while that the reticence of which they
complain is under the circumstances inevitable.

"Gladstone and his satellites are using their opportunities,
however, with thorough unscrupulousness. It is possible that they
may force an Autumn Session, and even force the Ministry to resign-
but woe to themselves if they do. They will promise what cannot be
carried out, and will perhaps, in fine retribution for the Crimean
War, bring the Russians to Constantinople. It will not be a bad
thing in itself, but there will be an end of the English Minister
who brings it about."

Again, three days later, to the same correspondent:

"I admire the Premier's speech. It is what I expected of him. The
Liberal leaders are behaving scandalously, with the exception
perhaps of Lord Hartington. The Cabinet I trust will now decide on
an Autumn Session to remove so critical a matter out of the hands of
irresponsible mobs. I was surprised to hear the war in Servia
attributed to the secret societies. Cluseret I know has intended to
ask for service with Turkey, with a view to a war, against Russia,
and has been withheld only by some differences with General Klapha,
the Turco-Hungarian, from doing so. I had a long letter from him to-
day, in which he expresses his restlessness characteristically, J'ai
la nostalgic de la poudre."

Afterwards Froude followed Carlyle, and went with Russia against
Turkey. The "unspeakable Turk" was to be "struck out of the question
and Bismarck invited to arbitrate. Such was the oracular deliverance
from Cheyne Row, and Froude obeyed the oracle. He attended the
Conference at St. James's Hall in December at which Gladstone spoke,
and Carlyle's letter was read, sitting for the only time in his life
on the same platform with Freeman. Next May, when war between Russia
and Turkey had actually begun, when Gladstone was about to move his
famous resolutions in the House of Commons, there appeared in The
Times* another remarkable letter from the same hand. This time,
however, it was no mere question of style, though "our miraculous
Premier" was a phrase which stuck. Carlyle evidently had information
of some design for giving Turkey the support of the British fleet in
the neighbourhood of Constantinople, and was not very discreet in
the use he made of it. The Cabinet were supposed to be divided on the
question of helping Turkey by material means, which of course
meant war with Russia, and the Foreign Secretary, Lord Derby, was