A few weeks later, owing to Palmerston's influence, the Government was defeated in the House, and Lord John resigned.

Then, after a short interval, a coalition between the Whigs and the followers of Peel came into power, under the premiership of Lord Aberdeen.

Once more, Palmerston was in the Cabinet.
It was true that he did not return to the Foreign Office; that was something to the good; in the Home Department it might be hoped that his activities would be less dangerous and disagreeable.

But the Foreign Secretary was no longer the complacent Granville; and in Lord Clarendon the Prince knew that he had a Minister to deal with, who, discreet and courteous as he was, had a mind of his own.

These changes, however, were merely the preliminaries of a far more serious development.
Events, on every side, were moving towards a catastrophe.