appearance of these lines, the cartoon in 'Punch'
represented Lord Aberdeen, significantly arrayed in Windsor uniform,
vainly attempting to hold back the struggling British lion, which sees
the Russian bear in the distance, and exclaiming, 'I _must_ let him go.'

Lord John's resignation meant much, perhaps everything, to the
Government. Great pressure was put upon him. The Queen and the Cabinet
alike urged him to abandon his intention of retirement; whilst Lord
Palmerston, with that personal chivalry which was characteristic of him,
declared that in a moment of European crisis he could be better spared,
and was ready to resign if Lord John insisted upon such terms, as the
price for his own continuance in office. Every day the situation abroad
was becoming more critical, and Lord John saw that it might imperil
greater interests than any which were bound up with the progress of a
party question to resist such appeals. He, therefore, on April 11
withdrew his resignation, and received an ovation in the House of
Commons when he made it plain that he was willing to thrust personal
considerations aside in the interests of his colleagues, and for the
welfare of his country. Mr. Edward Miall has described the scene. '"If
it should be thought that the course he was taking would damage the
cause of Reform"--the noble Lord paused, choked with the violence of his
own emotions. Then arose a cheer from both sides of the House, loud and
long continued.... Every eye was glistening with sudden moisture, and
every heart was softened with genuine sympathy.... The effect was
electric. Old prejudices long pent up, grudges, accumulated discontents,
uncharitable suspicions, all melted away before that sudden outburst of
a troubled heart.'[36]

[Sidenote: THE PLAN OF CAMPAIGN]

Throughout the spring diplomacy was still busy, though it became every
week more and more apparent that hostilities were inevitable. Lord
Stratford achieved, what Lord Clarendon did not hesitate to term, a
'great diplomatic triumph' when he won consent from the Porte to fresh
terms in the interests of peace, which met with the approval, not only
of England and France, but also of Austria and Prussia. The Czar began
at length to realise the gravity of the situation when Austria moved in
February fifty thousand men to the frontier of the territory which
Russia had seized. When the Russian troops, a few months later,
evacuated the Principalities, Austria and Prussia, wh