uninterrupted, and the Palmerstons have been constantly dining at
Holland House, Palmerston has never said one word to Lord Holland
on the subject, and he is unquestionably very sore at the
undisguised manner in which Lord Holland has signified his
dislike of Palmerston's foreign policy, and the great civilities
that Lord and Lady Holland have shown to Guizot for some time
past.

[15] I own I cannot see why. Their retirement would have
proved the unanimity of the rest, and would rather have
strengthened Palmerston than not.

The manner in which business is conducted and the independence of
the Foreign Office are curiously displayed by the following fact.
Last Wednesday a Protocol was signed (very proper in itself), in
which the four Powers disclaimed any intention of aggrandising
themselves in any way. The fact of this Protocol was told to
Clarendon by Dr. Bowring, who had heard it in the City, and to
Lord Holland by Dedel, neither of these Ministers having the
slightest notion of its existence. In the meantime, while the
apprehensions of Melbourne and John Russell, thus tardily
aroused, have urged them to the adoption of a measure which may
possibly break up the Government, or at all events bring about
some important changes of one sort or another, the French are
making vigorous preparations for war, and, having persuaded the
Pasha to send a new proposal to Constantinople, Thiers has
intimated that, if this be rejected, France will give him active
support, and then war will be inevitable. The crisis, therefore,
seems actually on the point of arriving, and while all the world
here fancies that war is impossible, it appears to be nearer than
ever it was.

Guizot committed a great _gaucherie_ the other day (the last time
he was at Windsor), which he never could have done if he had had
more experience of Courts, or been born and had lived in that
society. The first day, the Queen desired he would sit next to
her at dinner, which he did; the second day the Lord-in-waiting
(Headfort) came as usual with his list, and told Guizot he was to
take out the Queen of the Belgians, and sit somewhere else; when
he drew up and said, 'Milord, ma place est aupres de la Reine.'
Headfort, quite frightened, hastened back to report what had
happened; when the Queen as wisely altered, as the Ambassador had
foolishly objected to, the disposition of places, and desired him
to sit next herself, as he had done the d