CHAP. Sir Hamilton was not so constituted as to be liable to VI. the kind of awe which other diplomatists too often felt in the majestic presence of the Emperor; but his despatches show that he was much interested, and, so to speak, amused, by the conversation of a prince who wielded with his own very hand the power of All the Russias. Moreover, Sir Hamilton had the quickness and the presence of mind which enable a man. to seize the true bearing and import of a sentence just uttered, and to meet it at the instant with the few and appropriate words which convey the needful answer, and provoke a still further disclosure.

His conversation with the Emperor.

On the night of the 9th of January 1853, the English Minister was at a party gathered in the palace of the Archduchess Helen, when the Emperor Nicholas approached him, and drew him into conversation.

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'You know my feelings,' the Emperor said, with regard to England. What I have told you before I say again it was intended that the two countries 'should be upon terms of close amity; and I feel sure 'that this will continue to be the case. . . . I repeat 'that it is very essential that the two Governments— 'that is, that the English Government and I, and I ' and the English Government-should be on the best

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terms; and the necessity was never greater than at

present. I beg you to convey these words to Lord 'John Russell. When we are agreed, I am quite

' without anxiety as to the West of Europe; it is im

material what the others may think or do. As to

Turkey, that is another question; that country is in

VI.

a critical state, and may give us all a great deal of CHAP. 'trouble. And now I will take my leave of you.' The Emperor then shook hands with Sir Hamilton Seymour, and believed that he had closed the conversation; but the skilled diplomatist saw and grasped his opportunity; and whilst his hand was still held by the Emperor, Sir Hamilton Seymour said, 'Sir, with your gracious permission, I would desire to take a great liberty.' 'Certainly,' His Majesty replied; what is it? let me hear.' Sir Hamilton said, 'I 'should be particularly glad that your Majesty should 'add a few words which may tend to calm the anxiety with respect to the affairs of Turkey which 'passing events are so calculated to excite on the

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part of Her Majesty's Government. Perhaps you 'will be pleased to charge me with some additional 'assurances of this kind.'

The Emperor's words and manner, although still very kind, showed that he had no intention of speaking to Sir Hamilton of the demonstration which he was about to make in the South. He said, however, at first with a little hesitation, but, as he proceeded, in an open and unhesitating manner: The affairs of Turkey are in a very disorganised condition; the 'country itself seems to be falling to pieces: the fall 'will be a great misfortune, and it is very important 'that England and Russia should come to a perfectly good understanding upon these affairs, and that 'neither should take any decisive step of which the other is not apprised.' The Envoy answered that this was certainly his view of the way in which

CHAP. Turkish questions should be treated; but the EmVI. peror then said, as if proceeding with his remark,

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Stay, we have on our hands a sick man—a very

'sick man; it will be, I tell you frankly, a great misfortune if one of these days he should slip away 'from us, especially before all necessary arrangements 'were made. But, however, this is not the time to speak to you on that matter.'

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On the 22d of January another interview took place between the Emperor and the English Envoy. 'I found His Majesty,' writes Sir Hamilton Seymour, alone; he received me with great kindness, saying that I had appeared desirous to speak to him upon Eastern affairs; that on his side there was no indisposition to do so, but that he must begin at a ' remote period. You know, His Majesty said, the 'dreams and plans in which the Empress Catherine 'was in the habit of indulging; these were handed down to our time; but while I inherited immense 'territorial possessions, I did not inherit those visions, 'those intentions if you like to call them so. On the contrary, my country is so vast, so happily circum'stanced in every way, that it would be unreasonable in me to desire more territory or more power than 'I possess; on the contrary, I am the first to tell you that our great, perhaps our only danger, is that

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which would arise from an extension given to an Empire already too large.

Close to us lies Turkey, and in our present 'condition nothing better for our interests can be desired. The times have gone by when we had any

thing to fear from the fanatical spirit or the military CHAP.

enterprise of the Turks; and yet the country is strong enough, or has hitherto been strong enough, to pre'serve its independence, and to insure respectful 'treatment from other countries.

'Well, in that empire there are several millions ' of Christians whose interests I am called upon to watch over, while the right of doing so is secured 'to me by treaty. I may truly say that I make a mo'derate and sparing use of my right, and I will freely confess that it is one which is attended with obligations occasionally very inconvenient; but I cannot recede from the discharge of a distinct duty. Our religion, as established in this country, came to us from the East, and there are feelings as well as obligations which never must be lost sight of.

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Now Turkey, in the condition which I have described, has by degrees fallen into such a state of decrepitude that, as I told you the other night, eager as we all are for the prolonged existence of 'the man (and that I am as desirous as you can be 'for the continuance of his life, I beg you to believe), 'he may suddenly die upon our hands: we cannot ' resuscitate what is dead. If the Turkish Empire 'falls, it falls to rise no more; and I put it to you, 'therefore, whether it is not better to be provided 'beforehand for a contingency, than to incur the ' chaos, confusion, and the certainty of an European war, all of which must attend the catastrophe if 'it should occur unexpectedly, and before some ulte'rior system has been sketched. This is the point to

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VI.

CHAP. which I am desirous you should call the attention of your Government.'

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Sir Hamilton Seymour adverted to the objection which the English Government habitually felt to the plan of taking engagements upon possible eventualities, and said that disinclination might be expected in England to the idea of disposing, by anticipation, of the succession of an old friend and ally. The 'rule is a good one,' the Emperor replied--' good at 'all times, especially in times of uncertainty and change like the present; still it is of the greatest im'portance that we should understand one another, and not allow events to take us by surprise. Now I ' desire to speak to you as a friend and as a “gentle6 man :” if England and I arrive at an understanding ' in this matter, as regards the rest it matters little to 'me; it is indifferent to me what others do or think. Frankly, then, I tell you plainly that if England 'thinks of establishing herself one of these days at Constantinople, I will not allow it. I do not attri'bute this intention to you, but it is better on these 'occasions to speak plainly. For my part, I am equally disposed to take the engagement not to establish

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myself there as proprietor that is to say, for as occupier I do not say it might happen that circum'stances, if no previous provision were made, if everything should be left to chance, might place me in the position of occupying Constantinople.'

On the 20th of February the Emperor came up to Sir Hamilton Seymour at a party given by the Grand Duchess Hereditary, and in the most gracious manner