Ramsay, William Mitchell: Impressions of Turkey during twelve years' wanderings (London, 1897)

226 THE AMERICAN MISSIONARIES

almost every influence against them except the
three former Sultans, though there were occasional
examples of generosity among the provincial
Turks, as when one refused to sell a piece of land
for the Central Asian College in Aintab, but pre-
sented it as a gift to those who were unselfishly
trying to benefit his country. But, in spite of
every obstacle, the mission grew into one of the
greatest and most beneficent organisations that
have ever been elaborated by private enterprise and
skill. Robert College in Constantinople is the
central point, and I think the earliest; and I
believe firmly that Robert College has done more
to render possible a safe solution of the " Eastern
Question" in European Turkey, than all the ambassa-
dors of all the European Powers have succeeded in
doing to render that solution difficult; and the
reason is that the missionary colleges have sought
neither to gain anything themselves nor to prevent
others from gaining anything, whereas the whole
aim of the diplomacy of every European Power
has been first to prevent any other from gaining
anything, and secondly to achieve some selfish
gain.

An educated middle class is almost entirely
absent from Oriental countries and Oriental society,
in which there are only a monarch and his slaves,
some more favoured, some less, but all equally de-