[Sir Stratford Canning, Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire.] Autograph Letter Signed to ‘Mr Lelane’ (sic, i.e J. T. Delane, editor of The Times), regarding the ‘hot water’ the ‘Sultan’ of Turkey finds himself in.

See his entry, and that of Delane, in the Oxford DNB. 3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with neat remains of a windowpane mount adhering to the blank reverse of the second leaf. Addressed to ‘Dear Mr Lelane’ (sic) and signed ‘Stratford de R.’ Having heard that Delane was in town he writes to say that he was ‘gratified by the complimentary terms in which I was mentioned in the Times two or three days ago. A kind word from that oracle is [favour?] and I am not yet dead to its enchantments.’ He turns to the ‘Sultan’, who ‘seems to be rather deep in hot water, and there perhaps he might be left if it were not for the great European interests connected with Turkey. I know enough to make me think that he will probably get out of his new scrape without more damage than he has experienced on former occasions.’ He would like to talk the matter over, and asks if Delane has ‘leisure for a gosiping visit?’ He has ‘not been out of doors the last three weeks’, and is ‘still only good in prospect for an occasional airing’. He ends with details of when Delane would be sure to find him at his service.