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 known to be in favour of peace.  A year later Lord Carnarvon and Lord Derby had both left the Cabinet rather than be responsible for a vote of credit which meant preparation for war, and for calling out the Reserves.

—­ * May 5, 1877. —­

Froude was in complete sympathy with the retiring ministers, and he regarded it as a profound mistake for England to quarrel with Russia on behalf of a Power which had no business in Europe at all.  From his point of view the presence at the Colonial Office of so sympathetic a Minister as Carnarvon was far more important than the difference between the Treaty of San Stefano and the Treaty of Berlin.  Of the Afghan War in 1878 he strongly disapproved.

The following extracts from letters to Lady Derby show the phases of thought on the Eastern Question through which Froude passed, and are interesting also because they represent him in an unfamiliar light as the champion of parliamentary Government against the secret diplomacy of Lord Beaconsfield.  Arbitrary rule might be very good for Irishmen.  As applied to Englishmen Froude disliked it no less than Gladstone or Bright.

“February 16th, 1877.—­The Opposition have no hope of making a successful attack on the present Parliament—­but they are resolute.  They know their own minds, and Gladstone (I know) has said that he has but to hold up his finger to force a dissolution and return as Prime Minister.  I too think you are deceived by the London Press.  Another massacre and all would be over.  The Golden Bridge you speak of I conclude is for Russia; but if it was possible for the Cabinet, without changing its attitude, to make such a bridge, there would be no need of one.  England has been, and I fear still is, the one obstacle to measures which would have long ago brought the Turk to his senses.  I cannot but feel assured that you have thrown away an opportunity for securing to the Conservative party the gratitude of Europe and the possession of office for a generation.  If more mischief happens in Turkey it will be on you that public displeasure will fall, and you may need a bridge for yourselves and not find one.  I croak like a raven.  Perhaps you may set it down to an almost totally sleepless night.”