he had written:--

I am entirely in harmony with you as to your view of the eastern
policy. It has been depressing and corrupting to the country; a
healthier air has been generated by indignation at the Bulgarian
massacres, which have thrown us back on our rather forgotten
humanity. I hope the subject will not slumber through the recess.
Dizzy's speech (so I call him with all due respect to the peerage)
in the Turkish debate gave me a new light on his views. He is not
quite such a Turk as I had thought. What he hates is Christian
liberty and reconstruction. He supports old Turkey, thinking that
if vital improvements can be averted, it must break down; and his
fleet is at Besika Bay, I feel pretty sure, to be ready to lay
hold of Egypt as his share. So he may end as the Duke of Memphis
yet.

II

Then came the pamphlet. The story of this memorable publication is told in
the diary:--

_Aug. 28, 1876._--Church 8-1/2 A.M. Worked on a beginning for a
possible pamphlet on the Turkish question. I stupidly brought on
again my lumbago by physical exertion. Was obliged to put off my
pamphlet. Read _The Salvation of all Men_ ... 29.--Kept my bed
long. Wrote to Lord Granville, etc. ... and as a treat began
_Waverley_ once more. Lumbago bad. 30.--Much bed; forswear all
writing. Read St. Thomas Aquinas on the Soul.... _Waverley_. A
snug evening in the Temple of Peace. 31.--Kept my bed till four,
and made tolerable play in writing on Bulgarian horrors. _Sept.
1._--Wrote [16 letters]. Again worked hard in bed and sent off more
than half to the printers. Read _Waverley_. Short drive with C.
2.--This day I wrote again a good piece of the pamphlet in bed, but
improved considerably. Rose at four. Read _Waverley_ in the
evening. 3.--Hawarden Church 11 A.M. and 6-1/2 P.M. Wrote [16
letters]. Off at 10.15 P.M. for London. 4.--Reached 18 C.H.T. at
five in the morning by limited mail; bed till nine. Saw Lord
Granville, Mr. Delane, Sir A. Panizzi, Mr. Clowes, Messrs. Murray,
the American minister. In six or seven hours, principally at the
British Museum, I completed my MS., making all the needful
searches of papers and journals. Also worked on proof sheets.

_To Mrs. Gladstone._--We had an interesting little party at
Granville's. I had a long talk with Delane. We, he and I, are much
of o