1908] Grey Disclaims an Egyptian Protectorate 223 



'Hush joy! oh hush! refrain, 

 Laugh not too loud 



Lest sorrow wake again. 



' Let sorrow when she weepeth 

 Weep low and know 



Joy is not dead but sleepeth.' 



" The whole of Europe is up in arms against the Emperor Wilhelm 

 for his pronouncement, especially his own people in Germany. This 

 will, I hope, simplify matters at Constantinople, but there never was a 

 moment when the complications of European diplomacy were more 

 difficult for an outsider to unravel. 



"31^ Oct. — Belloc dined with us last night, and looked in again 

 to-day, amusing as always, and full of literary projects ; amongst 

 others, of publishing a volume of verse, but I think he will not do 

 anything of real value in the way of serious work, looking always for 

 immediate applause in what he does. It is the snare of all brilliant 

 talkers and facile writers, and is Belloc's; witness, as an extreme ex- 

 ample, Oscar Wilde. He tells me that he knows, from friends at the 

 Foreign Office, that Grey has made up his mind to allow Constitutional 

 Government in Egypt as a necessary effect of the Constitution in 

 Turkey, the Foreign Office having been converted to that view, and 

 even old Giglamps (Sir Thomas Sanderson) now holds it to be neces- 

 sary. It is very possible, but there are Constitutions and Constitutions, 

 and it will be a sham one that will be put forward at Cairo. I have 

 intrusted Belloc with the questions I want asked of Grey in Parliament, 

 and he promised to get it done. 



" yd Nov. — The chief public event besides the Emperor Wilhelm's 

 interview, has been our Emperor Edward's Proclamation to the Indian 

 people, a bit of verbiage which the Indians are not taking seriously. 



" 6th Nov. — There is a quarrel started between the German and 

 French Governments over the Casa Blanca incident with rumours of 

 possible war. Father Fawkes came to luncheon. He is a Modernist 

 and a pleasant man, a friend of Tyrrell and of Miss Petre. 



" 10th Nov. — Grey, or rather his substitute, has answered my ques- 

 tions put to him by Belloc, about Egypt, notably that relating to Gorst's 

 interview with the ' Mokattam.' The answer is given thus. ' The lan- 

 guage used by Sir Eldon Gorst is correctly quoted, and is approved by 

 His Majesty's Government.' It is a declaration of Government policy, 

 and is most important as putting annexation out of the question or a 

 Protectorate, though it leaves things otherwises much as they are. 



" 12th Nov. — In India they seem getting to work. Our King's self- 

 complacent manifesto has been met with ridicule, and in Bengal they 

 have answered its omission of all mention of the Partition by an 



