stone's tame foreign policy； and especially in the pusillanimity his government showed when insulted by Gortschakoff。 He always does justice to her influence with Gladstone； his great majority at the polls in 1880 is HER victory and HER triumph； but his Turkophobia is no less her creation： 〃England is stricken with incapacity because you have stirred up the seething caldron that boils under Gladstone's skull； putting in diabolical charms and poisons of theology to overturn the structure of English polity：〃 she will be able； he thinks； to tell her government that Gladstone is doing his best to break up the British Empire。
He quotes with approbation the newspaper comparison of her to the Princess Lieven。 She disparages the famous ambassadress； he sets her right。 Let her read the 〃Correspondence；〃 by his friend Mr。 Guy Le Strange； and she will see how large a part the Princess played in keeping England quiet during the war of 1828…29。 She did not convert her austere admirer； Lord Grey； to approval of the Russian designs； nor overcome the uneasiness with which the Duke of Wellington regarded her intrigues； but the Foreign Minister； Lord Aberdeen； was apparently a fool in her hands； and； whoever had the merit； the neutrality of England continued。 That was； he repeats more than once； a most critical time for Russia； it was an object almost of life and death to the Czar to keep England dawdling in a state of actual though not avowed neutrality。 It is； he argued； a matter of fact； that precisely this result was attained； and 〃I shall be slow to believe that Madame de Lieven did not deserve a great share of the glory （as you would think it） of making England act weakly under such circumstances； more especially since we know that the Duke did not like the great lady； and may be supposed to have distinctly traced his painful embarrassment to her power。〃 So the letters go； interspersed with news； with criticisms of notable persons； with comments enlightening or cynical on passing political events： with personal matters only now and then； as when he notes the loss of his two sisters； dwells with unwonted feeling on the death of his eldest nephew by consumption； condoles with her on her husband's illness； gives council； wise or playful； as to the education of her son。 〃I am glad to hear that he is good at Greek； Latin； and Mathematics； for that shows his cleverness； glad also to hear that he is occasionally naughty； for that shows his force。 I advise you to claim and exercise as much control as possible； because I am certain that a woman … especially so gifted a one as you … knows more； or rather feels more； about the right way of bringing up a boy than any mere man。〃
Unbrokenly the correspondence continues： the intimacy added charm； interest； fragrance to his life； brought out in him all that was genial； playful； humorous。 He fights the admonitions of coming weakness； goes to Sidmouth with a sore throat； but takes his papers and his books。 It is； he says； a deserted little sea…coast place。 〃Mrs。 Grundy has a small house there； but she does not know me by sight。 If Madame Novikoff were to come； the astonished little town； dazzled first by her； would find itself invaded by theologians； bishops； ambassadors of deceased emperors； and an ex… Prime…Minister。〃 But as time goes on he speaks more often of his suffering throat； of gout； increasing deafness； only half a voice： his last letter is written in July； 1890； to condole with his friend upon her husband's death。 In October his nurse takes the pen； Madame Novikoff comes back hurriedly from Scotland to find him in his last illness。 〃It is very nice；〃 he told his nurse； 〃to see dear Madame Novikoff again； but I am going down hill fast； and cannot hope to be well enough to see much of her。〃 This is in November； 1890； on New Year's Eve came the inexorable； 〃Terminator of delights and Separator of friends。〃
CHAPTER VI … LATER DAYS； AND DEATH
FOR twenty years Kinglake lived in Hyde Park Place； in bright cheerful rooms looking in one direction across the Park； but on another side into a churchyard。 The churchyard； Lady Gregory tells us； gave him pause on first seeing the rooms。 〃I should not like to live here； I should be afraid of ghosts。〃 〃Oh no； sir； there is always a policeman round the corner。〃 （24） 〃Pleaceman X。〃 has not； perhaps； before been revered as the Shade…compelling son of Maia：
〃Tu pias laetis animas reponis Sedibus； VIRGAQUE LEVEM COERCES AUREA TURBAM。〃
Here he worked through the morning； the afternoon took him to the 〃Travellers；〃 where his friends； Sir Henry Bunbury and Mr。 Chenery； usually expected him； then at eight o'clock； if not； as Shylock says； bid forth； he went to dine at the Athenaeum。 His dinner seat was in the left…hand corner of the coffee…room； where； in the thirties； Theodore Hook had been wont to sit； gathering near him so many listeners to his talk； that at Hook's death in 1841 the receipts for the club dinners fell off to a large amount。 Here； in the 〃Corner；〃 as they called it； round Kinglake would be Hayward； Drummond Wolff； Massey； Oliphant； Edward Twisleton； Strzelecki； Storks； Venables； Wyke； Bunbury； Gregory； American Ticknor； and a few more； Sir W。 Stirling Maxwell； when in Scotland； sending hampers of pheasants to the company。 〃Hurried to the Athenaeum for dinner；〃 says Ticknor in 1857； 〃and there found Kinglake and Sir Henry Rawlinson； to whom were soon added Hayward and Stirling。 We pushed our tables together and had a jolly dinner。 。 。 。 To the Athenaeum； and having dined pleasantly with Merivale； Kinglake； and Stirling； I hurried off to the House。〃 In later years； when his voice grew low and his hearing difficult； he preferred that the diners should resolve themselves into little groups； assigning to himself a TETE…A…TETE； with whom at his ease he could unfold himself。
No man ever fought more gallantly the encroachments of old age … ON SUT ETRE JEUNE JUSQUE DANS SES VIEUX JOURS。 At seventy…four years old； staying with a friend at Brighton； he insisted on riding over to Rottingdean； where Sir Frederick Pollock was staying。 〃I mastered；〃 he said； in answer to remonstrances； 〃I mastered the peculiarities of the Brighton screw before you were born； and have never forgotten them。〃 Vaulting into his saddle he rode off； returning with a schoolboy's delight at the brisk trot he had found practicable when once clear of the King's Road。 Long after his hearing had failed； his sight become grievously weakened； and his limbs not always trustworthy； he would never allow a cab to be summoned for him after dinner； always walking to his lodgings。 But he had to give up by and by his daily canter in Rotten Row； and more reluctantly still his continental travel。 Foreign railways were closed to him by the SALLE D'ATTENTE； he could not stand incarceration in the waiting…rooms。
The last time he crossed the Channel was at the close of the Franco…Prussian war； on a visit to his old friend M。 Thiers； then President。 It was a dinner to deputies of the Extreme Left； and Kinglake was the only Englishman； 〃so；〃 he said； 〃among the servants there was a sort of reasoning process as to my identity； ending in the conclusion； 'IL DOIT ETRE SIR DILKE。'〃 Soon the inference was treated as a fact； and in due sequence came newspaper paragraphs declaring that the British Ambassador had gravely remonstrated with the President for inviting Sir Charles Dilke to his table。 Then followed articles defending the course taken by the President； and so for some time the ball was kept up。 The remonstrance of the Ambassador was a myth； Lord Lyons was a friend of Sir Charles； but the latter was suspect at the time both in England and France； in England for his speeches and motion on the Civil List； in France； because； with Frederic Harrison； he had helped to get some of the French Communists away from France； and the French Government was watching him with spies。 In Sir Charles's motion Kinglake took much interest； refusing to join in the cry against it as disloyal。 Sir Charles； he said； spoke no word against the Queen； and only brought the matter before the House because challenged to repeat in Parliament the statements he had made in the country。 As a matter of policy he thought it mistaken： 〃Move in such a matter openly； and party discipline compels your defeat； bring pressure to bear on a Cabinet； some of its members are on your side； and you may gain your point。〃 Sir Charles's speech was calmly argumentative； and to many minds convincing； it provoked a passionate reply from Gladstone； and when Mr。 Auberon Herbert following declared himself a Republican； a tumult arose such as in those pre…Milesian days had rarely been witnessed in the House。 But the wisdom of Kinglake's counsel is sustained by the fact that many years afterwards； as a result of more private discussion； Mr。 Gladstone pronounced his conversion to the two bases of the motion； publicity； and the giving of the State allowance to the head of the family rather than； person by person； to the children and grandchildren of the Sovereign。 Action pointing in this direction was taken in 1889 and 1901 on the advice of Tory ministers。
Amongst Frenchmen of the highest class； intellectually and socially； he had many valued friends； keeping his name on the 〃Cosmopolitan〃 long after he had ceased to visit it； since 〃one never knows when the distinguished foreigner may come upon one； and of such the Cosmo is the London Paradise。〃 But he used to say that in the other world a good Frenchman becomes an Englishman； a bad Englishman becomes a Frenchman。 He saw in the typical Gaul a compound of the tiger and the monkey； noted their want of individuality； their tendency to go in flocks； their susceptibility to panic and to ferocity； to the terror that makes a man kill people； and 〃the terror that makes him lie down and beg。〃 We remember； too； his dissection of St。 Arnaud； as before all things a type of his nation； 〃he impersonated with singular exactness the idea which our forefathers had in their minds when they spoke of what they called 'a Frenc