ossible ground for endeavouring to make up a majority,
but he could not see his way to any (M127) such process, though he was
ready for certain amendments. Finally, if we remained, an amendment would
be moved definitely committing the new House against home rule.

The conclusion was for immediate resignation, and his colleagues were
unanimous in assent. The Irish view was different and impossible.
Returning from a visit to Ireland I wrote to Mr. Gladstone (July 19):--

You may perhaps care to see what ---- [not a secular politician]
thinks, so I enclose you a conversation between him and ----. He
does not show much strength of political judgment, and one can
understand why Parnell never takes him into counsel. Parnell, of
course, is anxious for us to hold on to the last moment. Our fall
will force him without delay to take up a new and difficult line.
But his letters to me, especially the last, show a desperate
willingness to blink the new parliamentary situation.

Mr. Parnell, in fact, pressed with some importunity that we should meet
the new parliament, on the strange view that the result of the election
was favourable on general questions, and indecisive only on Irish policy.
We were to obtain the balance of supply in an autumn sitting, in January
to attack registration reform, and then to dissolve upon that, without
making any Irish proposition whatever. This curious suggestion left
altogether out of sight the certainty that an amendment referring to
Ireland would be at once moved on the Address, such as must beyond all
doubt command the whole of the tories and a large part, if not all, of the
liberal dissentients. Only one course was possible for the defeated
ministers, and they resigned.

On July 30, Mr. Gladstone had his final audience of the Queen, of which he
wrote the memorandum following:--

_Conversation with the Queen, August 2, 1886._

The conversation at my closing audience on Friday was a singular
one, when regarded as the probable last word with the sovereign
after fifty-five years of political life, and a good quarter of a
century's service rendered to her in office.

The Queen was in good spirits; her manners altogether pleasant.
She made me sit at once. Asked after my wife as we began, and sent
a kind message to her as we ended. About me personally, I think,
her single remark was that I should require some rest. I remembe