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glare upon darkness or vacant space ? “ With the view,” concludes this unparalleled letter, “ to the sound exercise of that discretion”—some faint semblance there is here, the approach, at least, of some definite matter—but it vanishes instantly like all the rest— “ that discretion which it may probably be expedient to leave in your lordship’s hands, with regard to it!” So the Governor is informed that at some future, but uncertain time, he shall be told something of importance which is carefully concealed from him ; the reason, however, is given for warning him that he may expect it, namely, that he may be* enabled to occupy the awful interval between reading what tells him nothing, and receiving what is to tell him he knows not what, in making up his mind how he shall act in unknown circumstances, upon undisclosed instructions, and exercise “ a sound discretion” upon the undiscovered matter, there being a grave doubt intimated in the same breath, whether or not any discretion at all may ever “ be left in his hands.” To such orders was Lord Gosford’s conduct subject; by such instructions was he to be guided ; in such circumstances, and leading to such results, was his discretion to be exercised. My lords, let us in justice towards an absent man—let us in fairness towards one, who, because he is absent, is by the common proverb so little creditable to human candour, assumed to be in the wrong—pause for a moment, to consider whether one so situated and so treated, even if his conduct had been the most defective, and had the least satisfied his superiors, would justly have been visited with blame, or at least, let us say whether the blame must not have been largely shared by his employers? Mark, I beseech you, in what position he is left. Sent to the advance posts of the empire—at a distance from the seat of Government —far removed from the wisdom, the vigour, the re-