pray.

He was unable to be present at the dinner of the tenants, and his eldest
son in his absence dwelt once more on his father's wish to retire,
whenever occasion should come, from the public service, or at least from
that kind of service to the public which imposed on him such arduous
efforts.

One great element of confusion was the sphinx's riddle of Egyptian
finance. On his birthday, among a dozen occupations, he says: "A little
woodcraft for helping sleep; wrote mem. on Egyptian finance which I hope
may help to clear my brain and nerves." And this was a characteristic way
of seeking a cure; for now and at every time, any task that demanded close
thought and firm expression was his surest (M67) sedative. More perplexing
even than the successive problems of the hour, was the threatened
disorganisation, not only of his cabinet, but of the party and its future.
On January 20 he was forced to London for two Egyptian cabinets, but he
speedily returned to Hawarden, whence he immediately wrote a letter to
Lord Granville:--

_January 22, 1885._--Here I am after a journey of 5-1/2 hours from
door to door, through the unsought and ill-deserved kindness of
the London and North-Western railway, which entirely spoils me by
special service.

There was one part of my conversation of to-day with Hartington
which I should like not to leave in any case without record. He
referred to the difficulties he had had, and he "gratefully"
acknowledged the considerateness of the cabinet. He said the point
always urged upon him was, not to break up the liberal party. But,
he said, can we avoid its breaking up, within a very short time
after you retire, and ought this consideration therefore to be
regarded as of such very great force? I said, my reply is in two
sentences. First, I admit that from various symptoms it is not
improbable there may be a plan or intention to break up the party.
But if a rupture of that kind comes,--this is my second sentence--it
will come upon matters of principle, known and understood by the
whole country, and your duty will probably be clear and your
position unembarrassed. But I entreat you to use your utmost
endeavour to avoid bringing about the rupture on one of the points
of this Egyptian question, which lies outside the proper business
of a government and is beyond its powers, which does not turn upon
clear princ