; and the
success is much more attributable to Palmerston than to our naval
and military commanders, and probably solely to him.

[13] [The bombardment and capture of St. Jean d'Acre by the
allied fleet took place on the 3rd November, whilst
these diplomatic troubles were going on in London and
Paris. The French Chambers opened on the 6th November.]

Yesterday I saw the Baron Mounier, who is come over here, on a
sort of mission, to talk about possible arrangements, from
Guizot. He still pertinaciously urges our doing or saying
something demonstrative of a disposition to be reconciled with
France, and that, in the ultimate settlement of the Eastern
Question, we wish to show her some deference. He wants (Syria
being gone) that we should make out that it is from consideration
for France that Egypt is left to the Pasha. I told him the only
difficulty appeared to be that, as we had already announced we
had no intention to strip him of Egypt, and had signified long
ago that we had advised the Sultan to restore him to that
Government, I did not see how we could now make any such
declaration available, and that it would go for nothing. But he
said he thought by a not difficult employment of diplomatic
phraseology much might be done; and he suggested that there must
be some definite settlement of the whole question, including
stipulations and guarantees for the Syrian population (of the
mountains, I presume), and to this France might be invited to
accede. In short, nothing will satisfy her but having a finger in
the pie upon any terms. What Guizot now wants is to renew the
English alliance. So he said when he went away; but it may well
be doubted whether the French are not too sulky with us and too
deeply mortified not to make this an unpopular attempt just now.
Mounier is the son of Mounier the Constitutionalist, entirely in
Guizot's confidence, a talkative man not seemingly brilliant, but
he is well versed in affairs, an active member of the Chamber of
Peers, and considered indispensable there as a _redacteur_ and
transactor of Parliamentary business.

December 13th, 1840 {p.357}

For the last week at Norman Court, during which little or nothing
has happened; but I heard one or two things before I left town.
Guizot had made a direct application to Palmerston for his
permission to attribute the leaving of Egypt to Mehemet Ali, to
the influence of France, and to a desire to gratify her