{London,] 31 May 1877 

Dear Engels, 

I hope that your eyes are better. Madame Lormier, whose eye 
trouble got worse day by day and became really serious, was sent 
by Madame Longuet senior a little jar of ointment (said to cost no 
less than 30 francs), a very small quantity of which completely 
cured her—mirabile dictu*—within a few days. There is no 
disputing that fact. The ointment enjoys considerable repute in 
France and, by smelling, observing it, etc., you will doubtless 
discover what the main ingredient is. 

So closely do your views on the state in Turkey agree with my 
own that I had said literally almost the same thing to Wroblewski. 

But the crisis is not far off. Damad Mahmud and Co. who are 
under the direct influence of Russia, are apparently much inclined 
to conclude peace with the Russians, one of the terms being, of 
course (as indeed recommended by The Times, in the same 
number in which that paper raps Mac-Mahon over the knuckles 
for his anti-constitutionalism), the abolition of the constitution. 
Nothing could be more opportune for the Tsar‘; hitherto all that 
has taken place has been in the nature of a preliminary military 
parade; Russian victories in Asia Minor™*' have been overrated 
and overstated for various reasons (apart from sLoopy Ignorance) by 
the various parties; financial constraint as such is as yet in its 
infancy; the Caucasian malady is as yet no more than sporadic™**; 
for the present the Tsar might get off with a succés d’estime and 
without constitutional constraint, and might in his turn have an 
important part to play in the occidental crisis, etc., etc. Midhat 
Pasha, I Am TOLD, DOES EVERYTHING FROM HERE TO PUSH THE MOVEMENT AT 
CONSTANTINOPLE ON WHICH, IN FACT, THE FATE OF TURKEY (AND THE IMMEDIATE 
PROSPECTS OF RUSSIAN ‘DEVELOPMENT’) DEPEND. 

In France we are beginning to see what I have long in vain been 
telling Lissagaray (who is now again taking too rosy a view), 
namely that the really industrial and commercial bourgeoisie is 

4 marvellous to say - > ‘Peace Rumours’ and ‘The New French Ministry’, The Times, 
No. 28956, 31 May 1877. - © Alexander II 

becoming republican, as indeed events EVEN since THIERS' REGIME have 
clearly shown, and that the ‘hommes de combat” do not represent a 
particular class, but only the beaux restes’ of the former parties’ 
PROFESSIONAL POLITICIANS. The workers (in Paris) have taken for their 
watchword que c’est cette fois l'affaire de Messieurs les bourgeois. 
Hence they are holding back. 

From the enclosed cutting from the Marseillaise you will see how 
Mac-Mahon is being treated by the radical journals. The sagacious 
République Française tells him that the question can be decided 
only by his resignation; Emile de Girardin threatens him with 
IMPEACHMENT and, of all the papers, the Siécle, the épicier paper par 
excellence, treats him with the greatest ruthlessness. 

Meanwhile the Bonapartists are insistent. Too late in the day to 
draw the sword (apart from the fact that it’s not in Broglie’s xing). 
But (after the Chamber has been further prorogued) there might 
be an attempt to institute an état de siége ~—illegal, it is true, but 
covered by the ministers’ responsabilité légale' and Mac-Mahon’s 
irresponsabilité constitutionelle? Such a course, which is being 
urged by the Bonapartists at least, might yet give rise to violent 
clashes. It’s a possibility, if an unlikely one. 

Collet, as in duty bound, has informed me of Urquhart’s death. 

My own constitution, while not exceptionally flourishing, is 
pretty fair compared with what it usually is about this time of year. 
My wife is getting better. 

The weaning of the little chap” (the Irishwoman is still with us 
in the meantime) has gone smoothly, but he evinces a dangerous 
passion for crawling up the stairs instead of round the drawing- 
room. 

Warmest regards from one family to the other. 

Your 
K. M.