d act cordially with us if
he dared. At present he is obliged to cover all he does under the
instructions given to Guilleminot by his predecessor under a different
state of things, before the great Russian successes. He talks of a Congress
of the Powers interested, and of a joint declaration if Russia should not
adhere to her promise.

Russia may be kept to her promises by the fear of a revolutionary movement
in France. The French Opposition desire the success of the Russians, the
dissolution of the Turkish Empire, and the occupation of the Dardanelles by
the Emperor Nicholas, because they know that such events would lead to a
_sotto sopra_ in Europe, a general scramble in which they would get the
Rhine as their boundary. Generally, I have no doubt, young France wishes
for confusion.

Austria is alarmed and would do nothing. The Prussians hold that the
existence of the Ottoman Empire is not essential to the balance of power
(that is, some of them do), and they would be glad to see Austria and
Russia divide Turkey, Prussia having her compensation in Germany. However,
Muffling, going rather beyond his instructions, has been made to do good.

I think all things tend to the preservation of peace if there should be no
explosion at Constantinople or in France. The Ottoman Empire seems,
however, to be falling to pieces. The Government has been so oppressive
that the people will not fight for it. The Sultan has but 4,000 troops, and
it is said the appearance of 10,000 Russians would lead to the capture of
Constantinople.

Diebitch seems to dread the catastrophe which might ensue, and the
ambassadors have placed before him in strong terms the fatal consequences
of an explosion at Constantinople.

I must say R. Gordon has done ably and well.

The rascally Russians have been intriguing with our Ionian subjects, and
Aberdeen has written a very strong letter to Lord Heytesbury on the
subject.

Polignac, desirous as he is of withdrawing the French troops altogether
from the Morea, is at present afraid of doing so.

Aberdeen told me things were not going on well here. The King has quite
lost the sight of one eye, and the sight of the other is indistinct. It
gives him pain, too, and the fear of blindness makes him nervous. The Duke
of Cumberland is always about him, as mischievous as ever, but pretending
not to be hostile.

The Duke of Wellington gives the King up as a bad job. He sees him very
seldom. At first he liked seei