e other clever men before and since, miscalculated his
strength, and on Christmas Eve was back again in office. He had received
assurances from his colleagues that the Reform proposals were still open
to discussion; and, as the Cabinet had taken in his absence a decision
on Turkish affairs which was in harmony with the views that he had
persistently advocated, he determined to withdraw his resignation.

The new year opened darkly with actual war, and with rumours of it on a
far more terrible scale. 'My expectation is,' wrote Sir G. C. Lewis on
January 4, 'that before long England and France will be at war with
Russia; and as long as war lasts all means of internal improvement must
slumber. The Reform Bill must remain on the shelf--if there is war; for
a Government about to ask for large supplies and to impose war taxes,
cannot propose a measure which is sure to create dispersion and to
divide parties.' France, in spite of the action of the Emperor over the
question of the Holy Places, had not displayed much interest in the
quarrel; but a contemptuous retort which Nicholas made to Napoleon
III.'s final letter in the interests of peace put an end to the national
indifference. The words 'Russia will prove herself in 1854 what she was
in 1812,' cut the national pride to the quick, and the cry on that side
of the Channel as on this, was for war with Russia. The Fleets were
ordered to enter the Black Sea, and on February 27 England and France
sent a joint ultimatum to St. Petersburg, demanding that the Czar's
troops should evacuate the Principalities by April 30.

[Sidenote: AN INDIGNANT PROTEST]

The interval of suspense was seized by Lord John to place the Reform
proposals of the Government before the House of Commons; but the nation
was by this time restless, dissatisfied, and preoccupied, for the blast
of the trumpet seemed already in the air. The second reading of the
measure was fixed for the middle of March; but the increasing strain of
the Eastern Question led Lord John to announce at the beginning of that
month that the Government had decided not to bring forward the second
reading until the end of April. This announcement led to a personal
attack, and one member, whose name may be left in the oblivion which has
overtaken it, had the audacity to hint that the leader of the House had
never intended to proceed with the measure. Stung into sudden
indignation by the taunt, Lord John promptly expressed his disdain of