under the title of Napoleon III.

Lord Russell had, with his ministers, brought their time of office to an
end; and Lord Derby came in as Prime Minister at the head of a
Conservative Party. He only remained in office a short time, however, and
his successor was Lord Aberdeen, and Mr. Gladstone was Chancellor of the
Exchequer.

In the letter which follows, Newman vindicates the honour of Kossuth,
whose friend and helper he was when Kossuth came to England for funds to
set going the new Hungarian revolution against Austria. With the views of
Charles Dickens, of course, Newman had not the slightest sympathy.


"7 P.V.E.,
"_19th Dec._, 1851.

"My dear Nicholson,

* * * * *

"I never see Dickens' _Household Narrative_, and therefore cannot answer;
but I do not believe there is any 'alternative side' against Kossuth's
character. (Dickens is, in my judgment, a foolish man; he writes on
centralization and despotism like an Austrian: however, so does Carlyle
often.) But all that can be said against Kossuth is, that up to the age of
twenty-two or twenty-three he was a thoughtless young man, who liked
hunting and gambling. Since that age he is irreproachable, the proof of
which is, that the Austrian _Times_ has not a word to say against him.
Their libel about the Orphan Fund was at once refuted by Count Ladislaus