If you had kept Peel, you would have acted honestly by him, without any Lady's having a chance of doing him a bad turn.

When he asked the measure as an expression of your great confidence in him, it was not fair, because _you_ had not wished to take him; he was forced upon you, and therefore, even if you had granted his request, nobody would have seen in it a proof of your confidence in him, but rather a sacrifice to a far-stretched pretence.
Besides, that he was to have encountered difficulties as a Minister was partly the consequence of the policy of his party, and you were not bound to give him any assistance beyond what he had a right to ask as a Minister.

I was sure that Lord Melbourne would give you both the fairest and the most honourable advice in this painful crisis.

He was kind enough last year to speak to me on the subject, and I could but approve what he said on the subject.

Altogether, keeping now your old Ministers, you will have reason to congratulate yourself on the result; it is likely to strengthen them, by showing the Radicals what may be the consequences.
Rumour spoke of their wishing to add some Radicals to the Cabinet; I don't see that they could improve the Ministry by it, which is perfectly well composed as it is at present, and new elements often have a dissolving effect.