e thought
Mr Disraeli ought to make an apology to the House for the language he
had used, and which had given pain to a great many persons; and on
Mr Walpole's saying that that was a very delicate thing to tell Mr
Disraeli, he had allowed it to be told him as a message from him (Lord
John). Mr Disraeli declared his readiness, provided others would do
the same, and declared they had meant no offence.[71] We owned that
we had been astonished to find them of a sudden all so _well bred_. We
asked what Lord Palmerston had been about during the crisis? Lord John
told us in reply that Lord Palmerston had certainly been disposed
to join Lord Derby's Government, but always said he could not do so
alone; that if eight of them were to join, then they would have the
majority in the Cabinet. He also said that he believed Lord Palmerston
would have voted _for_ some parts of the Budget and against others.
Lord John does not think that that large Party of Lord Derby's will
long keep together, that some would vote for the Government, others
might try to raise a Protestant cry.

Lord Palmerston looked excessively ill, and had to walk with two
sticks from the gout.

[Footnote 71: "Mr Disraeli ... with infinite polish and grace
asked pardon for the flying words of debate, and drew easy
forgiveness from the member (Mr Goulburn), whom a few hours
before he had mocked as 'a weird sibyl'; the other member (Sir
James Graham), whom he could not say he greatly respected, but
whom he greatly regarded; and the third member (Sir C.
Wood), whom he bade learn that petulance is not sarcasm, and
insolence is not invective. Lord John Russell congratulated
him on the ability and the gallantry with which he had
conducted the struggle, and so the curtain fell." Morley's
_Gladstone_, Book III. chap. viii.]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _28th December 1852._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--Your dear letter of the 24th reached me on Monday,
and I thank you warmly for it. The success of our excellent Aberdeen's
arduous task and the formation of so brilliant and strong a Cabinet
would, I was sure, please you. It is the realisation of the country's
and our _most_ ardent wishes, and it deserves success, and will, I
think, command great support.... It has been an anxious week, and just
on our happy Christmas Eve we were still very uneasy.

As I mean to write again before this year runs