wing year, when they were once more colleagues
in office. On matters of home policy Lord Palmerston remained the Tory he
had been in his earlier days, and this was the cause of many a trial to
John. Indeed, it was a misfortune to him throughout his public career that
his colleagues almost to a man hung back when he would have gone forward;
and many a time he came home dispirited from a Cabinet at which he had been
alone--or with only the support of my father, who always stood stoutly by
him while he remained Cabinet Minister--in the wish to bring before
Parliament measures worthy of the Whig banner of Civil and Religious
Liberty, Progress and Reform. Nothing could exceed John's patience under
the criticisms of his colleagues, who were, most of them, also his friends,
some of them very dear friends--nothing could exceed his readiness to admit
and listen to difference of opinion from them; but it was trying to find
the difference always in one direction, and that a direction hardly
consistent with the character of a Whig Ministry.

The spirit which pervaded the foreign policy of Lord John Russell is shown
in a letter from him to Queen Victoria dated December 29, 1851 [38]:

The grand rule of doing to others as we wish that they should do
unto us is more applicable than any system of political science.
The honour of England does not consist in defending every English
officer or English subject, right or wrong, but in taking care that
she does not infringe the rules of justice, and that they are not
infringed against her.

[38] "Letters of Queen Victoria," vol. ii, chap. xx.

Lord and Lady John often regretted that the duties of political life
prevented them from having fuller intercourse with literary friends. There
are short entries in her diaries mentioning the visits of distinguished men
and women, but she seldom had time to write more than a few words. Her
diaries--like her letters--were written with marvellous rapidity, and were,
of course, meant for herself alone. In March, 1852, she writes: "Thackeray
came to read his 'Sterne' and 'Goldsmith' to us--very interesting quiet
evening." And a little later at Pembroke Lodge: "Dickens came to luncheon
and stayed to dinner. He was very agreeable--and more than agreeable--made
us feel how much he is to be liked." Rogers they also saw occasionally, and
the letter which follows is a reply to an invitation to Pembroke Lodge. The
second letter refers to