ontains some praise； but more abuse。 Hayward is angry with it； Kinglake thinks it more friendly than could have been expected 〃to YOU； a friend of ME； their old open enemy： the sugar… plums were meant for you； the sprinklings of soot for me。〃
Besides 〃Russia and England〃 Madame Novikoff is the author of 〃Friends or Foes？ … is Russia wrong？〃 and of a 〃Life of Skobeleff；〃 the hero of Plevna and of Geok Tepe。 From her natural endowments and her long familiarity with Courts； she has acquired a capacity for combining； controlling； entertaining social 〃circles〃 which recalls LES SALONS D'AUTREFOIS； the drawing…rooms of an Ancelot； a Le Brun； a Recamier。 Residing in several European capitals； she surrounds herself in each with persons intellectually eminent； in England； where she has long spent her winters； Gladstone； Carlyle and Froude； Charles Villiers； Bernal Osborne； Sir Robert Morier； Lord Houghton； and many more of the same high type； formed her court and owned her influence。
Kinglake first met her at Lady Holland's in 1870； and mutual liking ripened rapidly into close friendship。 During her residences in England few days passed in which he did not present himself at her drawing…room in Claridge's Hotel： when absent in Russia or on the Continent； she received from him weekly letters； though he used to complain that writing to a lady through the POSTE RESTANTE was like trying to kiss a nun through a double grating。 These letters； all faithfully preserved； I have been privileged to see； they remind me； in their mixture of personal with narrative charm； of Swift's 〃Letters to Stella〃； except that Swift's are often coarse and sometimes prurient； while Kinglake's chivalrous admiration for his friend； though veiled occasionally by graceful banter； is always respectful and refined。 They even imitate occasionally the 〃little language〃 of the great satirist； if Swift was Presto； Kinglake is 〃Poor dear me〃； if Stella was M。 D。； Madame Novikoff is 〃My dear Miss。〃 This last endearment was due to an incident at a London dinner table。 A story told by Hayward； seasoned as usual with GROS SEL； amused the more sophisticated English ladies present； but covered her with blushes。 Kinglake perceived it； and said to her afterwards； 〃I thought you were a hardened married woman； I am glad that you are not； I shall henceforth call you MISS。〃 Sometimes he rushes into verse。 In answer to some pretended rebuff received from her at Ryde he writes
〃There was a young lady of Ryde； so awfully puffed up by pride； She felt grander by far than the Son of the Czar； And when he said； 'Dear； come and walk on the pier； Oh please come and walk by my side；' The answer he got； was 'Much better not；' from that awful young lady of Ryde。〃
Oftenest； the letters are serious in their admiring compliments； they speak of her superb organization of health and life and strength and joyousness； the delightful sunshine of her presence； her decision and strength of will； her great qualities and great opportunities： 〃away from you the world seems a blank。〃 He is glad that his Great Eltchi has been made known to her； the old statesman will be impressed； he feels sure； by her 〃intense life； graciousness and grace； intellect carefully masked； musical faculty in talk； with that heavenly power of coming to an end。〃 He sends playfully affectionate messages from other members of the GERONTAION； as he calls it； the group of aged admirers who formed her inner court； echoing their laments over the universality of her patronage。 〃Hayward can pardon your having an ambassador or two at your FEET； but to find the way to your HEART obstructed by a crowd of astronomers； Russ…expansionists； metaphysicians； theologians； translators； historians； poets； … this is more than he can endure。 The crowd reduces him； as Ampere said to Mme。 Recamier； to the qualified blessing of being only CHEZ VOUS； from the delight of being AVEC VOUS。 He hails and notifies additions to the list of her admirers； quotes enthusiastic praise of her from Stansfeld and Charles Villiers； warm appreciation from Morier； Sir Robert Peel； Violet Fane。 He rallies her on her victims； jests at Froude's lover…like GALANTERIE … 〃Poor St。 Anthony！ how he hovered round the flame〃； … at the devotion of that gay Lothario； Tyndall； whose approaching marriage will； he thinks； clip his wings for flirtation。 〃It seems that at the Royal Institution； or whatever the place is called； young women look up to the Lecturers as priests of Science； and go to them after the lecture in what churchmen would call the vestry； and express charming little doubts about electricity； and pretty gentle disquietudes about the solar system： and then the Professors have to give explanations； … and then； somehow； at the end of a few weeks； they find they have provided themselves with chaperons for life。〃 So he pursues the list of devotees； her son will tell her that Caesar summarized his conquests in this country by saying VENI； VIDI； VICI； but to her it is given to say； VENI； VIDEBAR； VICI。
On two subjects； theology and politics； Madame Novikoff was； as we have seen； passionately in earnest。 Himself at once an amateur casuist and a consistent Nothingarian； whose dictum was that 〃Important if true〃 should be written over the doors of churches； he followed her religious arguments much as Lord Steyne listened to the contests between Father Mole and the Reverend Mr。 Trail。 He expresses his surprise in all seriousness that the Pharisees； a thoughtful and cultured set of men； who alone among the Jews believed in a future state； should have been the very men to whom our Saviour was habitually antagonistic。 He refers more lightly and frequently to 〃those charming talks of ours about our Churches〃； he thinks they both know how to EFFLEURER the surface of theology without getting drowned in it。 Of existing Churches he preferred the English； as 〃the most harmless going〃； disliked the Latin Church； especially when intriguing in the East； as persecuting and as schismatic； and therefore as no Church at all。 Roman Catholics； he said； have a special horror of being called 〃schismatic；〃 and that is； of course； a good reason for so calling them。 He would not permit the use of the word 〃orthodox；〃 because； like a parson in the pulpit； it is always begging the question。 He refused historical reverence to the Athanasian Creed； and was delighted when Stanley's review in 〃The Times〃 of Mr。 Ffoulkes' learned book showed it to have been written by order of Charles the Great in 800 A。D。 as what Thorold Rogers used to call 〃an election squib。〃 In the 〃Filioque〃 controversy； once dear to Liddon and to Gladstone； now； I suppose； obsolete for the English mind； but which relates to the chief dividing tenet of East from West； he showed an interest humorous rather than reverent； took pains to acquaint himself with the views held on it by Dollinger and the old Catholics； noted with amusement the perplexity of London ladies as to the meaning of the word when quoted in the much…read 〃Quarterly〃 article； declaring their belief to be that it was a clergyman's baby born out of wedlock。
Madame Novikoff's political influence； which he recognized to the full； he treated in the same mocking spirit。 She is at Berlin； received by Bismarck； he hopes that though the great man may not eradicate her Slavophile heresies； he may manifest the weakness of embroiling nations on mere ethnological grounds。 〃Are even nearer relationships so delightful？ would you walk across the street for a third or fourth cousin？ then why for a millionth cousin？〃 Madame Novikoff kindly sends to me an 〃Imaginary Conversation〃 between herself and Gortschakoff； constructed by Kinglake during her stay in St。 Petersburg in 1879。
〃G。 Well … you really have done good service to your country and your Czar by dividing and confusing these absurd English； and getting us out of the scrape we were in in that … Balkan Peninsula。
〃MISS O。 Well； certainly I did my best； but I fear I have ruined the political reputation of my English partizans； for in order to make them 'beloved of the Slave；' I of course had to make them； poor souls！ go against their own country； and their country； stupid as it is； has now I fear found them out。
〃G。 TANT PIS POUR EUX！ ENTRE NOUS； if I had been Gladstone； I should have preferred the love of my own country to the love of these … Slaves of yours。 But； tell me； how did you get hold of Gladstone？
〃MISS O。 RIEN DE PLUS SIMPLE！ Four or five years ago I asked what was his weak point； and was told that he had two； 'Effervescence；' and 'Theology。' With that knowledge I found it all child's play to manage him。 I just sent him to Munich； and there boiled him up in a weak decoction of 'Filioque；' then kept him ready for use； and impatiently awaited the moment when our plans for getting up the 'Bulgarian atrocities' should be mature。 I say 'impatiently；' for； Heavens； how slow you all were！ at least so it strikes a woman。 The arrangement of the 'atrocities' was begun by our people in 1871； and yet till 1876； though I had Gladstone ready in 1875； nothing really was done！ I assure you； Prince； it is a trying thing to a woman to be kept waiting for promised atrocities such an unconscionable time。
〃G。 That brother…in…law of yours was partly the cause of our slowness。 He was always wanting to have the orders for fire and blood in neat formal despatches； signed by me； and copied by clerks。 However； I hope you are satisfied now； with the butcheries and the flames； and the … ？
〃MISS O。 POUR LE MOMENT！〃
She is absent during the sudden dissolution of Parliament in 1874。 〃London woke yesterday morning and found that your friend Gladstone had made a COUP…D'ETAT。 He has dissolved Parliament at a moment when no human being expected it； and my impression is that he has made a good hit； and that the renovated Parliament will give him a great majority。〃 The impression was wildly wrong； and he found a cause for the Conservative majority in Gladstone's tame foreign policy； and especially in the pusillanimity his government showed when insult