Sarah Austin an Leo Thun
Weybridge, 3. Juli 1859
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Sarah Austin teilt Leo Thun ihre Besorgnis hinsichtlich der schwierigen außenpolitischen Situation Österreichs mit und versichert Thun, in Gedanken bei ihm zu sein. Sie und ihr Mann verurteilen den ungerechtfertigten Angriff Sardiniens und Frankreichs auf die Lombardei. Sie versichert Thun auch, dass viele ihrer Bekannten ähnlicher Auffassung seien. Sie schickt Thun auch einige Zeitungsartikel, die dies verdeutlichen sollen. Austin glaubt auch, dass der ehemalige König von Frankreich, Ludwig Philipp, zu wenig unterstützt worden sei und damit erst die jetzige Situation geschaffen wurde. Abschließend lässt sie Grüße an Thuns Brüder, Schwestern und seinen Vater ausrichten. Außerdem berichtet sie vom Gesundheitszustand ihrer Familie.

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Dear Count Leo

I hope your brother Fritz (forgive me – it is the familiarity of love not of disrespect) told you that we have not forgotten our beloved friends of Tetschen, nor forgotten to hold them near to our hearts. It was such a joy to see him! So would it be to see you dear Leo! But that I fear will not be in this world.
You will believe that we think of you all incessantly in these dark days & that we, at least, are under no foolish illusions about the independence of Italy or the magnanimity. Seventy times a day does my just & upright husband call down vengeance upon the restless ambition of Sardinia & the fathomless designs of France. Twenty times a day does he pray for the success & safety of Austria & her present disasters wound him to the heart lot, as you know, dear Leo, that he approves in all respects the political system of Austria or makes himself the champion of all her conduct. But of one thing he has no doubt that she is most basely & unrightcously attached & that every man who has a feeling for justice must side with her. I assure you this feeling is so strong with us that it quite saddens our life. We know not how to resign ourselves to the “triumph of the ungodly”.
Let us hope that triumph will not be permanent.
In the mean time, if Austria is an object of anxiety, France, the true & noble France which still exists in some few high minded men, is still more to be pitied. Nothing can exceed the dejected & almost despairing tone in which write. Two days ago I had a letter from Lord Brougham in which he says: “Nothing can be worse than the prospects of all good men & true in France.” You see that he has declared in the House of Lords that the liberation of Italy is a mere pretext.
Before this reaches you, you will I hope, have received the first Nr. of a little journal in which I take great interest. Jeffs, the publisher, consulted me about it from the beginning & I have helped to draw out the scheme of it. The writers in this Nr. are Mister Jules Simon, Mister Barthélemy St. Hilaire & the Count d’Haussonville (son in law of the Duc de Broglie). The paper on the [?] is St. Hilaire’s. You will see from these names that the contributors are men of the highest order as to station, character & ability; & that the anarchical writers with whom France abounds are to have nothing to do with it. It is an organ opened to the wise & good, to the friends of order & of good government, who are reduced to silence in France. I thought it might interest you to see it.
These men are without an exception opposed to the war & have always regarded the conduct of Sardinia & France towards Austria as false & aggressive. How deeply is it to be regretted that Europe (England, I am ashamed to say, included) did not understand the importance of doing everything to support the Government of Louis Philippe. I never had any admiration for him – but I remember saying to the present Queen of Saxony, the last time I was in Germany (in ’45) – “All that you say of L[ouis] P[hilippe], Madam, is true. Nevertheless you ought to pray day & night that his life & his reign may be prolonged.” A[malie] A[uguste] replied with an air of surprise: “Ah? Pensez vous? Oui, Madame, j’eu suis sure.” I wonder if the Queen ever recollected my words. They were dictated by observation of the French people. But how I run on! to His Excellency the Minister, as if he were still my dear young friend, Leo. I will detain you no longer, expect to ask you to let your brothers see the Revue Indépendante. Give my kindest heartiest love to them & to your honored Father & your dear Sisters – including Count Frederic to whom I may venture to send my greeting.
I know you can not have time to write. Perhaps my dear Francis would write to me. Tell him our hearts ache for news from Austria.
And now farewell, my dearest Count Leo & believe me with unaltered affection

Yours

Sarah Austin
Weybridge
Surrey

July 3, 1859

PS. You will like to hear that my husband is remarkably well. He has lately written a conservative pamphlet which I will send you. You will see the old intelligence ripened into wisdom by age.
I will try also to send you a copy of Bentley`s [?] Quarterly Review 10! Contains an article of mine on France only do not say it is mine. I think it will not displease you.
Once more, God bless you.
My own health continues very feeble & precarious – Children & grandchildren well