ose much of their
personality, and for all the little views to be lost in the
greater--and yet the interest is as great as in London.

_Lady John Russell to Lady Mary Abercromby_

EDINBURGH, _January 28_, 1846

Well, I wonder what you will say to the debate or rather the
explanations in Parliament. Are not John's and Sir Robert's
speeches a curious contrast? and is not John a generous man? and is
not Sir Robert a puzzling one? and was there ever such a strange
state of parties? What an unhappy being a real Tory must be, at
least in England, battling so vainly against time and tide, and
doomed to see the idols of his worship crumbled to dust one after
another. In _your_ benighted country [Italy] their end is
further off; but still it must come. I am reading a book on Russia
that makes my blood boil at every page. It is called "Eastern
Europe and the Emperor Nicholas," and I am positively ashamed of
the reception we gave that wholesale murderer in our free country.

_Lord John to Lady John Russell_

CHESHAM PLACE, _February_ 1, 1846

The Ministry will carry their Corn Measure, but will hardly last a
month after it. What next? I think the next Government will be
Whig, as the Protection party have no corps of officers in the
House of Commons. So that their only way of avenging themselves
upon Peel is to bring in a Liberal Ministry.

_Lady John to Lord John Russell_

MINTO, _February_ 7, 1846

I am glad you have a satisfactory letter from the doctor. A
volunteered letter from him, as this was, must be a good sign.... I
shall all my life regret not having been with you at this most
interesting period in our political history; for the longest
letters can but barely make up for the loss of the hourly chats
upon each event with all its variations which are only known in
London. Then, I think how sad it is for you to have nobody to care,
as I should care, whether you had spoken well or ill. But all this
and much more we must bear as cheerfully as we can; and I am glad
to think that though _one wife_ is far from you, your other
wife, the House of Commons, leaves you little time to spend in
pining for her. I think you quite right in your intention of voting
for Sir Robert's measure as it is, in preference to any amendment
which would not be carried, and might de