sell, and declared his readiness to serve her in any way he
could under the present difficulties. He had preferred the lead of
the House of Commons to the War Department, having to make a choice
between two duties which no man could perform together.

In answer to a question from the Queen, he said he hoped that the
present irritation in the Whig party would subside, and that he would
be able to complete a Government. He regretted that the Peelites
thought it impossible for them to join, which would make it very
difficult for Lord John. He had just heard from Count Walewski that
Lord Clarendon was very much disinclined to remain at the Foreign
Office under Lord John. They were to have a meeting at Lord John's at
five, where he hoped to find that he had waived his objections; but he
must say that if Lord Clarendon persisted he must himself withdraw, as
he had indeed made it a condition with Lord John. The Queen asked him
whether, if this attempt failed, she could reckon upon his services in
any other combination. His answer was that it was better not to answer
for more than one question at a time; we must now suppose that this
will succeed.

What he stated with reference to the Army question and the Committee
of the House of Commons was perfectly satisfactory.

Lord Clarendon, whom we saw at four o'clock, complained very much of
the unfairness of Lord John in making him personally answerable for
impeding the progress of Lord John's Government. The fact was that his
opinion was only that of every other member of the late Government,
and of the public at large; which could be heard and seen by anybody
who chose to listen or to read. So impossible had it appeared to the
public that Lord John should be blind enough to consider his being
able to form a Government feasible, that it was generally supposed
that he had been urged to do so by the Queen, in order to escape
the necessity of Lord Palmerston. He acknowledged that the Queen's
decision in that respect had been the perfectly correct and
constitutional one, and perhaps necessary to clear the way; but he
hoped that for her own sake, and to prevent false impressions
taking root in the public mind, the Queen would give afterwards Lord
Palmerston his fair turn also, though he could not say that he would
be able to form an Administration. The Queen said that this was her
intention, that she never had expected that Lord John would be able
to form one, but that it was neces