Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 7.djvu/401

 CAIiE OF THE SICK AND WOUNDED. 357 spring up from a row of Ministers watched — chap. they fought always across a table — by an oppo- site row of old play-fellows undertaking to bring tht'i^eeded down antagonists if they A'-entured on anything j'lJ'oii'pubHc new ; or perhaps, from amongst public servants servants. of the sort that are rooted in office — men known for their zeal, their ability, and even, one may say, for their wisdom in special branches of work, but still men more fitted by habit to go on revolving in orbits, than to weigh plans so new and subversive as almost to seem in their eyes like proposals for some new solar system ; and we know how, as soon as Lord Eaglan had ceased to be present at Scutari, this dearth of creative brain-power showed itself in our Levantine hos- pitals, for we there saw industrious functionaries working hard at their accustomed tasks, and doggedly omitting to innovate at times when not to be innovating was surrendering, as it were, at discretion to M^ant and misery. But, happily, after a while, and in gentle, A(>cessioD almost humble, disguise which put foes of change pow^rT off their guard, there acceded to the State a new power. Almost at one time — it was when they learnt the aid how our troops had fought on the banks of the Ivonmn; ^ Alma — the hearts of many women in Eng- land, in Scotland, in Ireland, were stirred with a heavenly thought impelling them to offer and say that, if only the State were consenting, they would go out to tend our poor soldiers laid low on their hospital pallets by sickness or wounds ; and the honour of welcoming into our public