, as I have already stated, Sir Robert went to see his
colleagues, and returned at five: said he had consulted with those who
were to have been his colleagues, and that they agreed that, with
the probability of being beat the first night about the Speaker, and
beginning with a Minority in the House of Commons, that unless
there was _some_ (_all_ the Officers of State and Lords I gave up)
demonstration of my confidence, and if I retained all my Ladies
this would not be, "they agreed unanimously they could not go on." I
replied I would reflect, that I felt certain I should not change my
mind, but that I should do nothing in a hurry, and would write him my
decision either that evening or the next morning. He said, meanwhile,
he would suspend all further proceedings.

[Footnote 36: Afterwards Earl of Shaftesbury, the well-known
Philanthropist.]

[Footnote 37: J. W. Croker wrote to the King of Hanover:--

"_11th May 1839._

"... This is the sum of the whole affair. Sir R. Peel could
not admit that broad principle that all were to remain.
Lady Normanby (whom the Queen particularly wishes for), for
instance, the wife of the very Minister whose measures have
been the cause of the change, two sisters of Lord Morpeth, the
sisters-in-law of Lord John Russell, the daughter of the Privy
Seal and the Chancellor of the Exchequer....

"Her Majesty's ball last night was, I am told, rather dull,
though she herself seemed in high spirits, as if she were
pleased at retaining her Ministers. She has a great concert on
the 13th, but to both, as I hear, the invitations have been on
a very exclusive principle, no Tories being invited who could
on any pretence be left out. These are small matters, but
everything tends to create a public impression that Her
Majesty takes a personal and strong interest in the Whigs--a
new ingredient of difficulty."--_Croker Papers_, II. 347.]

I also told Lord Melbourne that I feared I had embarrassed the
Government; that I acted quite alone. Lord Melbourne saw, and said
I could not do otherwise. "I must summon the Cabinet," said Lord
Melbourne, at half-past nine. "It may have very serious consequences.
If we can't go on with this House of Commons, we may have to dissolve
Parliament, and we don't know if we may get as good a House of
Commons." I begged him to come, and he said: "I'll come if it is in
any time--if it's twelve; b