in the _Times_ this morning is
undisguisedly aimed at getting rid of me; but it does not express
any of their feelings. We have had a morning at Granville's;
Halifax, Granville, Cardwell, Hartington, Aberdare, Forster,
Carlingford, Stansfeld, Selborne, Goschen, Lowe, Kimberley,--in
short all, I think, except Argyll and Bright. There was argument
and exhortation, and much kindness. My letter to Granville will be
accompanied by a short reply from him expressing difference of
opinion and regret. They are afraid of being blamed by the party
if they seem to show indifference.

The Queen thanked Mr. Gladstone for communicating to her his resolution of
retiring from the more active duties of parliamentary life. She was not
entirely unprepared for it after what he told her himself last year. "She
knows that his zeal and untiring energy have always been exerted with the
desire of advancing the welfare of the nation and maintaining the honour
of the crown, and she thanks him for his loyal assurances of support on
all occasions when it may become necessary."

(M160) The Duke of Argyll wrote "sincerely to congratulate" him upon his
withdrawal. Bright on the other hand (Jan. 17) said he could not applaud,
yet he would not blame: Mr. Gladstone's course seemed so unfortunate if
not disastrous to the great public interests committed to him:--

For myself, says Bright, if I could have foreseen either the
result of the election of last year, or your retirement from the
conduct of the party, I should certainly have withdrawn from
parliament, where now I seem to have quite as little of duty or of
a mission as you have. The front opposition bench is full of
discord, and when you are not there full of jealousy, and I find
myself without any particular attraction to any particular part of
the House. However, I will not complain; some door of escape may
open for me, and I can become a spectator as you are proposing to
be.

I hope on some occasion I may have the chance of seeing you when
you come to town. I have had so much pleasure in your friendship,
and have gained so much from it, that I would fain hope it need
not cease now, when our association will necessarily be less
frequent than it has been of late years. Whether you come back to
the political field or turn wholly to study and to literature, I
am sure you will be usefully e