Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 1.djvu/228

 ISO OIIIGIX OF THE WAR OF 1S53 chap, went again, and every day lie passed his anxious and inevitable hour and a half at the Foreign Office; and at length it became apparent that the Government of which he was the chief had so acted that it could not with honour* recede from the duty of defending the home provinces of the Sultan against an unprovoked attack by Russia. The advice of a strong Power is highly valued, but it is valued for reasons which should make men chary of giving it. It is not com- monly valued for the sake of its mere wisdom, but partly because it is more or less a disclosure of policy, and still more because it tends to draw the advising State into a line of action corre- sponding with its counsels. England, by the voice of her Ambassador (approved from time to time by the Home Government f), had been advising a weak Power to resist a strong one. Counsels of such a kind could not but have a grave import. The French Emperor had been more careful to keep himself free from engagements with the Porte ; but he had long ago resolved to seize the welcome occasion of acting in concert with Eng- Engiand. in land. And England now became bound. With- FYance,be- in three days from Prince Mentschikoft's departure gaged to" France and England were beginning to concert sultan's do- resistance to Russia;* on the 26th of May the minions. 'not in honour bound to protect the Sultan,' &c. — Lord Clarendon to Lord Cowley. 'Eastern Papers,' part ii. p. 321. t ' Eastern Papers,' part i. p. 1S3. % 24th May. Ibid. p. 182.
 * ' Even if the Governments of France and England were