he could not have any
reasonable prospect of stable parliamentary support; on the one
hand would stand Derby with his phalanx, on the other Lord J.
Russell, of necessity a centre and nucleus of discontent, and
between these two there would and could be no room for a
parliamentary majority such as would uphold his government. He
argued only rather faintly the other way, and seemed rather to come
to my way of thinking.

I said that even if the proposition were entertained, there would
be much to consider; that I thought it clear, whatever else was
doubtful, that we could not join without him, for in his absence
the wound would not heal kindly again, that I could not act without
Lord Aberdeen's approval, nor should I willingly separate myself
from Graham; that if we joined, we must join in force. But I was
disposed to wish that if all details could be arranged, we should
join in that manner rather than that Derby should give up the
commission, though I thought the best thing of all would be Derby
forming a ministry of his own men, provided only he could get a
good or fair foreign secretary instead of Clarendon, who in any
case would be an immense loss....

I went off to speak to Lord Aberdeen, and Palmerston went to speak
to Clarendon, with respect to whom he had told Derby that he could
hardly enter any government which had not Clarendon at the foreign
office. When we reassembled, I asked Lord Palmerston whether he had
made up his mind for himself independently of us, inasmuch as I
thought that if he had, that was enough to close the whole
question? He answered, Yes; that he should tell Derby he did not
think he could render him useful service in his administration. He
then left. It was perhaps 6.30. Herbert and I sat down to write,
but thought it well to send off nothing till after dinner, and we
went to Grillion's where we had a small but merry party. Herbert
even beyond himself amusing. At night we went to Lord Aberdeen's
and Graham's, and so my letter came through some slight emendations
to the form in which it went.[341] I had doubts in my mind whether
Derby had even intended to propose to Herbert and me _except_ in
conjunction with Palmerston, though I had no doubt that without
Palmerston it would not do; and I framed my letter so as not