the Sunday evening (March 16) he received a message from
the Queen, enclosing Mr. Disraeli's letter, and requesting him to say
whether he would resume office. This letter was taken by Mr. Gladstone to
show that "nothing more was to be expected in that quarter," and at eleven
o'clock he sent off the messenger with his answer in the affirmative:--

_March 16, 1873_, 10-3/4 P.M.--It is quite unnecessary for him to
comment upon any of the statements or arguments advanced by Mr.
Disraeli, as the point referred by your Majesty for him to
consider is not their accuracy, sufficiency, or relevancy, but
simply whether any further effort is to be expected from the
opposition towards meeting the present necessity. Your Majesty has
evidently judged that nothing more of this kind can be looked for.
Your Majesty's judgment would have been conclusive with Mr.
Gladstone in the case, even had he failed to appreciate the full
cogency of the reason for it; but he is bound to state that he
respectfully concurs with your Majesty upon that simple question,
as one not of right but of fact. He therefore does not hesitate at
once to answer your Majesty's gracious inquiry by saying that he
will now endeavour to prevail upon your Majesty's late advisers
generally to resume their offices, and he again places all such
service as it is in his power to offer, at your Majesty's
disposal. According to your Majesty's command, then, he will
repair to London to-morrow morning, and will see some of the most
experienced members of the late government to review the position
which he regards as having been seriously unhinged by the shock of
last Wednesday morning; to such an extent indeed, that he doubts
whether either the administration or parliament can again be what
they were. The relations between them, and the course of business
laid down in the royal speech, will require to be reconsidered, or
at least reviewed with care.

II

_Tuesday, March 18._--[_To the Queen_] The cabinet met informally
at this house [11 Carlton House Terrace] at 2 P.M., and sat till
5-1/2.

The whole of the cabinet were ready to resume their offices. It
was decided to carry on the government in the present parliament,
without contemplating any particular limit of time for existence
in connection with the recent vote.

_Wednesday, March 19