orcing a more strict respect for the rights and feelings
of the christian population under his political rule. It would not be
incompatible with his own best interests, for it is unnatural that an
inferior govern a superior race. Flatterers, and even savans, may find
apologies in the changes fortune has been pleased to make in the
affairs of a state; but here so strong are the evidences of bad
government that only lame excuses can be offered for the finest
country the sun shines on groaning in poverty and distress. The
independence of Turkey!

"There could be no doubt that the Bear had long cherished a serious
inclination to do for the Turkey, the character of whose independence
he well understood. He would make fertile use of its apathy. The Bear
would cook the Turkey with his own grease--albeit, he found him a sick
man, but had no objection to the meal. If, however, he had lain his
paws too rudely upon the patient, diplomatic donkeyism made the case
still more dangerous. Mr. Smooth begs the reader's pardon for using
the term 'diplomatic donkeyism;' but indeed the only difference he has
yet been capable of detecting between the conclave which drew upon the
nations of Europe so much carnal warfare and the assinine species is,
that the former have soft heads in place of ears. These diplomatic
donkeys, ever ready to keep the world apprised of their own greatness,
and without the slightest objection to getting up an unnecessary
number of excitements for its benefit, betook themselves to playing
drafts, in which game they made such an innumerable quantity of wrong
moves, that they lost themselves on the board. The world strove to
respect the body, but having never before been perplexed with such
polite players, the effort was indeed a task. With regard to their
game of drafts, such was the fear of the Bear exhibited by the movers
that no one dare remove him boldly from the King row, lest it leave an
opening he was but too ready to take advantage of; nor did they want
to wound the Turkey by any incautious move whereby the Bear might
unhesitatingly swallow him: so they pushed and shoved until they found
themselves in a sort of baby-jumper, in which they could be nursed to
sleep while the war they had so innocently kindled waged fierce and
bloody. In fact, they themselves got the Bear so far into the crockery
shop that no one could get him out without smashing to pieces the
whole establishment.

"Everywhere in Turkey they we