It is most kind of you to waste powder on an outcast like me; an outcast first from active life; secondly I feel--from your scheme of opinion I cannot read your articles--not because I deal so little with newspaper print, but because I am afraid of disagreeing with you, and in this case I prefer ignorance to strife. I am, you see, possessed with an idea as to the truer mode of dealing with the Sultan and his accursed system, founded upon my experience in the year 1880--when we received most valuable and effective aid from your good and great Emperor Alexander II. Now I have no power and little knowledge--and my imagined knowledge may be all wrong. It is to this effect: (1) That Lord Salisbury is not up to the mark in all points, but that he is the best of those who have the matter in their hands. The best there is at the moment to do the work. (2) That he is held back by others--not to act, say, according to rumour, most by Russia. If this is so it is most painful, for this Armenian case is the very worst of all that has yet happened, and if the Powers are beaten by the Sultan, whom every one of them can crush with the little finger, they will be deservedly covered with indelible disgrace. There is plain speaking for you. {154} It was; but I replied soothingly, trying to put to him Russia's case. His reply electrified Europe. It ran: _October_ 22_nd_, 1895. MY DEAR MADAME NOVIKOFF, In these sad circumstances I am so far comforted as to believe that there is no occasion for controversy between you and me. We have in some critical circumstances heartily co-operated, and I think we have the same sentiments as to Armenia. I shall carefully and for many reasons keep myself to myself. I see in _The Times_ that the wretched Sultan, whom God has given as a curse to mankind, waving his flag of triumph, and the adversaries at his feet are Russia, France and England. As to the division of the shame amongst them, I care little. Except that I hope that my own country, and for its good, be made conscious and be exhibited to the world for its own full share--whatever that may be. May God in His mercy send a speedy end to the grinning Turk and all his doings. So I said when I could say, and could even sometimes do, so I say in my political decrepitude and even death. Always yours sincerely, W. E. GLADSTONE. This letter was the sensation of the hour. Here are some of the English press comments upon it: "An extraordinary letter," "the sensation of the hour," "startling vehemence," "now famous letter," {155} "essentially Gladstonian," "silly and wicked balderdash," "ring of life and strength," "shameful letter," "Tory papers are terribly shocked," "has startled the civilised world."