Plymouth.
{244}
_The Eastern Question._--The following extract from _Tatler_, No. 155.,
April 6, 1710, appears remarkable, considering the events of the present
day:
"The chief politician of the Bench was a great assertor of paradoxes.
He told us, with a seeming concern, 'that by some news he had lately
read from Muscovy, it appeared to him there was a storm gathering in
the Black Sea, which might in time do hurt to the naval forces of this
nation.' To this he added, 'that, for his part, he could not wish to
see the Turk driven out of Europe, which he believed could not but be
prejudicial to our woollen manufacture.' He then told us, 'that he
looked upon those extraordinary revolutions which had lately happened
in those parts of the world, to have risen chiefly from two persons who
were not much talked of; and those,' says he, 'are Prince Menzicoff and
the Duchess of Mirandola.' He backed his assertions with so many broken
hints, and such a show of depth and wisdom, that we gave ourselves up
to his opinions."