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Palmerston's whole life had been spent in the government of the country。 At twenty…two he had been a Minister； at twenty…five he had been offered the Chancellorship of the Exchequer； which； with that prudence which formed so unexpected a part of his character； he had declined to accept。 His first spell of office had lasted uninterruptedly for twenty…one years。 When Lord Grey came into power he received the Foreign Secretaryship； a post which he continued to occupy； with two intervals； for another twenty…one years。 Throughout this period his reputation with the public had steadily grown； and when； in 1846； he became Foreign Secretary for the third time； his position in the country was almost； if not quite； on an equality with that of the Prime Minister； Lord John Russell。 He was a tall； big man of sixty…two； with a jaunty air； a large face； dyed whiskers； and a long sardonic upper lip。 His private life was far from respectable； but he had greatly strengthened his position in society by marrying； late in life； Lady Cowper； the sister of Lord Melbourne； and one of the most influential of the Whig hostesses。 Powerful； experienced； and supremely self…confident； he naturally paid very little attention to Albert。 Why should he？ The Prince was interested in foreign affairs？ Very well； then； let the Prince pay attention to himto him； who had been a Cabinet Minister when Albert was in the cradle； who was the chosen leader of a great nation； and who had never failed in anything he had undertaken in the whole course of his life。 Not that he wanted the Prince's attentionfar from it： so far as he could see； Albert was merely a young foreigner； who suffered from having no vices； and whose only claim to distinction was that he had happened to marry the Queen of England。 This estimate； as he found out to his cost； was a mistaken one。 Albert was by no means insignificant； and； behind Albert； there was another figure by no means insignificant eitherthere was Stockmar。
But Palmerston； busy with his plans； his ambitions； and the management of a great department； brushed all such considerations on one side； it was his favourite method of action。 He lived by instinctby a quick eye and a strong hand； a dexterous management of every crisis as it arose； a half…unconscious sense of the vital elements in a situation。 He was very bold； and nothing gave him more exhilaration than to steer the ship of state in a high wind； on a rough sea； with every stitch of canvas on her that she could carry。 But there is a point beyond which boldness becomes rashnessa point perceptible only to intuition and not to reason； and beyond that point Palmerston never went。 When he saw that the cast demanded it； he could go slowvery slow indeed in fact； his whole career； so full of vigorous adventure； was nevertheless a masterly example of the proverb； 〃tout vient a point a qui sait attendre。〃 But when he decided to go quick； nobody went quicker。 One day； returning from Osborne； he found that he had missed the train to London； he ordered a special； but the station master told him that to put a special train upon the line at that time of day would be dangerous and he could not allow it。 Palmerston insisted declaring that he had important business in London； which could not wait。 The station…master supported by all the officials； continued to demur the company； he said； could not possibly take the responsibility。 〃On MY responsibility； then！〃 said Palmerston； in his off…hand； peremptory way whereupon the station…master ordered up the train and the Foreign Secretary reached London in time for his work； without an accident。 The story； is typical of the happy valiance with which he conducted both his own affairs and those of the nation。 〃England；〃 he used to say； 〃is strong enough to brave consequences。〃 Apparently； under Palmerston's guidance； she was。 While the officials protested and shook in their shoes； he would wave them away with his airy 〃MY responsibility！〃 and carry the country swiftly along the line of his choice； to a triumphant destinationwithout an accident。 His immense popularity was the result partly of his diplomatic successes； partly of his extraordinary personal affability； but chiefly of the genuine intensity with which he responded to the feelings and supported the interests of his countrymen。 The public knew that it had in Lord Palmerston not only a high…mettled master； but also a devoted servantthat he was； in every sense of the word； a public man。 When he was Prime Minister； he noticed that iron hurdles had been put up on the grass in the Green Park； he immediately wrote to the Minister responsible； ordering； in the severest language； their instant removal； declaring that they were 〃an intolerable nuisance；〃 and that the purpose of the grass was 〃to be walked upon freely and without restraint by the people； old and young； for whose enjoyment the parks are maintained。〃 It was in this spirit that； as Foreign Secretary； he watched over the interests of Englishmen abroad。 Nothing could be more agreeable for Englishmen； but foreign governments were less pleased。 They found Lord Palmerston interfering； exasperating； and alarming。 In Paris they spoke with bated breath of 〃ce terrible milord Palmerston；〃 and in Germany they made a little song about him
〃Hat der Teufel einen Sohn； So ist er sicher Palmerston。〃
But their complaints； their threats； and their agitations were all in vain。 Palmerston； with his upper lip sardonically curving； braved consequences； and held on his course。
The first diplomatic crisis which arose after his return to office； though the Prince and the Queen were closely concerned with it； passed off without serious disagreement between the Court and the Minister。 For some years past a curious problem had been perplexing the chanceries of Europe。 Spain； ever since the time of Napoleon a prey to civil convulsions； had settled down for a short interval to a state of comparative quiet under the rule of Christina； the Queen Mother； and her daughter Isabella； the young Queen。 In 1846； the question of Isabella's marriage； which had for long been the subject of diplomatic speculations； suddenly became acute。 Various candidates for her hand were proposedamong others； two cousins of her own； another Spanish prince； and Prince Leopold of Saxe…Coburg； a first cousin of Victoria's and Albert's； for different reasons； however； none of these young men seemed altogether satisfactory。 Isabella was not yet sixteen； and it might have been supposed that her marriage could be put off for a few years more； but this was considered to be out of the question。 〃Vous ne savez pas；〃 said a high authority； 〃ce que c'est que ces princesses espagnoles； elles ont le diable au corps； et on a toujours dit que si nous ne nous hations pas； l'heritier viendrait avant le mari。〃 It might also have been supposed that the young Queen's marriage was a matter to be settled by herself； her mother； and the Spanish Government； but this again was far from being the case。 It had become； by one of those periodical reversions to the ways of the eighteenth century； which； it is rumoured； are still not unknown in diplomacy； a question of dominating importance in the foreign policies both of France and England。 For several years； Louis Philippe and his Prime Minister Guizot had been privately maturing a very subtle plan。 It was the object of the French King to repeat the glorious coup of Louis XIV； and to abolish the Pyrenees by placing one of his grandsons on the throne of Spain。 In order to bring this about； he did not venture to suggest that his younger son； the Duc de Montpensier； should marry Isabella； that would have been too obvious a move； which would have raised immediate and insurmountable opposition。 He therefore proposed that Isabella should marry her cousin； the Duke of Cadiz； while Montpensier married Isabella's younger sister； the Infanta Fernanda； and pray； what possible objection could there be to that？ The wily old King whispered into the chaste ears of Guizot the key to the secret； he had good reason to believe that the Duke of Cadiz was incapable of having children； and therefore the offspring of Fernanda would inherit the Spanish crown。 Guizot rubbed his hands； and began at once to set the necessary springs in motion； but； of course； the whole scheme was very soon divulged and understood。 The English Government took an extremely serious view of the matter； the balance of power was clearly at stake； and the French intrigue must be frustrated at all hazards。 A diplomatic struggle of great intensity followed； and it occasionally appeared that a second War of the Spanish Succession was about to break out。 This was avoided； but the consequences of this strange imbroglio were far…reaching and completely different from what any of the parties concerned could have guessed。
In the course of the long and intricate negotiations there was one point upon which Louis Philippe laid a special stressthe candidature of Prince Leopold of Saxe…Coburg。 The prospect of a marriage between a Coburg Prince and the Queen of Spain was； he declared； at least as threatening to the balance of power in Europe as that of a marriage between the Duc de Montpensier and the Infanta； and； indeed