Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 7.djvu/282

 238 THE WINTER TROUBLES. CHAP, day a great deal of bodily toil; but in advanced ^_ life, they must liusbaud their strength, taking care not to waste in mere galloping the energy retjuired for command. Whither the ideal com- mander that a nation is often longing to find, can best be sought for amongst the young, or the middle-aged, or those further advanced in life — this is a question of great interest and not to he easily answered ; but of all the courses open to choice, the plainly absurd one would be to appoint a commander advanced in years, yet, in the matter of bodily labour, require him to imitate youth. And in judging the English commander's way of transacting business, it must be remembered that he had at his side a staff officer whose qualities gave a happy completeness to the means of wielding command brought together in our Headquarter camp. AVliilst Lord Eaglan, as we have seen, was wont to toil long at the desk. General Airey was a man so constituted as to be always eager for duties requiring strong bodily exertion ; and the ceaseless activity of this gifted officer, liis devotion, his zeal, his sound, rapid judgment, his • keen, far-reaching sight, and his vigorous, propelling delivery of all the orders he carried, seemed to furnish the very lever required for giving full effect to authority. The air of But again, for misrepresentation, there was hi^'nead-'^ this other opening : The steady, punctual, or- fjuarters. jgj,|y i^abits, and cool, self-possessed bearing of the officers surrounding Lord Eaglan gave Head- quarters that air of strength buttressed by cus-