edford's letter, for something
of this sort, I was not prepared for anything so strong and
decisive; and while I expressed my satisfaction at it, I did not
conceal my opinion that Lord John's course had not been at all
consistent, and that Palmerston, when the moment of discussion
came, would have a good case against his antagonist colleague.
While I was at Woburn, I had constant running talk about this
matter with the Duke, but not a word with Lord John, to whom I
never uttered, nor he to me.

Yesterday I returned to town, when I found that Lord John had
written both to Lord Holland and Clarendon, shortly, but saying
that he thought the new proposals made the matter stand very
differently. I dined at Holland House, where the Palmerstons
dined also. My own opinion from the first moment was, that
Palmerston never would agree to any arrangement, but I thought it
just possible, if he became impressed with the magnitude of the
danger, that he might anticipate Lord John, by himself suggesting
some attempt to profit by the disposition of the Pasha to make
concessions. But any such possibility was speedily dissipated, by
a conversation which I had with Lady Palmerston, who spoke with
the utmost bitterness and contempt of these proposals, as totally
out of the question, not worth a moment's attention, and such as
the other Powers would not listen to, even if we were disposed to
accept them; and that we were now bound to those Powers, and must
act in concert with them. She told me a great deal, which I knew
(from other sources) not to be true, about Metternich's
resolution not to make the slightest concession to France and the
Pasha; and her brother Frederic's strenuous advice and opinion to
that effect. She complained, and said that Frederic complained,
of the mischief which was done by Cabinets which only bred
difficulties, intrigues, and underhand proceedings, and plainly
intimated her opinion that all powers ought to be centred in, and
all action proceed from, the Foreign Office alone. I told her
that I could not see the proposals in the same light as she did,
that some mutual concessions in all affairs must be expected, and
that she was so accustomed to look at the matter only in a
diplomatic point of view that she was not sufficiently alive to
the storm of wrath and indignation which would burst upon the
Government, if war did ensue upon the rejection of such terms as
these, which, as far as I had been able to gather op