, always consequent in political matters.

On the other hand, it is not the less ridiculous to see a man in office, affecting to write as a grammarian, and with purity, trifle with words, and forget, in the difficulty of the rules of philology, the importance of the subject upon which he designed to treat. We have the right to require of him that he should express himself as one well educated, whose judgment and taste had been refined in the higher circles of the world, and by the perusal of the best writers. Neither should solecisms, forced constructions, strange phrases, obsolete terms, or the affectation of neology be pardoned.

If it is true, that clearness of style should be in accordance with the importance of the work, nothing more imperiously demands this merit, than those writings which have for their great object the interest of a nation. Although an opinion, perhaps too common, seems to admit, that politics is a science, in which every thing is mysterious; it is not the less true, that official articles should be prepared with clearness and precision; and that obscurities, ambiguties, and equivoques should be avoided. In diplomacy, it is not sufficient that you should be simply understood, but it is also necessary to remove the means by which one of bad faith may turn an ambiguous word to his own advantage. This scrupulous attention to clearness of style, should be extended even to punctuation; for it has been more than once seen, that the sense of an important article depended upon the proper placing of a comma; and that very serious disputes have arisen from a circumstance in appearance equally trivial.

This obscurity results, either from the idea itself, from the expression of it, or from the want of system in the disposition of the discourse. With regard to the first cause of obscurity, it will be observed, that, it is impossible for a person to write with clearness, if he does not well comprehend himself. His first duty, then, should be to reflect deeply upon his subject, as soon as any difficulty may present itself; to consider it in all its bearings, and to separate the parts, until it forms of itself an idea clear and distinct.

This perspicuity with which the mind is penetrated, will communicate itself to the expression of an idea, either by the choice of terms, or, by the construction of sentences. The expressions should be always pure, proper and precise.

Terms which are deficient in purity of style, are often unintelligible; those which are improper destroy the idea, and even substitute another in its place; those which are deficient in precision, pervert the meaning by producing accessaries, and by weakening or exaggerating the sense.

As to the nature of sentences, it is proper to observe, that, the abbreviated style is the more appropriate to diplomatic discussions, because it is more rapid and more concise; and, because particular ideas are in this way more easily detached from one another. The periodic style should not, however, be too affectedly abandoned, yet it is necessary to abstain from sentences of too great length, or, which are burdened with appurtenant objects. The principal idea should be easily distinguished from the subordinate the same justness of expression which governs the words of a partial phrase, should be found among the different members of a finished period. Unity will be thus constantly observed, and the sense be so complete, as to leave nothing wanting for the spirit of the meaning.

We have already said, that the want of order, and of method throughout a production, was one of the most frequent causes of obscurity of style. As this subject belongs more particularly to the logical qualities of the discourse, we will here confine ourselves to observe that, the mind is harassed, and the attention fatigued by this dislocation of ideas, placed at random, instead of being grouped together in such a manner as to form the principal ideas: a work thus conceived, is indeed a perfect labyrinth, where the mind loses the thread, which should conduct it through all its intricacies.

Clearness then tends essentially to correctness and purity, and should be a fresh incentive to study well the language which is about to be used.

Graceful expressions, elegance of language, and affected phrases, are not necessary in matters of such grave import as that of diplomatic correspondence; then all that is required is the language of simplicity and reason: one author desires that letters

between sovereigns should sparkle with wit; it appears to me that this would be brilliancy of mind, but badly employed. The style of such letters may be lively and even animated with a sentiment, approximating to the pathetic, but it should rather be in the tone of a polite and easy conversation, than in that of a studied harangue. In memorials, and particularly in public acts, simplicity and clearness should predominate: these are judicial subjects which require that more attention should be paid to exactness and to formality, than to elegance, or to beauty of language. As for the rest, simplicity should be more or less dominant, according to the species of the writing, the nature of their contents, and the diversity of form.

But then, if we reject a studied and affected style, it is not to be concluded that we must descend to one which is low and familiar-trifling, proverbial, and popular expressions, jests, etc. should be banished from writings which demand a character of dignity, free from bombast; of grandeur, without pride; and of gravity, devoid of pedantry.

When speaking, as from one sovereign to another, every expression should be proper and well considered. The greatest care should be taken to avoid invectives, injurious expressions, offensive reproaches, and calumnious impressions; it is to outrage manners and good breeding, and to be deficient in that respect which is due to one's self; it is to excite, improvidently, feelings of hatred and of revenge; it is, in fine, to be placed under the powerful alternative either of disavowing a language which was authorised, of retracting it by a solemn reparation, or of exhibiting a sense of inconsistency, by flattering those who were just insulted.

II. Logical Qualities.

The first law, which reason imposes, in all species of writing, is that the author should be well decided upon the end which he wishes to attain: this end in fact determines the choice of the means to be employed, and the predominating tone of the work.

This end being once fixed, the ideas should be concentrated on it, and tend towards it, by a constant and progressive march, without permitting any deviation, through the objects which are only accessary to the great subject. Nothing imprints more forcibly upon a writing the character of feebleness, than a vague and undetermined end. The means weaken themselves, thus tend to a false course, while, on the contrary, they present a mutual force, when they are made to bear upon the same point. The general desire of political writings is to persuade; that is to say, to change or to fix and to affirm the opinion of sovereigns and of nations on some particular object, so as to induce an operation suited to our own interests; but in this general design, how many different ends are there, and from which it is important to make a choice! It may be desirable to make that appear to be true, which would appear to be false; as certain, that which would seem doubtful; as lawful, that which appears to be unjust; as honest, that which is dishonest; as useful and necessary, that which is dangerous and hurtful: and so the argument may be used, in proportion, of a contrary effect.

Circumstances sometimes require, that many of these designs should be embraced as subordinate and indispensable means. Often also persuasion cannot be reached without speaking of, or touching on them. But, in all these cases, it is necessary to have a special point in view, to be well satisfied with your own opinions, and with the object which is desired.

Having once determined upon the purpose it is necessary to be instructed in all that is requisite for its attainment-this examination reduces itself to the choice of ideas to be employed, to the order to be followed in their connexion, and to the general style which it is proper to adopt.

Let us now examine the first of these objects, that is, the choice of thoughts:

We have seen that, in politics, primum mobile of persuasion is interest: an experienced negotiator will never neglect this allurement; he will make it the most important part of his writings, and in all matters, between nation and nation, he will prefer it even to matters of right and to judicial proofs; but in leaning towards motives of interest, it should be skilfully done. If he should appear to be better acquainted with the interests of a nation, than it does itself, he would render himself obnoxious he would also be suspected, if he exhibited too much warmth, in causing them to feel it.

In order to acquire this solidity, which does not fear either criticism or refutation, the author should, as much as possible, be richer in ideas than in words: those ideas should be true, just, luminous and necessary, have a direct bearing upon, and should support the subject.

In endeavoring to uphold himself by a false or doubtful principle, or even one which is foreign to the object, the author is exposed to the danger of seeing the edifice destroyed which he wished to sustain, and of giving a great advantage to his adversary.

None but unobjectionable proofs should be relied on. Facts are proved by authorities, rights by titles, principles by arguments, practical maxims by the benefits which result from them, and by the disadvantages which they avoid.

If the obstinacy, or bad faith of our adversaries, reduces us to the necessity of carrying our proofs to the most rigorous demonstration, recourse may be had to syllo gisms, provided we divest them of dryness and of pedantry.

In adhering to these decisive means, partial proofs, similitudes and analogy should not be neglected; these means, however feeble, when taken separately, receive great strength from being united.

Quotations may be used in all writings designed to establish or destroy any contested point, but they should be employed only when apropos. Their abuse would be considered as ridiculous affectation of erudition; if it is intended to refute facts, principles or maxims, it should be done by proofs, directly to the contrary.

It should never be forgotten, that generalities, declamation, and invective prove nothing: they serve as weapons to weakness and passion.

After having chosen his ideas, the author should devote himself to their developement. Every subject of composition consists of its principal and detailed parts, but all are not of the same importance, nor do they excite the same interest-the developement then consists in the art of presenting successively, and to their proper extent, all the ideas which the subject and end united require. In a word, the integrality of the subject, to say of it in a few words, all that should be said, and no more, is the secret of a good developement.

The integrality of the subject, supposes that none of the interesting parts should be omitted: whether they relate to demands to be made, grievances to be exposed, proofs to be established, pretensions to be overcome, news to be transmitted. It is necessary to embrace at a single view, the whole of the subject, and to admit nothing

which might enlighten or support it. The dangerous consequences of such omissions in political matters are evident; an inutile prolixity would however be a great fault in political composition; although certain memorials may be susceptible of greater display, they do not the less require a character of precision. Minute and superfluous details, unnecessary repetitions, and ideas foreign from the subject, should be avoided. A just proportion should be given to the developement of the ideas advanced, according to their degrees of utility.

But it is not enough, not to say that which ought not to be said: it is necessary also that the expresssions should be made in few words, uniting brevity with precision. Circumlocution, epithets, high sounding words, numerous periods, indiscreet ornaments, and common place rhetoric, are positively discarded from writings, where the subject is grave and important, and when all should be directed to one particular end.

Prolixity exhibits a mind embarrassed and diffused, or a false sense which sacrifices improperly the main object to its accessaries; it casts a merited ridicule upon the work,disgusts the reader,prevents the progress of matters by diverting the attention.

In a word, in place of a verbose and eloquent display, in matters of business, a plain, precise and concise style is required: the abuse of this brevity destroys the clearness and gives to it an affected air; besides it easily leads to a haughty and imperious tone. It is proper, according to the circumstances, to soften this variety of expression by rendering the style more connected and sustained.

The developement of which we have just spoken supposes necessarily an order which leads to the unity of the subject.

The greater part of diplomatic writing, and particularly that of letters, compli ments, and official notes, having but a circumscribed object, do not require this strictness, these details of plan and the chain of divisions which is found in works of greater extent; it is sufficient that the matter should be neatly divided under general heads, and that these parts should be placed respectively, according to their mutual connexions.

III. of Proprieties [Convenances.]

Until now, we have spoken of the general character of style, which is applicable to every species of diplomatic composition; but this would be to know only a little of proprieties; if the agent thought he had fulfilled his duty by simply respecting these conditions, and if he did not vary his tone, according to circumstances. The times, manners, nature of the relations, the kind of writing, the importance of the business, &c. point out to the true politician the variety of tone, which he should use. According to these circumstances, the style should evince a character of superiority, of deference and even of respect, of force, vehemence, firmness, friendship or of indifference, of confidence, or of reserve. Thus he will approach more or less to the forms of oratory, or will remain nearer to those simply of discussion.

In order to give to style this valuable quality, which results from its just conformity to circumstances, it is necessary to possess a sure and practical tact or judge ment, to be constantly master of one's self, and of his passions, be acquainted with the value of the terms which are employed, and the means of varying the style; and, in fine it is necessary to know the particular forms, which custom has introduced and which pertain to matters of ceremony.

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