most conspicuous part in the last half
century.

Nevertheless, the delicacy and caution which ought to be observed
in recording the language and the actions of eminent persons,
some of whom are still alive, appear to me to prescribe the
omission, at the present time, of some passages that may more
fitly be published hereafter. Accordingly, I have exercised to
some extent the discretionary powers entrusted to me by the
Author with these manuscripts; and I have withheld from
publication details which appeared to be of a strictly
confidential character, or which related the conversations of
living persons. In this respect I have again followed the example
set by the illustrious precedents to which I have already
referred. Lord Clarendon's 'History of the Great Rebellion,'
Bishop Burnet's 'History of His Own Time,' the Duc de Saint-
Simon's 'Memoirs,' were all first published with large omissions
from the text; and it is only in our own age--one or two
centuries after the death of the writers--that these works have
been made known to the world in their integrity from the original
manuscripts. I know not if these Journals are destined to so long
a life; they certainly do not lay claim to so great and lasting
an historical and literary fame; but it is probable they will be
read and referred to hereafter as a portion of the materials of
history of England in this century.

The alternative lay between the entire suppression of the work
for an indefinite period, and the publication of by far the
larger portion of it with the omission of a few passages which
touched too nearly on our contemporaries. Upon the whole, the
latter course appears to me the most consistent with the duty I
accepted from the Author, and which I owe to the public. It must
not be supposed, however, that the passages which are omitted in
this edition contain anything which it would be thought
discreditable for the Author to have written or for the Editor to
publish, or that they are of considerable extent or importance.
These passages are simply withheld at the present time from
motives of delicacy to persons still alive, or to their immediate
descendants. I adhere to the opinion previously expressed by me,
that the public conduct of those who, by their station or their
offices must be regarded as public characters, needs no reticence
or concealment.

An observation occurs in one of the later volumes of these
Journals (which had previously escaped my