of the drawing-room, and played reels while the girls and two young Italians danced—­but they had not danced long before our frisky Papa followed with Count Ferretti, and not only joined in a reel, but asked for a waltz, and whirled round and round with Georgy and then with me, and made the old Count do the same.  It all reminded me of our Berlin evenings, except that Papa, though twenty-four years younger then, was not inspired by the German as he is by the Italian atmosphere, and never, to my recollection, joined us in our many merry unpremeditated dances.  It was hardly less a wonder to see Henry follow the example yesterday, and add to the confusion of the most confused “Lancers” I ever saw danced....  It is impossible to say how this letter has been interrupted....  The weather being too bright and beautiful to allow us to spend the morning indoors, the first interruption was a drive to San Miniato, where there is one of the finest views of Florence, and since we came home I have been jumping up every five minutes from my writing-table to receive one visitor after another—­whereas many an afternoon passes without a single one—­and since they all disappeared I have been called upon to help in a rehearsal for a second representation of our “Three Golden Hairs,” [50] which is to take place to-morrow on purpose for Lady Normanby....  The gaiety and noise of the rehearsals, the fun of the preparations, and the shyness, which effectually prevents any good acting, all reminds me of our dear old Minto plays.  How very, very long ago all that seems!  Not long ago in time only, but the changes in everybody and everything make the recollection almost like a dream.  I was sorry to say good-bye to poor old fifty-six, for though not invariably amiable to us he has been a good friend on the whole, and one learns to be more than grateful for each year that passes without any positive sorrow, and leaves no blanks among our nearest and dearest.  God bless you, dearest Mary; pray attribute blots and incoherences to my countless interruptions.

    Yours ever affectionately,

    F.R.

[50] A children’s play written by herself.

On his return, Lord John continued to give independent support to the Ministry until circumstances arose which forced him to oppose Palmerston’s foreign policy.  In March Cobden brought forward a motion condemning the violent measures resorted to against China.  Palmerston had justified these measures on the ground that the British flag had been insulted and our treaty rights infringed by the Chinese authorities at Canton.  A small coasting vessel called The Arrow (sailing under British colours, but manned by Chinamen, and owned by a Chinaman) had been boarded while she lay in the river, and her crew carried off by a party from a Chinese warship in search of a pirate, who they had reason to think was then serving as a seaman on board The Arrow.  Sir John Bowring, Plenipotentiary at Hong-Kong, demanded that the men