Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/270

240 ZEAL FOR AN CHAP, lead the natiou in its tendencies to improvement XIV. . . . than to follow in its errors : what it mainly sought was — not to be much better or wiser tlian the English people, but to be the very same as they were — to go along with them in all their adven- tures, whether prudent or rash — to be one with them in their hopes and their despair, in their joy and in their sorrow, in their gratitude and in their anger. So, although in general it was willing enough to repress the growth of any new ])opular error which seemed to be weakly rooted, still the whole scheme and purpose of the Com- pany forbade it all thought of trying to make a stand against any great or general delusion. Upon the whole, the potentate dealt with Eng- land in a bluff, kingly, Tudor-like way, but also Avith a Tudor-like policy ; for though he treated all adversaries as 'brute folk' until they became formidable, he had always been careful to mark the growth of a public sentiment or opinion ; and as soon as he was able to make out that a cause was waxing strong, he went up and offered to lead it, and so reigned. I have said that, partly by guiding, but more by ascertaining and following, the current of men's opinion, 'The Times' always sought to be one with the great body of the people; and fiince it happened that there was at this period a rare concurrence of feeling, and that the journal, after a good deal of experiment, had now at length thorouglily seized and embodied the soul of the nation, its utterance came with increasing force;