In the old days when the Germanic Diet still sat at Frankfort, a statesman, who then represented the power which was destined to sweep into nothingness that famous institution, told me that he always had a Tacitus by his bedside. ‘Then,’ I replied, ‘you hardly agree with your distinguished countryman who called Tacitus a disappointed courtier.’ ‘If,’ he rejoined, ‘there were many courtiers like Tacitus, I should take care to frequent courts.’