The Journal notes:—
April 11th.—Lunched with the Mintos. They drove me to Christchurch. Lady Minto died on the 21st.
29th.—A great salt hurricane that singed the trees all over the country, and also in France.
May 5th.—Saw Lord Frederick Cavendish before he started for Dublin. On the 6th he was murdered.
From the Duke of Argyll
May 8th.—You ask a difficult question about politics. On the one hand, I see no possibility of a Conservative Government being formed just now, nor do I believe that a Liberal Government could be formed on purely Whig lines. On the other hand, I have the deepest conviction of the mischievous tendencies of Gladstone's leadership, and of the utter instability he is imparting to all the fundamental principles of government as hitherto understood in all civilised countries. I can only advise that the truth in this matter should be spoken freely, in the hope that when Gladstone disappears from the stage, there may be some return to sounder principles of legislation. I do not wish to see a change of Government just now. The Tories could not govern Ireland in its present condition; at least it would be a dangerous experiment. Half the Liberal party, which now supports coercion when it is forced on Gladstone, would undoubtedly oppose every possible form of it if proposed by Tories. The deplorable disaster made known to-day will have its effect. I hope it will force the Government to give form and substance to an amended Coercion Act—strengthening the ordinary law and widely extending the sphere of summary jurisdiction. If this be done well and sufficiently, it will be better than the power of arbitrary arrest. But before this event, I really feared that die Government might do nothing of the kind.
The Journal mentions:—
May 20th.—At Foxholes, till June 13th. Bought rowing boat.
June 20th.—Great dinner at The Club to the Duc d'Aumale. Nineteen present.
21st.—Great dinner at Archbishop Tait's at Lambeth. Forty-three people. Evening service in Lambeth Chapel.