APPENDIX. 403 ' natural that he might think me too slow and undecided '- in giving effect to my intentions, for I will not do him ' the injustice of supposing that he ever for a moment 1 doubted my sincerity. It is possible, too, that although 1 I am convinced that he entered into the Government from ' the most generous and high - minded motives, he may ' have found himself in a somewhat false position, and that ' he may have miscalculated his powers of enduring this ' position with equanimity for any length of time. ' But however this step may have been regarded by my ' friends at the moment, I trust that, seeing how little I ' have felt it myself, and looking to subsequent events, all ' asperity of feeling is now entirely at an end. ' It gives me the greatest satisfaction to be informed by ' you of the good opinion and friendly feelings of Lord ' John. I can truly say that my conscience tells me that ' I have done my best to deserve them. I know that he 1 has sometimes complained of my want of confidence in ' him, but for this there never was any real foundation. ' Any appearance of the kind was entirely the effect of ' accident, and never of intention. I may, perhaps, my- ' self have thought Lord John over-sensitive, or sometimes 1 rash or impracticable. But these are trifles. We parted ' with expressions of mutual regard, which on my side ' were perfectly sincere, as I have no doubt they were on ' his. These expressions I am happy in having the oppor- ' tunity to renew ; as well as, with my admiration of his ' great powers and noble impulses, to assure you that I 1 shall always feel a warm interest in his reputation and 1 honour.' And in another letter (January 11, 1857) to the Duke, ho says : — ' I now return the letter from Clarendon, which you had ' the goodness to send me, and which I have read with ' pleasure. I think it takes very much the fame view of
