bate in the
Chamber. Clarendon said he could not imagine what Palmerston had
to complain of in the 'Times,' as, though there had been some
articles attacking him, the far greater number had been in his
favour. Melbourne said there had been a great deal the other way,
and that Palmerston and his Tory friends with whom he had
communicated had been constantly surprised to find that there was
an influence stronger than their own in that quarter.

[1] [This was a very remarkable letter M. de Tocqueville
wrote to me in November, showing the danger of driving
France to extremities, which might involve the
overthrow of the Government in that country.
Tocqueville was always penetrated with the conviction
that the throne of Louis Philippe rested on no solid
foundation; and undoubtedly the Treaty of July 1840 was
a severe blow to its stability, and led to further
disputes, and more fatal consequences. The letter in
question was shown by me to Lord Lansdowne, and I was
told it was read to the Cabinet. At any rate, it was
read by Lord Melbourne, who attached great importance
to it.--H.R.]

January 9th, 1841 {p.363}

The other day at Windsor, when Clarendon was sitting talking with
Melbourne, the latter in his lounging way, as if thinking aloud,
said, 'In all my experience, I never remember such a state of
things as the present; I never remember, in the course of my
political life, anything at all like it; it can't last--it's
impossible this Government can go on; Palmerston in communication
with the Tories--Palmerston and Ashley--' and then he stopped.
Clarendon said, 'What! you think Palmerston and the Tories will
come together?' To which Melbourne nodded assent. 'And which,'
Clarendon persevered, 'will come to the other: will Palmerston go
to Ashley, or will Ashley come to Palmerston?' To which Melbourne
chuckled and grunted, laughed and rubbed his hands, and only
said, 'Oh, I don't know.' These are the sentiments of the Prime
Minister about his own Government--a strange state of things:
while Palmerston is in confidential communication with the
Tories, or some of them, for the purpose of obtaining their
support to his policy, half of his own colleagues, though
committed, being adverse to it, and regarded by him as his worst
adversaries. He and John Russell, the two Secretaries of State--
the latter