JET. 42.] PRELIMINARIES. 377 



her legal advisers. For my own part, I was very de- 

 sirous that she should accept the proposition, as I 

 should avoid a most laborious and irksome duty, ren- 

 dered still more vexatious by her listening to secret 

 advisers, some of whom were in the hands of the mob, / 

 and others were intermeddling and restless women. I - 

 also felt that she exposed herself to the consequences 

 of the inquiry, of which, from all the facts that had 

 reached me, I felt pretty sure she had no reason to be 

 apprehensive, as far as the result was concerned ; but 

 its consequences, in continued persecution, I was sure 

 that she might expect to be even more harassing after 

 her successful vindication, connected as that must 

 needs be with strong popular demonstrations. But 

 it was impossible to interfere, for she would unques- 

 tionably have decided that she accepted, by our advice; 

 and as we must be supposed to know her whole case, 

 her shrinking from inquiry would have been as com- 

 plete as if she accepted by her unassisted determina- 

 tion. Indeed, it might even have been reckoned a more 

 complete admission that her case was bad. On the 

 other hand, her refusal by our advice was of little 

 avail compared with her own determination to meet 

 the charge. When we had retired in order that she 

 might come to a determination, she called us in, and 

 announced that she had resolved to refuse, and said 

 that she had, from the beginning, no doubt or hesita- 

 tion, though she desired to have our opinion. She 

 then laid before us the words of her refusal, and asked 

 us if there was any objection to them. We entirely 

 approved. I rather think either Lushington or Vizard 

 (her solicitor) had drawn up the answer. On it being 

 given to the deputation from the Commons, they re- 



