368 THE WINTER TROUBLES. CHAP, she knew wnat an army was; and — because XI IJ distinguishing measures which might be possibly feasible from such as lay out of reach — knew how to approach its commander. Springing up under circumstances of a novel kind, the private correspondence maintained between her and Lord Eaglan was a very model of what such writing should be, being marked on each side by clear- sightedness, by ample knowledge of subject, by care — ceaseless care — for the public service. The sources She rcccived an imliiuching support from the cnif/°^^* Minister who, for hospital purposes, was now in power. substance the Government — that is, Mr Sidney Herbert. Knowing well — for he was on terms of personal friendship with her — how highly she was qualified to judge of hospital management, and believing her to be on this subject the ablest of all the advisers to whom he could go for coun- sel,(^^) he treasured the words she addressed to him in her letters from Scutari, and, with this enlightening aid, he, before the last day of No- vember, had pierced through the haze surround- ing accounts from the Bosphorus.(-'-^) Thence- forth, the instructions he gave seemed to carry the very words needed for putting our hospital admin- istration upon a proper footing.(^^) Whether ad- dressing the military commandant (Lord William Paulet) or the medical or other authorities, he always took care that his wish to secure full attention for what seemed to him the very best guidance within the reach of our people should be clearly apparent ; (^^) so that, happily, under his orders there was nothing but distance to
