as Lord Palmerston states, the arrangement
proposed is the best which can be desired.

[Pageheading: FEELING IN FRANCE]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _12th October 1840._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. He is much
better to-day, free from pain and difficulty of moving, but he thinks
that it would not be prudent, and that he should run the risk of
bringing back the complaint, if he should leave town to-morrow.

He thinks it might also be imprudent in another point of view, as
affairs are still in a very unsettled state, and the rest of the
Cabinet watch with great impatience, and, to say the truth, not
without suspicion, the manner in which Palmerston will carry into
effect the decision of Saturday. They are particularly anxious
for speed, and I have written both last night and this morning to
Palmerston, to urge him not to delay. He will go down to Windsor
to-morrow, and your Majesty will then have an opportunity of speaking
to him, upon which Lord Melbourne will write again to your Majesty.

Guizot has been with Lord Melbourne this morning for the purpose of
repeating what he had before said to Palmerston, that the Note which
he delivered on Saturday was the result of a great effort made by the
party who are for peace, that it had been conquered against a strong
opposition, that if it were not taken advantage of here now, it would
not be renewed, that the conduct of affairs in France would probably
fall into the hands of the violent party, and that it would be no
longer possible to control the excited feelings of the people of
France.

The worst is that Palmerston, and John Russell, with now the
greater part of the Cabinet, proceed upon principles, opinions, and
expectations which are entirely different from one another, and which
therefore necessarily lead to a different course of action. We are
anxious to finish the business speedily, because we fear that there is
danger of the Government of France being forced into violent measures
by popular outcry. Palmerston, on the contrary, thinks that there is
no danger of war, that the French do not mean war, and that there is
no feeling in France but what has been produced by the Ministry and
their instruments the Press.

We are anxious that the opportunity should be seized now whilst we
have the appearance of success in Syria, not being at all confident of
the ultimate result. Palmerston, on the contrary