ned a
footing of sympathy with the Mussulmans of North Africa, a population
which has for centuries opposed his claims. Twenty years ago it would
have been absolutely impossible for an Ottoman Sultan to awaken any
loyal feeling in any Arab breast. Tunis then specially boasted her
independence of the Porte, and all but the Hanefite rulers of the
sea-coast towns of Africa would have scouted the idea of fighting for
the Turk. Now the Malekites themselves, the puritans of Kerwan, are
moving at Abd el Hamid's nod. He would seem, too, to be stirring with
some success in Egypt, and Indian Mussulmans are praying for him
publicly in their mosques. Everywhere the reactionary party is standing
to its arms, and is beginning to recognize a leader in this supple
Armenian Khalifeh, who is defying Europe, and seems willing, if
necessary, to lead them one day on a Jehad.

With all this, however, it must not be supposed that Orthodox Islam is
by any means yet won back to Constantinople. Turkey, I have shown, and
the Hanefite school, are far from being the whole of the Mohammedan
world; and side by side with the fanatical obduracy of the Ottoman State
party and the still fiercer puritanism of the Melkites there exists an
intelligent and hopeful party favourable to religious reform. Shafite
Egypt is its stronghold, but it is powerful too in Arabia and further
East. With it a first article of faith is that the House of Othman has
been and is the curse of Islam, and that its end is at hand.

In spite of Abd el Hamid's pious appeals to the Sheriat they look upon
him as one who troubleth Islam. He is the representative of the party
most bitterly opposed to all of good. They know that as long as there is
an Ottoman Caliph, whether his name be Abd el Aziz or Abd el Hamid,
moral progress is impossible, that the ijtahad cannot be re-opened, and
that no such reformation of doctrine and practice can be attempted as
would alone enable their faith to cope with modern infidelity. They see
moreover that, notwithstanding his affected legality, Abd el Hamid's
rule is neither juster nor more in accordance with the Mussulman law
than that of his predecessors. The same vices of administration are
found in it, and the same recklessness for his Mussulman subjects'
welfare. Of all the lands of Islam his own are probably those where Abd
el Hamid has now the most scanty following. Constantinople is after all
his weak point, for the Young Turkish school is far fr