ienna. Lord
Holland went over the whole case, and told me everything that had
occurred in great detail, the whole, or certainly the greatest
part, of which I was already apprised of. Just now I saw Dedel,
who told me again that Neumann had said to him, 'Plut a Dieu que
le Sultan acceptat les dernieres propositions de Mehemet Ali, car
cela nous tirerait d'un grand embarras.' Neumann is a time-
serving dog, for he holds quite different language to the
Palmerstons, and to them complains of Holland House, and talks of
firmness, resolution, &c.

October 7th, 1840 {p.329}

Dined at Holland House on Sunday. Palmerstons, John Russell, and
Morpeth, all very merry, with sundry jokes about Beyrout, and
what not. At night Lady Holland was plaintive to Palmerston about
an article in the 'Examiner,' in which Fonblanque had said
something about Holland House taking a part against the foreign
policy, and they talked together amicably enough. Lady Palmerston
and I had another colloquy, much the same as before. I told her
what Neumann had said, but nothing would make her believe it.
They have a marvellous facility in believing anything they wish,
and disbelieving whatever they don't like. In fact, Lord John
evidently has completely knocked under; he is unprepared to do
anything more, and so ready now to go on that he had himself
proposed to Palmerston that Stopford should be ordered to attack
Acre. Of course, Palmerston desired no better; and it seems to
have been agreed that conditional orders shall be sent to him--
that is, he is to attack if he is strong enough, and the season
is not too far advanced.

[Page Head: LORD PALMERSTON TRIUMPHS.]

I dined again to-day at Holland House, and in the evening Guizot
came. He told me that nothing could be more unsatisfactory than
his interview with Palmerston; very civil to himself personally
as he always was, but 'de Ministre a Ministre' as bad as
possible. He had told him of the communication Lord Granville was
desired to make to Thiers, but had not said one syllable of the
disposition of the Cabinet to make an overture, nor held out the
slightest expectation of the possibility of any modification.
Guizot repeated how much he is alarmed, and talked of the
probability of war. It is now quite clear that Palmerston has
completely gained his point. The peace party in the Cabinet are
silenced, their efforts paralysed. In fact, Palmerston has
triumphed, and Lord John succumbed. The Cabinet