8625. TURKEY, Russia, Austria and.—
It is believed that the Emperor [of Austria]
and the Empress [of Russia] have schemes
in contemplation for driving the Turks out of
Europe. Were this with a view to reestablish
the native Greeks in the sovereignty of their
own country, I could wish them success, and to
see driven from that delightful country a set
of barbarians with whom an opposition to all
science is an article of religion. * * * But these
powers have in object to divide the country between
themselves. This is only to substitute
one set of barbarians for another, breaking, at
the same time, the balance among the European
powers.—
To John Page. Washington ed. i, 400.
(P.
1785)
