3/4. I kissed hands and am thereby prime minister
for the third time. But, as I trust, for a brief time only. Slept well,
_D.G._"

The first question was, how many of his colleagues in the liberal cabinet
that went out of office six months before, would now embark with him in
the voyage into stormy and unexplored seas. I should suppose that no such
difficulties (M106) had ever confronted the attempt at making a cabinet
since Canning's in 1827.

Mr. Gladstone begins the fragment from which I have already quoted with a
sentence or two of retrospect, and then proceeds:--

In 1885 (I think) Chamberlain had proposed a plan accepted by
Parnell (and supported by me) which, without establishing in
Ireland a national parliament, made very considerable advances
towards self-government. It was rejected by a small majority of
the cabinet--Granville said at the time he would rather take home
rule. Spencer thought it would introduce confusion into executive
duties.

On the present occasion a full half of the former ministers
declined to march with me. Spencer and Granville were my main
supports. Chamberlain and Trevelyan went with me, their basis
being that we were to seek for some method of dealing with the
Irish case other than coercion. What Chamberlain's motive was I do
not clearly understand. It was stated that he coveted the Irish
secretaryship.... To have given him the office would at that time
have been held to be a declaration of war against the Irish party.

Selborne nibbled at the offer, but I felt that it would not work,
and did not use great efforts to bring him in.(181)

When I had accepted the commission, Ponsonby brought me a message
from the Queen that she hoped there would not be any Separation in
the cabinet. The word had not at that time acquired the offensive
meaning in which it has since been stereotyped by the so-called
unionists; and it was easy to frame a reply in general but strong
words. I am bound to say that at Osborne in the course of a long
conversation, the Queen was frank and free, and showed none of the
"armed neutrality," which as far as I know has been the best
definition of her attitude in the more recent years towards a
liberal minister. Upon the whole, when I look back upon 1886, and
consider the inveterate sentiment of hostility flavoured with
contempt towards Ireland, wh