Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/301

 FOR THE INVASION. 271 when any important question is proposed to chap. us, to ask ourselves how the Great Duke woukl L have acted and decided under similar circum- stances. Now, I tell your Lordship that, with- out more certain information than you appear to have obtained in regard to this matter, that great man would not have accepted the respon- sibility of undertaking such an enterprise as that which is now proposed to you ! But, not- withstanding that consideration, I am of opinion that you had better accede to the proposal and come into the views of the Government, for this reason, that it is clear to me, from the tenor of the Duke of Newcastle's letter, that they have made up their minds to it at home, and that, if you decline to accept the responsibility, they will send some one else out to command the army who will be less scrupulous and more ready to come in to their plans.' * This suggestion did not at all govern Lord LordRag- Eaglan's decision. -f* At the time he disclosed no tenmnatioB opinion of liis own ; but he soon made up his mind. His decision was governed by views the work of the Author's ' ingenious ' fancy, and remonstrated with iiim for carrying his love of ridicule to the extreme lengtli of putting 'unmitigated nonsense' in the mouth of a 'gallant ' and sensible ' old soldier like Sir George Brown ; but the words attributed to Sir George Brown in the text are copied, with- out the change of a word, from a written narrative of the con- ference, which was handed to me by Sir George Brown him- self. + All who were acquainted with Lord Raglan's nature will acknowledge, I think, that his mind would liave refused ti
 * One of my critics imagined that this piece of counsel was