to prevent him from doing full justice to the
energetic and sincere public spirit behind them. He had, moreover, quite
enough to do with (M68) the demands of the present, apart from signs that
were ominous for the future. A year before, in a letter to Lord Granville
(March 24, 1884), he had attempted a definition that will, perhaps, be of
general interest to politicians of either party complexion. It is, at any
rate, characteristic of his subtlety, if that be the right word, in
drawing distinctions:--

What are divisions in a cabinet? In my opinion, differences of
views stated, and if need be argued, and then advisedly
surrendered with a view to a common conclusion are not "divisions
in a cabinet." By that phrase I understand unaccommodated
differences on matters standing for immediate action.

It was unaccommodated differences of this kind that cost Mr. Disraeli
secessions on the Reform bill, and secessions no less serious on his
eastern policy, and it is one of the wonders of his history that Mr.
Gladstone prevented secession on the matters now standing for immediate
action before his own cabinet. During the four months between the meeting
of parliament and the fall of the government, the two great difficulties
of the government--Egypt and Ireland--reached their climax.

II

The news of the fall of Khartoum reached England on February 5. One of the
least points, as Mr. Gladstone wrote on the day, was that the grievous
news would put an end to the government, and so it very nearly did. As was
to be expected, Sir Stafford Northcote moved a vote of censure. Mr.
Gladstone informed the Queen, on the day before the division, that the
aspect of the House was "dubious and equivocal." If there was a chance of
overthrowing the ministry, he said, the nationalists were pretty sure to
act and vote as a body with Sir Stafford. Mr. Forster, Mr. Goschen, and
some members of the whig section of the liberal party, were likely either
to do the same, or else to abstain. These circumstances looked towards an
unfavourable issue, if not in the shape of an adverse majority, yet in the
form of a majority too small to enable the government to carry on with
adequate authority and efficiency. In the debate, said Mr. Gladstone, Lord
Hartington re-stated with measured force the position of the government,
and overthrew the contention that had taken a very forward place in the
indictment against ministers, that thei