Arthur Arnold

“ I have no doubt that the Christians of Turkey would object to a conscription which would appear to make them tools of the misgoverning rule to which they are subject, and from which they have at all times suffered grievous wrongs. It is difficult for a free people to estimate the degrading consequences of ages of oppression, of exclusion from any association with the governing authority. ”

“ We therefore grant perfect security to the inhabitants of our Empire in their lives, their honour, and their fortunes."
The promises of Gulhanế were promises and nothing more. Seventeen years later the same words were replaced in the mouth of the same Sultan, and again, of course, at the instance of the Powers. The white fortresses of Sebastopol then lay crumbled in ruins, the docks torn with explosions, the Russian arsenals riddled and ruined with cannon-shot and shells; the soil of the Crimea had been soaked with blood. Again the throne of Turkey had been upheld by Western Powers. ”

“ But even bachelors must sleep, though their bed-rooms are only to be found in all the uncomfortable nooks and corners of a house. However, we were all of us old campaigners, who had learned sufficient wisdom to make the best of everything, and those who were not in love were I dare say soon asleep. I was “fancy free,” although, when my servant awoke me in the morning, I found myself possessed with a hazy idea that I had been hunting with Miss Keith, and that it was rather unpleasant than otherwise to dispel the illusion. ”

“ A Frenchman will talk you blind upon the subject of Julie’s eyes, or Nathalie’s grace, delighting in the publicity of his love, and, like Cervantes’ Don, he rides about with the name of his lady-love on the tip of his tongue. “But still waters run deep;” and that we do not thus prate of our feelings is some proof that as a people our heart-strings are tuned to deeper music, and that affection reaches with us to a higher abnegation of self, which is the touchstone of real and enduring love. ”

“ But the maintenance of the tax upon these useless categories demonstrates the true character of the burden. It is not an exemption tax; it is a helot tax—a badge of serfdom, of slavery, submission to which must produce oppression on one side and on the other a deepening degradation. ”

“ Agriculture is not a manufacture, in which public favour will stir itself uninvited to mark out the greatest merit; true it is that a good farmer gets larger profits than the sloven, and a good master soon finds out the worth of a good ploughman. But we want to make good farmers and good ploughmen, and this can only be achieved by exciting a spirit of emulation. And these Associations have diffused agricultural knowledge among the farmers, and aroused a competitive spirit both among masters and men, without which there can be no progress in any branch of industry. ”

“ Danvers, Anton and Delapierre, in scarlet, buckskin, and top-boots, looked business-like to the last degree; while two youngsters, whom I have not before mentioned because they were only the “walking gentlemen” of the party, were scrupulously “got up” in costume something like what the hero of a play, were he at once a gamekeeper and a lover, would wear upon the stage. Irreproachable shooting-coats, spotless gaiters, and boots in which all the artist skill of a Hoby could not hide the strength, denoted that pointers and not fox-hounds were to be their leaders to-day. ”

“ As to the army, the Sultan Abd-ul-Medjid declared in that solemn promise to his subjects and to Europe, that—
"Christian subjects and those of other non-Mussulman sects shall, as well as Mussulmans, be subject to the law of recruitment. ... A complete law shall be published, with as little delay as possible, respecting the admission into and service in the army, of Christian and other non-Mussulman subjects."
This promise was prefaced with a virtuous flourish, proclaiming that—
"The equality of taxes entails equality of burdens, as equality duties entail that of rights." ”

“ One cannot expect, therefore, a great sensation when ploughs are to run for five hours, and when there is no possible advantage to be gained by one over another in the start. But for all this, the commencement of a ploughing-match is a very pretty sight. My host, the Squire, seated on his strong horse, and surrounded by his graceful staff—I think ladies never look to greater advantage than upon horseback—stood like a general at the saluting point, on the opposite side of the field to that on which the ploughs were drawn up. ”

“ But cruel facts could not be kept hidden even from men who were quite ready to frown upon those of the consular body who were resolved to tell the truth. To make the Peace of Paris without consideration for those who were degraded and suffering because of the non-fulfilment of the promises of Gulhané, would have been an outrage upon common humanity. And thus it came to pass in 1856, that Sultan Abd-ul-Medjid was invited to give pledges, which should be guarantees, for the better government of his subjects. ”

“ My brother Geoffrey, who was at Oxford, had come down for a few days’ rabbit shooting, and brought his alter ego in the shape of Tom Tregan. Paynter had been invited to join us, and in this lonely, quaint old house, we were living the happy life of a reading party, without any reading to speak of.
We tired ourselves with dogs and guns over the frost-bound fields by day, and Mr. Peggs, the bailiff, used to say that he often heard Fred playing the old piano, and our voices joining in chorus, when the cawing from the rookery warned him it was time for farmers to be rising. ”

“ Everything that can impede commerce or agriculture shall be abolished. To accomplish these objects, means shall be sought to profit by the science, the art, and the funds of Europe, and thus gradually to execute them. ”

“ In giving judgment in the case of the northern fishermen, we feel the great need which exists for a larger knowledge of the natural history of fishes. The men engaged in the fisheries know nothing of it whatever. They will tell you, perhaps, that when the gulls are perched upon the high rocks, the herrings are far from land, and when these birds hover about the shore, that the fish are not a long distance off. Such rude wisdom as this is the extent of their fish lore. ”

“ We rode out of the gates, a goodly party,—four ladies and four gentlemen—with a groom, to return with Mrs. Linton and Miss Keith, if they preferred not to join the hunt.
The meet was at a certain toll-bar, where four roads joined, and, as we approached the place, horsemen became more and more numerous—in scarlet, in black, in brown and green coats, and upon horses of at least as many colours. At last we were moving along in a mass of very irregular cavalry, choking the narrow road and compelling observation of one’s neighbours. ”

“ They know that, by their acceptance of pledges at the close of the war which they waged to preserve Turkey from Russian conquest, they are not free from definite and real obligation with reference to those most unhappy people, some of whom were victims of the Bulgarian horrors, and they are profoundly conscious that, whatsoever may be their duty in regard to those people, they would be guilty of hypocrisy if, when liberty, and life, and honour, are at stake, they bade all men be content with the promises of Turkey. ”

“ I trust that no Dutch Hogarth has placed upon immortal canvas, a representation of our travelling costume as typical of our countrymen in general, for we rummaged the house, not for becoming, but for warm clothing, and were as regardless of the general effect as savages rejoicing in the possession of a drowned mariner’s wardrobe. ”

“ In December, 1875, the Sultan issued a Firman, proclaiming and promising that in future the tax should not be levied upon two categories of male persons who, by reason of their religion, were not eligible for service in the army. The Sultan pledged himself that the tax should be no longer levied upon male infants from their birth till the serviceable age, nor upon "old men long past service." ”

“ Miss Keith and I were at least well mounted; and, although I believe firmly that Rover knew how inexperienced I was, I think he was gratified by my confidence in him, for I only used the reins to check him to the pace of Miss Keith’s horse. We had passed ten or twelve meadows—since the leap—through more inviting gates, and had already left the bulk of the field behind. And now I caught sight of the fox and his pursuers, for we were gently descending over a great breadth of pasture to a ditch, which I could see made a long leap for the hounds. ”

“ As both codfish and herrings seek the shores in spawning time, it is more than likely that we catch them at the very time when we ought to leave them busily engaged in reproduction. The common assumption under which the fishery is at present conducted seems to be that there always were and always will be “as good fish in the sea as ever came out of it.” In future we must act with greater wisdom than this. It is not fair to lay all the blame upon the poor trawlers. They only follow the general opinion, that everything is fair in fishing. ”

“ Every one was full of fun, and Miss Keith was laughing at a fancy picture of the battered condition in which I supposed I should return, when the grooms brought the horses to the door, and our host rose:
“Now then, ladies and gentlemen, our master’s very punctual—we must be off,” and, like a gallant old gentleman, he led Miss Morland to the door, and assisted her in mounting her horse. ”

“ They and those who sympathised with them have been beguiled by the promises of Turkey. Was there ever a more grotesque piece of fooling than that played by Midhat Pasha upon the Special Correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, who on February 2nd flashed to London intelligence that Midhat, "personally conversed" with, had stated that "twenty-one shorthand writers were being collected to report the speeches" in the new Turkish Parliament! There is a disposition to credulity which blinds the judgment of men, but that is not the condition of the people of this country. ”

“ They who know this busy, trading Dutch city as tourists, will feel that this compulsory sojourn was the greatest misfortune of our journey. Cut off eastern from western London, at the first of the bridges, and from Billingsgate to Blackwall you have the nearest representation which London can afford to Rotterdam. The streets of the Dutch city are wider, certainly, than those of Wapping, and often partly occupied by canals, which, to the credit of Holland be it spoken, are generally fringed with trees. ”

“ Dutch vrows and Dutch mynheers doubtless have warm and honest hearts, perseverance, intelligence, and—after their own fashion—activity; Dutch pictures are full of quaint humour and homely interest; but descriptions of Dutch cities and Dutch scenery will never be acceptable unless they are microscopic, and we have not the materials for manufacturing a representation of Rotterdam in mosaic. ”

“ Linton.
“Nor I, but once or twice,” Miss Keith joined in.
“Nor I,” said their companion on the couch.
“Oh, as for you, Mr. Templar, I’ve already looked you out a horse, and I mean that you shall see a run, whether you can ride or not.”
“You must strap me on, then, Mazeppa-like,” I humbly replied, “for I am only a roadster, and might otherwise be left in the first ditch.”
“Oh, stuff an’ nonsense, sir; all you’ve got to do is to keep your hands low; don’t ride on your reins, and sit well back; my horse, Rover, will do the rest for you.” ”

“ The time will come, perhaps it is nearer than any of us suppose, when steam-ploughing will be general. No one as yet considers a steam-engine an eligible feature in a landscape; it seems a violent interruption to the settled calm of Nature. ”

“ For, if all the fish that swim could bring to life all the eggs they deposit—and if the produce of these were to continue the work of propagation in the same manner—we should find the sea gradually rising above our shores, and the dominion of the world slowly but surely passing to the fish themselves. ”