I saw Guizot, who showed me a letter he had written to Thiers, telling him as far as he knew how matters stood, of the difficulties there were, and entreating him to moderate the French press. He also showed me a note from John Russell, in which, after thanking him for not speaking to him at Holland House, as it was better he should only talk to Palmerston or Melbourne, he added that he begged he would not consider that the articles which had lately appeared in the 'Morning Chronicle' and 'Observer' were approved of by the Government, and repudiated any connexion or concurrence with them. He had pronounced in the Cabinet a violent philippic against the newspapers, which was entirely directed at Palmerston, who, he knows very well, writes constantly in them, and Guizot knows this also. Guizot, therefore, if he had any doubt before of Lord John's sentiments, can have none now. An article appeared in the 'Times' on Tuesday strongly in favour of peace and harmony with France and the acceptance of the Pasha's offers. Guizot, of course, was delighted with it; but I found it had taken in other quarters, for Dedel asked me if I had read it, and said it was the true view of the question, and Ben Stanley said the same thing to me at dinner, and that he had found at Manchester and elsewhere a strong public opinion, of which he was sure Palmerston was not aware, and would not believe in if told. Dedel showed me a letter from Fagel, giving an account of a conversation he had with Louis Philippe, in which the King disclaimed any ambitious design or desire for war, but said he was determined to put France in a respectable state of preparation; very firm language. Dedel had been at Peel's, but got nothing out of him except that he did not know whether he should have made such a treaty, but as it was made we ought to abide by it. The Tories will turn this business to good account, end as it may; they have _beau jeu_. But what Neumann said to Dedel is anything but confirmatory of Palmerston's stories of Austrian _stoutness_, for he told him it would be a very fortunate thing if the Sultan would accept Mehemet Ali's new proposals.[1] [1] [M. Neumann was the Austrian Minister in London; M. Fagel the Dutch Minister in Paris.] [Page Head: PRINCE METTERNICH'S SUGGESTION.]