lead us, of things grave or gay, trifling or solemn, my heart seems to leap within me from the sense of happiness, and I can only utter silent and humble thanks to the Almighty Giver.  It must end, oh, fearful thought!—­parting and death must come; fearfully yet not despairingly I think of that end.  Come when or how it will, it cannot take all away—­this happiness, this unutterable gratitude is not for time only, but is mine for ever.

The succession of Lord Russell to Palmerston’s place at the head of the Government implied a change in its character and policy.  It was not merely a continuation of an old, but practically the formation of a new Government.  Lord Russell was bent upon introducing a Reform Bill, and thus closing his career in forwarding the cause in which he had won his earliest and most famous laurels, and for which he had on two other occasions striven without success.  But though the country was now in a mood for such measures, and Gladstone’s speeches in favour of an extension of the franchise had been well received, the party which had been elected in support of Palmerston was largely composed of men who shared his indifference, if not his dislike, to all such proposals.  In all probability the Ministry was therefore doomed to a short life.  “Palmerston,” wrote Lord Clarendon to Lord Granville, “held a great bundle of sticks together.  They are now loosened and there is nobody to tie them up.” [58] In any case such a Bill would require very careful steering.  The first ominous sign of a split occurred when it became necessary to fill the vacancy caused by the retirement of Sir Charles Wood.  A place in the Cabinet was offered to Mr. Lowe, but he refused on the ground that he could not support Reform.  Lord Russell, with characteristic abruptness and without consulting his colleagues, then offered the place to Mr. Goschen, who was quite unknown to the public; he had only been three years in Parliament, and held a subordinate office. [59] The choice was an admirable one, but to those who had not read Mr. Goschen’s book upon Foreign Exchanges the appointment might well seem inexplicable.

[58] “Life of Lord Granville,” by Lord Edmond Fitzmaurice.

[59] Promotion so rapid has only occurred once or twice in Parliamentary history.  See note, Morley’s “Life of Gladstone,” vol. ii, p. 156.

    LONDON, February 3, 1866

Sir Charles Wood [60] called—­wished to see me alone—­chiefly in order to talk about John, his occasional sudden acts without consulting colleagues, and the bad effect of so acting.  He gave some instances, in which he was quite mistaken, some in which he was right.  The subject was a difficult one for me—­but his intentions were very kind, and as I heartily agree with him in the main, we got on very well, and as a wife I was glad to have the opportunity of saying some things of my dearest, dearest John, who is not always understood.  Sir Charles took my hand, kissed it, and said:  “God bless you.”

[60] Sir Charles Wood retired with the title of Lord Halifax.