THE DESCENT OF BAD TEAITS AND GOOD. 251 



its roofs at will, and the rest of Europe is not to be 

 thrown into tremor. But it is a matter of natural 

 right, I suppose, that Russia, if under trustworthy 

 bonds to keep the peace, a great if! should be 

 admitted to the Levantine Sea. On that condition 

 she should have what she has been seeking for hun- 

 dreds of years, the right of way into the open 

 oceans of the globe. England seems unlikely to ob- 

 ject to such a right of way on the part of Russia, 

 provided her own right of way is not impeded. Will 

 England have free course to India if Russia has free 

 course through the Levantine Sea ? How many de- 

 bates may arise concerning the Suez Canal? How 

 far may Russia misuse her power, if able at last to 

 attack England from both the sea and the land? 



Undoubtedly, were she to attack India only from 

 the north, she would have many disadvantages. 

 There is a great probability that if the Russian bear 

 and the English lion should lock jaws in the fast- 

 nesses of the Cashmere vale, the bear would go 

 back to his icebergs, lame at least, if not cold! 

 [Applause.] Were there an English-speaking alliance 

 on the globe, and were the American eagle to watch 

 any such conflict from a crag, looking down on these 

 two rivals, I think the beasts would never meet. 

 [Applause.] We need such moral influences brought 

 to the support of the British Empire in the Christian 

 purposes of the better portion of the English people, 

 as shall keep down war in the interior of Asia, and 

 so take the bloody heart out of this greater Eastern 

 problem. 



