predicted for him. 'For a year,' he said, immediately
after his retirement from office, 'for a year the Go-
vernment has been stumbling and not making progress.
We have alienated the Tories without conciliating
the Whigs. The downfal of the Cabinet was inevi-
table. The Duke, by his declaration against all
reform, hastened the catastrophe. The head of the
Government ought never to allow his secrets to be dis-
covered. He may do everything he pleases, but he
may not say everything. Suppose a ministry is op-
posed to any reduction of the taxes, it may act on
that principle and not reduce taxation; but if it once
formally avows the principle, the Cabinet must be
overthrown. For my part, my course is clear; I am
the enemy only of the Radicals. The Government
are equally so; and in that respect I shall support
them. For the rest, I shall wait until Ministers make
their political profession of faith, and then I shall
know whether or not I am opposed to them.'

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