in to your Majesty.

He has fixed next Friday for the Budget.

[Footnote 50: Lord Palmerston's Amendment (see _ante_, p.
399) was carried instead, and Protection was thenceforward
abandoned by Mr Disraeli and his followers.]

[Pageheading: MR DISRAELI AND MR GLADSTONE]

_Memorandum by the Prince Albert._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _28th November 1852._

Before the Council held yesterday we saw Lord Derby, who seemed much
pleased with the result of the Division, though a good deal galled by
the tone of the Debate.

Lord Derby had heard it said that Mr Sidney Herbert, although very
bitter in his language, had not meant to be hostile to the Government,
but felt that he owed the duty to speak out to the memory of Sir
Robert Peel; that he was glad to have thrown the load off his mind.
Lord Derby then read us a letter from Lord Claud Hamilton, who had
seen Mr Corry (one of the Peelites), who had given him to understand
that they would _not_ serve under the leadership of Mr Disraeli; that
they were ready, on the other hand, to serve under Lord Palmerston.
This put all further negotiation out of the question, for,
independently of the Queen objecting to such an arrangement, he
himself could not admit of it. On my question why Mr Gladstone could
not lead, he replied that Mr Gladstone was, in his opinion, quite
unfit for it; he had none of that decision, boldness, readiness, and
clearness which was necessary to lead a Party, to inspire it with
confidence, and, still [more], to take at times a decision on the spur
of the moment, which a leader had often to do. Then he said that
he could not in honour sacrifice Mr Disraeli, who had acted very
straightforwardly to him as long as they had had anything to do with
each other, and who possessed the confidence of his followers. Mr
Disraeli had no idea of giving up the lead.

We could quite understand, on the other hand, that the colleagues of
Sir Robert Peel could not feel inclined to serve under Mr Disraeli.

Under these circumstances we agreed that nothing should be done at
present, and that it must be left to time to operate changes, that
much must depend upon the success which Mr Disraeli may have with his
Budget, and that the knowledge that Lord Palmerston could not obtain
the lead would oblige those who wished to join to think of a different
combination.

Lord Derby owned (upon my blunt question) that he did not think Mr
Disraeli had ever had a strong feeling