_SIDNEY, LORD HERBERT OF LEA_
Gladstone on Lord Herbert--Early Life of Lord Herbert--His
Mother--College Career--Enters Public Life--As Secretary for
War--Benevolent Work at Salisbury--Lady Herbert--Friendship with
Florence Nightingale--Again Secretary for War.
Formed on the good old plan,
A true and brave and downright honest man.
WHITTIER.
None knew thee but to love thee,
None named thee but to praise.
HALLECK.
“I wish,” wrote Gladstone to Richard Monckton-Milnes (afterwards Lord
Houghton) in October, 1855, “that some one of the thousand who in prose
justly celebrate Miss Nightingale would say a single word for the man
of ‘routine’ who devised and projected her going--Sidney Herbert.”
Acting on such distinguished advice I propose to attempt a slight
account of the career and personality of this singularly attractive
man, who was at the head of the War Office when Florence Nightingale
and her staff of nurses were sent to the aid of the soldiers wounded
in the Crimea. No _Life_ of Lord Herbert of Lea has at the time of
writing been published, although one is, I understand, in course of
preparation. The name of Sidney Herbert is distinguished as that of
the War Minister who, in defiance of official tradition, enlisted
the devotion and organising power of women on behalf of our soldiery
perishing in the pestilential hospitals of the East.
Sidney Herbert was born at Richmond in Surrey on September 16, 1810,
and was the second son of George Augustus, eleventh Earl of Pembroke,
by his second wife, Countess Catherine, only daughter of Count
Woronzoff, Russian Ambassador to the British Court. His maternal uncle,
Prince Michael Woronzoff, was a companion in arms of Wellington, and
the founder of the prosperous era in the Crimea. Sidney Herbert’s
mother, though of Russian birth, was chiefly brought up and educated
in this country, and owing to her father’s official position, moved as
a girl in the atmosphere of the Court. He owed much to her example and
training. She is described as having been a woman of quick intelligence
and sound judgment, of large generosity and noble bearing. Her husband,
Lord Pembroke, died when their son Sidney was about seventeen, and her
influence moulded his early manhood.
He was educated at Harrow under Dr. Butler, and matriculated at Oriel
College, Oxford, in 1828, where he was counted an elegant scholar and
noted as a speaker at the Union Debating Society, when he matched his
strength beside Gladstone, Roundell Palmer, and other distinguished
young orators. Upon his entrance into public life, as M.P. for South
Wiltshire in the first Reformed Parliament of 1832, Sidney Herbert was
considered a graceful and accomplished young Tory.
Sir Robert Peel on taking office in 1834 offered Sidney Herbert a post
in the Government, and it was characteristic of him that he refused the
Lordship of the Treasury because the duties were slight, and accepted
the laborious post of Secretary to the Board of Control, which he held
during Peel’s Administration. He returned to office with his old leader
in 1841 as Secretary to the Admiralty. While holding that position
Sidney Herbert set to work to reform the Naval School at Greenwich,
which then contained some eight hundred boys and was the nursing-ground
for the navy. While thus engaged he exhibited that administrative
faculty which was later so conspicuously shown in his efforts on behalf
of the sister service.
In 1845 he was transferred to the office of Secretary of War, with
a seat in the Cabinet. He gave special attention to the regimental
schools and introduced very necessary reforms in their management,
and also instituted an inquiry into the state of the Royal Military
Asylum at Chelsea. On the resignation of Sir Robert Peel’s Ministry,
Sidney Herbert left office, and his work of military reform remained in
abeyance.
He remained out of office for six years, and during that period
devoted himself largely to private philanthropy in the vicinity
of his home, Wilton House, near Salisbury. He had married in 1846
Elizabeth, the daughter of General Aske A’Court and the niece of Lord
Heytesbury, a young lady of singular beauty and charm, who entered most
sympathetically into his many philanthropic enterprises, and herself
instituted several benevolent schemes. She became the authoress of
several books dealing with biography and travel.
Florence Nightingale was a frequent visitor at Wilton House and Mr.
and Mrs. Sidney Herbert were amongst her dearest and most sympathetic
friends. She took a great interest in the home for scrofulous children
which they had founded and maintained at Mudiford in Hampshire, and was
able to give much practical help in its management. Having heard from
Miss Nightingale of a particular bath which she had seen employed with
good effect at Kaiserswerth, Mr. Herbert procured the ingredients from
that distant institution for use in the Mudiford home. One can readily
imagine how useful her technical knowledge was to her friends in their
various undertakings, and how congenial interests drew them more and
more together.
Humanity in every form appealed to Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Herbert. They
erected at Wilton a model lodging-house for agricultural labourers,
and formulated schemes for the emigration of poor women. So actively
interested were they in the latter that they frequently accompanied
parties of emigrants on to the vessel to speed them on their way. Some
of their later schemes were for the establishment of day-rooms and
institutes in the rural districts around their county town of Salisbury.
Like Miss Nightingale, Sidney Herbert was a devoted worker in
connection with the Established Church, and proved a generous
benefactor to his diocese. He built at his own cost of £30,000 the
magnificent church at Wilton, and presented a new rectory and grounds.
He also built the new church at Bemerton in memory of his saintly
kinsman, George Herbert, and gave liberally to the restoration of
churches in the Salisbury diocese. He was a great supporter of
missionary bishops. It has well been said of him that the “bede-role of
his private charities would weary the patience of any reader.” He was
the founder of hospitals, the builder of churches, the maintainer of
schools, and his right hand knew not what his left hand gave.
In social life Sidney Herbert was a fascinating personality, and
might be described as a modern hero of chivalry. He was strikingly
handsome, with a commanding figure and courtly manners. He appeared
to possess every social advantage--high birth, a great estate, a
beautiful wife and children, one of the happiest homes in England,
many accomplishments, a ready address, a silvery voice, irresistible
manners, and a rare power for making friends. It was said that men
would give up to Sidney Herbert what they would grant to no one else.
In his younger days Sidney Herbert was sneered at by Disraeli as a
maker of “pretty speeches,” but he later proved that there was grit
behind the polished exterior of his personality.
He was also, as Gladstone described him, a “man of routine.” His
labours were unceasing; he never spared himself, and gave up life and
luxury for toil and trouble. His industry and power of organisation
were remarkable. “Great as were the works of Lord Herbert,” said Mr.
Gladstone in referring to the army reforms which he executed after
the Crimea, “there was something if possible still greater, and that
was the character of Lord Herbert.... His gentleness combined with a
modesty such as I, for one, never knew equalled in any station of life.”
Such, then, was the perfect knight, the gallant gentleman, under the
stimulus of whose private friendship and official supervision and
support Florence Nightingale entered upon the great work of her life.
In 1852 Sidney Herbert, after six years’ retirement, again took office
and became Secretary of War in Lord Aberdeen’s Government. Immediately
on his return to the War Office he began his schemes for army reform.
He instituted classes for army school-masters, established industrial
and infant schools in regiments, and also matured a plan for forming a
board of examiners who should conduct all examinations for commissions
by direct appointment or for promotion within the ranks of regimental
officers. His plans were interrupted by the outbreak of the Crimean
War.