f the government taking part in the divisions
of the body? And again, if his opinions happened not to be accepted by a
colleague on the same bench, would not the colleague have either to
acquiesce, or else to state in what respect his own opinion differed? In
this case would not differences in a government be unnecessarily and
prematurely forced upon the public? All this was the sound doctrine of
cabinet government. Mr. Gladstone, replying, felt that "he could not as a
minister, and as member for Oxford, allow the subject to be debated an
indefinite number of times and remain silent." His indictment of the Irish
church was decisive. At the same time he was careful to explain in public
correspondence that the question was out of all bearing on the practical
politics of the day. Meanwhile, as spokesman for the government, Mr.
Gladstone deprecated the responsibility of raising great questions at a
time when they could not be seriously approached. One acute observer who
knew him well, evidently took a different view of the practical politics
of the day, or at any rate, of the morrow. Manning wrote to Mr. Gladstone
two days after the speech was made and begged to be allowed to see him: "I
read your speech on the Irish church, which set me musing and forecasting.
It was a real grapple with the question."

III

(M41) Not many days after this speech Cobden died. To his brother,
Robertson, Mr. Gladstone wrote:--

_April 5._--What a sad, sad loss is this death of Cobden. I feel in
miniature the truth of what Bright well said yesterday--ever since
I really came to know him, I have held him in high esteem and
regard as well as admiration; but till he died I did not know how
high it was. I do not know that I have ever seen in public life a
character more truly simple, noble, and unselfish. His death will
make an echo through the world, which in its entireness he has
served so well.

_April 7._--To Mr. Cobden's funeral at W. Lavington. Afterwards to
his home, which I was anxious to know. Also I saw Mrs. Cobden. The
day was lovely, the scenery most beautiful and soothing, the whole
sad and impressive. Bright broke down at the grave. Cobden's name
is great; it will be greater.--(_Diary._)

A few months before this Mr. Gladstone had lost a friend more intimate.
The death of the Duke of Newcastle, he says (Oct. 19, 1864), "severs the
very last of those contemporaries who