The Queen has seen Lord Stanley, who will let Lord John Russell have a
copy of the letter. He wishes it not to be known or considered that
he has formally undertaken to form a Government till to-morrow, on
account of the House of Lords meeting to-day. He feels the difficulty
of his position, and is not sure yet that he will be able to complete
a Ministry. To-morrow he will give the Queen a positive answer.

_Queen Victoria to Lord Stanley._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _25th February 1851._

The Queen has just received Lord Stanley's letter. She had forgotten
the Levee, and was just going to write to him to inform him that she
wished to see him at eleven o'clock to-morrow.

The Queen cannot but regret that Lord Stanley should think Lord John
Russell's explanation led to a wrong inference; for Lord Stanley
will himself recollect that he stated his objections to her much more
strongly in his first interview than he did in writing, and as Lord
Stanley so strongly advised the Queen to try if no other arrangement
could first be come to, she hardly knows how this could otherwise have
been expressed than by the words used by Lord Lansdowne and Lord John
Russell.

_Memorandum by Queen Victoria._

_26th February 1851._
(_Wednesday._)

Lord Stanley came again at eleven. The first part of the audience,
which was not long, was occupied by Lord Stanley's trying to explain
away Mr Disraeli's contradiction of Lord John Russell, though he
termed it "very unfortunate," by saying that he wished Lord John had
_not mentioned_ that _he_ (Lord Stanley) "was not _then_ prepared"
to form a Government, for that, though true in fact, he had _not_
absolutely _refused_, but had only advised me to _try_ and make other
arrangements first. I said I thought the distinction "a very nice
one," which he admitted. What passed between us on the subject the
correspondence between Albert and Lord John will best explain.

Lord Stanley then told us that he had seen the Duke of Northumberland,
who wished for time to consider; that he was to see Lord Canning again
to-day, but had no hopes of his accepting; and that he found so many
people out of Town that he must ask for _forty-eight_ hours more
before he could give me a positive answer, viz. till Friday. He added
he "must not conceal" from me that he was "not very sanguine" of
success; almost all depended on Mr Gladstone, who was expected
to arrive to-day; but that it might _now_ be said (in answ