nt
position, that he would vote a condemnation of the dissolution, but
hesitates as to no confidence.

Sir Robert Phillimore[387] gives us other glimpses during this month:--

_May 18._--Long interview with Gladstone. He entered most fully and
without any reserve into his views on the state of political
parties and on the duties of a statesman at this juncture. Thought
the only chance of a strong government was an engrafting of
Palmerston upon Lord Derby, dethroning Disraeli from the leadership
of the House of Commons, arranging for a moderate Reform bill,
placing the foreign office in other hands, but not in Disraeli's.
He dwelt much upon this. Foreign politics seemed to have the chief
place in his mind.

_May 31._--Gladstone has seen Palmerston, and said he will not vote
against Lord Derby in support of Lord John's supposed motion. The
government Gladstone thinks desirable is a fusion of Palmerston and
his followers with Lord Derby, which implies, of course, weeding
out half at least of the present cabinet. Gladstone will have to
vote with government and speak against the cabinet, and violently
he will be abused.

_June 1._--Dined with Gladstone. He is much harassed and distressed
at his position relative to the government and opposition. Spoke
strongly against Lord Malmesbury. Said if the proposal is to
censure the dissolution, he must agree with it, but he will vote
against a want of confidence.

One important personage was quite confident that Gladstone would vote
the government out. Another thought that he would be sure to join a
liberal administration. Palmerston believed this too, even though he
might not vote for a motion of want of confidence. Clarendon expected
Gladstone to join, though he would rather see him at the foreign office
than at the exchequer. At a dinner party at Lord Carlisle's where
Palmerston, Lord John, Granville, Clarendon, Lewis, Argyll, and Delane
were present, Sir Charles Wood in a conversation with Mrs. Gladstone
found her much less inclined to keep the Derby government in. In the
last week of May a party feast was planned by Lord Palmerston and the
whip, but Lord John Russell declined to join the dinner. It was decided
to call a meeting of the party. A confidential visitor was talking of it
at Cambridge House, when the brougham came to the door to take
Palmerston down