A rumour has been widely circulated in London and Paris
that Lord Beaconsfield, who is very weary, and in spite of the official denials, very much out of health—we do not mean dangerously ill—has sent in his resignation. We can neither affirm nor deny the story, which on the face of it is not very probable, just before the rising of Parliament relieves the Ministry of its most wearing work, but we record it for the sake of its importance. No Con- servative Ministry which could be formed without Lord Beacons- field would be the same as a Ministry in which he sat. The great source of danger, of surprises, and of resourceful Parliamentary "moves" would have disappeared. Whether the Duke of Rich- mond, or Lord Salisbury, or Lord Derby, or Sir Stafford Northcote became Premier—and we should be glad to see power go back to the House of Commons, which just now is a sort of Tenth Estate —the Ministry would be more humdrum, more trustworthy, and more easily comprehended. In all probability, it would be stronger, for after all Lord Beaconsfield is no Conservative ; but it cer- tainly would be different, and much less the pivot of the hopes and fears of all European statesmen.
