we can hardly even blame the interested diplomacy of Dandolo, when we have seen ourselves, in this very year of grace, the noblest eloquence of England's greatest statesman encouraging England's most persistent and most dangerous enemy. Treaties are as the smoke of a tobacco-pipe, when strength and interest point in the same direction. By the persistent breach of sacred treaties Rome destroyed Carthage; and in modern days it seems as if national obligations may be repudiated if only a political opponent can be thwarted and embarrassed.
The Latins in command of Constantinople, it became necessary then to proceed at once to the partition of the Roman empire. It had been agreed by Dandolo on the one hand, and Baldwin, Boniface, and the Counts of Blois and St. Pol on the other, that one full quarter of the whole dominion was to be assigned to the Latin emperor, who was to be elected by Venetians and Crusaders. There remained three-quarters. Of this Venice was to have a moiety, and the rest was to be divided somehow among the Crusaders. Not a word about Jerusalem or the Holy Places. Even the acquisition of that share of the 300,000 marks which fell to each soldier failed to stimulate the Crusaders to the accomplishment of their vows.
First of all, however, they proceeded to elect an emperor.
Venice wanted no dignity of that kind, nor could any dignity be bestowed upon the nonagenarian Dandolo greater than that which he actually enjoyed as Doge of his native Republic. He accepted, however, the title of Despot of Romania. The emperor must
