THE ORIGIN OF THE SUEZ CANAL. 273 



to give in all good faith all the information in my 

 power, both as to the possibility and advantages of 

 the undertaking, as well as to the universal principle 

 of satisfying all the interests which were entitled to 

 consideration in the matter. 



" This first conversation was only preliminary. It 

 was very deferential on my part, and conducted with 

 much courtesy by Lord Palmerston, who gave me 

 more of his time than I could have expected that he 

 would. A few hours later I received an invitation 

 from Lady Palmerston to spend an evening at her 

 house. 



" I have not yet spoken to you of M. de Persigny, 

 our ambassador, but I may tell you that we seem likely 

 to work in complete harmony with each other, and 

 that I met him the same evening at Lady Palmerston's. 

 Yesterday I dined with Mr. James Wilson, Secretary 

 to the Treasury, a very distinguished economist, who 

 has offered me his services, as has Mr. Edward Ellice, 

 a friend of M. Thiers, and one of the most influential 

 members of the House of Commons. Mr. Ellice has 

 introduced me to several of his colleagues, and he has 

 asked me to dine with him on the 2nd of July, and 

 meet several political and financial personages who 

 will be of use to me. His handsome residence is close 

 to where I am staying, and I have a general invita- 

 tion to go and breakfast with him in his study at nine 

 every morning. I have had an interesting conversa- 

 tion with M. de Pannizzi, the librarian of the British 



VOL. I. T 



