else to take part with him. If Lord Holland were still alive,
something might now be done.

[Page Head: FRESH OBSTACLES.]

The other night Peel, who has been a good deal nettled by the
attacks on him in a series of letters, signed 'Catholicus,' in
the 'Times,' made a very striking speech upon the education and
recreation of the people, which was enthusiastically cheered by
the Whigs, but received in silence by the Tories. He made a sort
of reply in this speech to the charges of irreligion insinuated
in these letters, and took the opportunity of expressing those
liberal sentiments which mark his own identification with the
progress of society, and which render him, from their liberality
and wisdom, the object of such suspicion, fear, and dislike with
the Tory democracy who reluctantly own him for their leader.

March 16th, 1841 {p.387}

On Friday last, after the House of Lords was over, the
Ministerial Lords gathered on the bench and had a sort of
Cabinet, a practice in which Melbourne takes pleasure. Clarendon
held forth about the state of the Eastern Question, and said all
he thought without reserve. He worked up Lansdowne to a
considerable amount of zeal and resolution to bestir himself. The
next day Lansdowne called on Melbourne, and he owned to Clarendon
that he was shocked and surprised to find that Melbourne had
never had any communication with Palmerston on the subject, and,
in point of fact, knew very little about what was going on. The
next day there was a Cabinet, when both Lansdowne and Clarendon
expressed their opinion with vivacity, complaining of the
proceeding at Constantinople, and urging the necessity of some
decisive step being taken here to correct its effects. Palmerston
knocked under; that is, he made no defence and no resistance, and
ostensibly acquiesced in the opinions expressed, and promised to
act in conformity with them. Though no reliance can be placed on
him, and none is placed, it would appear as if he was become
aware of the necessity of making his actions correspond with his
professions and with the opinions which have been so strongly
expressed in all quarters; for I met Bourqueney last night, who
told me that he really did think they were at last making
progress towards a satisfactory conclusion, that he had received
his instructions (which I already knew were to say the French
Government would hear of nothing till this Hatti-sherif was
disavowed) and had instantly got the Conf