ce of Lord John dates from the summer
of 1839, and in that and the following years I often saw him at the
Priory. Towards the close of 1839 Lord John lost his first wife, and the
picture of his little figure, in deep mourning, walking by the side of
my father on the gravel walks about the house in the spring and summer
of 1840 is one vividly impressed on my recollection. His manner to
children was not unpleasant, and I well remember his pausing, an amused
listener to a childish and vehement political discussion between his
step-daughter, Miss Lister, and myself--a discussion which he from time
to time stirred up to increased animation by playfully mischievous
suggestions.'

[Sidenote: A HOSTILE RESOLUTION]

Early in the session of 1840, the Ministry was met by a vote of want of
confidence, and in the course of the discussion Sir James Graham accused
Lord John of encouraging sedition by appointing as magistrate one of the
leaders of the Chartist agitation at Newport. Lord John, it turned out,
had appointed Mr. Frost, the leader in question, on the advice of the
Lord-Lieutenant, and he was able to prove that his own speech at
Liverpool had been erroneously reported. The hostile resolution was
accordingly repelled, and the division resulted in favour of the
Government. For six years Turkey and Egypt had been openly hostile to
each other, and in 1839 the war had been pushed to such extremities that
Great Britain, Austria, Russia, and Prussia entered into a compact to
bring about--by compulsion if necessary--a cessation of hostilities.
Lord Holland and Lord Clarendon objected to England's share in the
Treaty of July 1840, but Lord Palmerston compelled the Cabinet to
acquiesce by a threat of resignation, and Lord John, at this crisis,
showed that he was strongly in favour of his colleague's policy. The
matter, however, was by no means settled, for once more a grave division
of opinion in the party arose as to the wisdom of practically throwing
away our alliance with France. Althorp--now Lord Spencer--reminded his
former colleagues that that nation was most fitted to be our ally of any
in Europe, on the threefold ground of situation, institutions, and
civilisation.

Lord John drew up a memorandum and submitted it to his colleagues, in
which he recognised the rights of France, and proposed to summon her,
under given conditions, to take measures with the other Powers to
preserve the peace of Europe. The personal ascendency