!^y?^' 
 
7- 
 
NOTES 
 
 BY 
 
 SIR ROBERT HERON, BARONET. 
 
 SECOND EDITION. 
 
 GRANTHAM: 
 S, RIDGE, HIGH-STREET. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 GROOMBRIDGE & SONS, PATEENOSTER-ROW. 
 
 1851. 
 
GRANTHAM : PRINTED BV S. EIDGE, HIGH-STBEET. 
 

 Should any person take the trouhle to read 
 these Notes, he will find anecdotes which may 
 amuse him, and facts which may he new to 
 him ; hut he will also find opinions with which 
 he may not concur. It should he considered, 
 however, that they are the honest and disin- 
 terested residt of careful reflection. As I have 
 always respected the opinions of others, I 
 think I may claim that mine should he treated 
 with indulgence. 
 
 Sepleinher, 1851. 
 
 J ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 M736110 
 
NOTES. 
 
 Parliament was dissolved on the 30tli Sept. 
 Nov. 18, l«i^t, and I was returned for Grimsbj, 
 ^^^'^' Oct. 6. Lord Yarborougli, who, after 
 immense sums of money thrown away, had 
 lost the borough by bad management, though 
 he possessed an overruling property in it, and 
 even a considerable popularity amongst its 
 inhabitants, had, at length, determined to a- 
 bandon it. At this moment, a common friend 
 proposed that I should offer myself on his in- 
 terest : the proposal suited both : my ignorance 
 of the premises was taken advantage of by Mr. 
 Grant's agent, a cunning and foolish man, to 
 forward his interested objects, but I escaped 
 from his hands better and more speedily than 
 might have been expected. With Mr. Grant 
 himself I should not have had any difficulty. 
 I did not ado])t any one of the usual arts and 
 tricks of canvassing. I told every one who 
 
 B 
 
asked me, the whole truth as to my principles, 
 political or religious, and am confirmed in my 
 opinion, tliat, ultimately, it is the most profita- 
 ble, as it must be allowed to be the only hono- 
 rable, mode. I must do myself the justice to 
 say, that all those who were concerned for 
 me, assured me such conduct would ruin me : 
 it has, however, hitherto appeared, that my 
 simplicity of manner and conversation has 
 been j^erfectly approved at Grimsby. Thus, 
 I have at length attained one of my greatest 
 objects ; it remains to be seen whether it was 
 worth the gaining. The efforts of one indivi- 
 dual must be always disappointed, unless his 
 talents are very considerable. My mode of 
 speaking has been very successful in the coun- 
 try, but there, what opponents, what foils ! 
 
 In parliament, to be brilliant, to argue with 
 force, to reply with effect, require powers 
 which I do not possess, or experience which 
 it is too late to attain. The utmost, then, I 
 can permit myself to hope, is, that I may occa- 
 sionally deliver my opinions in a plain and 
 manly manner, without becoming ridiculous. 
 
 I am fully convinced I might have sat for 
 the county, but a contest was certain. I was 
 too ignorant of the strength of the enemy, to 
 calculate its duration or expense ; and I ought 
 
not to repent lia\ ing declined it, tliougli, I be- 
 lieve, nothing but the fears and entreaties of 
 my Uncle would have induced me to do so. 
 The parliamentary returns are completed. 
 
 Nov. 23. Opposition is said rather to have gained 
 than lost in numbers, but the principal 
 success has been obtained by the partisans of 
 Lord Welleslev and Cannino;. The latter will 
 probably soon join the Administration ; the for- 
 mer is said to incline towards opposition ; but 
 what dependence can be placed on men, the 
 profligacy of whose public conduct sets all 
 principle, but that of self interest, at defiance. 
 In the sunnner of 1812, the war was renewed 
 
 Jan. 23, betwccn France and Russia. The 
 latter power had been driven to the 
 necessity of making peace, by the almost entire 
 conquest of Austria, the subjection of Prussia, 
 and the abandomnent of her interests by this 
 country : for the British Ministers, having most 
 impolitickly sent an army to convert the Span- 
 ish settlements in South America from friends 
 into enemies, were unable to give any effectual 
 assistance to Russia, already defeated in a great 
 battle. But Bonaparte requiring Alexander to 
 join ^vith him, for the ruin of British com- 
 merce, in measures which must also have 
 destroyed the resources of Russia, was met by 
 
6 
 
 a reluctant refusal, and he immediately deter- 
 mined on invasion. 
 
 Having taken possession of Prussia, and 
 increased his immense army by allies from 
 Poland, Switzerland, and Italy, and by un- 
 willing auxiliaries from Austria, Prussia, and 
 Germany, he entered Russia with a host of 
 veteran warriors, probably falling little short of 
 four hundred thousand men, commanded by 
 the ablest Generals in the world, and furnish- 
 ed in the most ample manner with artillery, 
 stores, and ammunition. In his rear, new^ 
 armies ^^•ere daily organising, and new maga- 
 zines continually forming. To meet this over- 
 whelming force, Alexander had only to oppose 
 a beaten army, vacillating counsels. Generals 
 who inspired little confidence, and an empire 
 thinly inhabited and unprepared. What could 
 be rationally expected, but the ruin and sub- 
 jugation of this our last powerful ally. 
 
 The results of this expedition appear to me, 
 to constitute the most astonishing chain of 
 events, which history, ancient and modern, has 
 to record. 
 
 The immense empire of Russia rose in one 
 mass, determined to make every sacrifice for 
 independence ; not a traitor any where appear- 
 ed, nor did any province, or even individual. 
 
seem to foil sliort of the universal eiitliusiasin. 
 The armies fought av ith desperation, the Gene- 
 rals committed no errors, not a single division 
 was cut off', and the enemy reached Moscow 
 enfeehled hy their victories, and without having 
 heen ahle to make the slightest impression upon 
 the counsels of Russia, or to have diminished 
 the zeal or exertions of its inhahitants. At 
 this moment, a fire, kindled prohahly hy the 
 policy of the Russian Governor, deprived the 
 French of the resources they expected to derive 
 from the possession of Moscow. After losing 
 some precious time in fruitless attempts at 
 negotiation, the reluctant order was given to 
 retreat. And what a retreat ! From Austria they 
 could hope for little aid ; in fact, Schwartzen- 
 hurg, who had most skilfully from the begin- 
 ning, avoided any considerable annoyance to 
 the Russians, had already commenced a sepa- 
 rate retreat. On the Prussians little reliance 
 could be placed. A peace with Turkey had 
 enabled Russia to interpose her southern army 
 in the line of Bonaparte's march, and the 
 French army, ill fed, pursued by its enemies, 
 harrassed by the Cossacks, and even by the 
 peasants, numbed with intense cold, and filled 
 with despair, diminished at every step ; and 
 small indeed was the proportion of this im- 
 
8 
 
 mense host which returned across the Rhine, 
 without cannon or ammunition, too ha2)py to 
 have rescued tlieir hves from horrors not to be 
 described, and dangers scarcely to be sur- 
 mounted. 
 
 In Spain, during the last summer, where 
 every thing wore the most gloomy appearance, 
 Marmont, by a single error, gave Lord Wel- 
 lington an opportunity of gaining the battle of 
 Salamanca ; but, instead of pursuing Marmont 
 till he had entirely destroyed his army, he suf- 
 fered him to repose and collect his forces ; 
 whilst the English army sat down before the 
 strong castle of Burgos, and having sustained 
 great losses by unsuccessful assaults, it was 
 reduced to the necessity of a rapid, disorderly, 
 and disgraceful retreat, by which it was render- 
 ed unable to undertake any further operations. 
 It is said, that the heavy artillery might have 
 reached Burgos in time to have reduced the 
 place, even in a shorter time than was expend- 
 ed before it. The events of Spain have lost 
 something of theii' importance, for on the ulti- 
 mate issue of the great contest in Germany, 
 the fate of Spain must now entirely depend. 
 The Rev. Robert Heron, of Grantham, my 
 .,„„ 04, Uncle, is dead, at the age of 88. Like 
 ^^^^' tliose of his brothers, his life was 
 
9 
 
 honorable and virtuous. lie had Uttle personal 
 enjoyment from the expenditure of money, 
 probably from having possessed but a small 
 income until the last nineteen years of his life ; 
 but he was always generous and benevolent. 
 He was a most affectionate brother, and was 
 anxious through life to do that which was just 
 and fitting. He lived at Grantham, in a mixed 
 society, amongst whom were a few not very 
 respectable. Many base and interested at- 
 tempts were made to injure me, and even my 
 wife, in his esteem, but it was never withdrawn 
 from us. He was pleased with my attentions, 
 because he believed them to be disinterested. 
 We lived together on the best terms, though 
 our intercourse, excepting during his last ill- 
 ness, was not very frequent. He has left me 
 the principal part of his property, greatly 
 diminished by lai*ge and numerous legacies to 
 his other relations. 
 
 His faithful housekeeper, Mrs. Thompson, 
 might, without suspicion, perhaps without even 
 dishonesty, have provided amply for herself; 
 but she is left poor and ill provided for ; and it 
 was not till I had assured her that she should 
 be made independent, that she could bring 
 herself to inform me, that her master had told 
 her he had left her little, because he knew she 
 
10 
 
 ^ would fall into honorable hands. This worthy 
 woman is dying of a dropsy, in the middle age 
 of life. 
 
 General Loft petitioned against my Col- 
 March n. league and myself He had already 
 owned he had nothing to allege against 
 me, but he said he found that to petition against 
 both Members would not be more expensive 
 than against one. Mr, Grant attacked his 
 qualification, and, succeeding, put an end to the 
 petition. It came on to be heard, Feb. 16, 
 lasted five days, and cost me £500. It cost 
 Loft nothing, because he had nothing to pay. 
 My Counsel were Messrs. Horner and Gifford, 
 but they had little or nothing to do. 
 
 I took my seat Feb. 2, and first spoke on 
 the Catholic question. I was fortunate in 
 speaking immediately after Mr. Pretyman 
 Tomline, who gave me a good opportunity of 
 replying to him. What I said was exceedingly 
 well received. A witticism, " Some with mi- 
 tres on their heads, and some, perhaps, with 
 mitres in their heads," had a very great effect 
 upon the House. I am doubtful, however, 
 whether it was advantageous to me, as it gave 
 considerable offence, and possibly took off the 
 attention of persons from my argument, part 
 of which was new, and, as I thought, strong. 
 
11 
 
 I was complimented in tlieir speeches by 
 Bankes, Plunkett, and Wliitbread, and pri- 
 vately, by Canninu-, ^vlio afterwards abused 
 me publicly. I was attacked by W. Fitzge- 
 rald and jManners Sutton ; the latter, after 
 four days consideration, declared that I coidd 
 neyer haye read the Bishop of Lincoln's 
 Charge, as I had grossly mistated it. I was 
 excessiyely alarmed, hut obtaining in the 
 House a copy of the Charge, I read the parts 
 of it in question, and was acquitted by accla- 
 mation. 
 
 On Friday last, Cochrane Johnstone brought 
 forward a motion respecting the Princess of 
 Wales. He is said to haye considerable talents, 
 and certainly there appeared no deficiency of 
 them upon his trial before a Court Martial ; 
 but on this occasion, they were not shown. 
 He had been a long time the day before in 
 conyersation with Lord Yarmouth ; and, for 
 some hours before he brought forward his mo- 
 tion, he was in deep consultation, in the 
 House, with Sir F. Burdett. It was yery 
 difficult to guess whether he was friendly or 
 adverse to the Princess, and I am strongly in- 
 clined to think, his object was to have been 
 bought off by the Prince. The latter, how- 
 ever, declared himself much pleased with the 
 
12 
 
 intended motion, thinking it would effect his 
 object, without his incurring the odium of 
 first agitating the business. The effect of the 
 debate was certainly not favorable to him. Mr. 
 Whitbread, in defence of the Princess, exerted 
 a very powerful eloquence. Lord Castlereagh 
 was very weak and much irritated. Ministers 
 are said to be divided on this, as on the Cath- 
 olic question ; Lord Sidmouth's party being 
 supposed ready to go gi'eat lengths to satisfy 
 the Regent, but the House shows the strong- 
 est disinclination to assist them in it. Mr. C. 
 Johnstone was to have brought forward his 
 motion on the preceding day, but Mr. Lygon, 
 contrary to the general wish, moved to have 
 the gallery cleared. Mr. Bennet then moved 
 to adjourn, which was negatived on a division. 
 The latter threatened to renew his motion, but 
 gave it up after an angry debate, in which C. 
 J. pledged himself to bring forward his motion 
 next day. On the next day, the gallery was 
 cleared on the motion of Mr. Vyse. For what 
 useful 2)urpose '? Half a dozen members im- 
 mediately went into it to take notes, and the 
 debate was given to the public more accurately 
 than usual. 
 
 There is, certainly, a great deficiency of 
 oratory in the House of Commons, and per- 
 
13 
 
 haps, this is the reason there are so many 
 speakers. Phmkett, on the Cathohc ques- 
 tion, exhibited a pccuhar eloquence which 
 astonished me : without manner, without ele- 
 gant language, or even choice of words, with- 
 out ornament of any kind, he poured forth, 
 for nearly four hours, in the most rapid man- 
 ner, a torrent of argument which seemed 
 absolutely irresistible. Grattan is elegant and 
 persuasive ; Whitbread, always shrewd and 
 powerful ; though sometimes coarse, and often 
 deficient in taste and judgment. These in- 
 struct the House, but it is most delighted with 
 Canning ; and that A^ery circumstance gives 
 him boldness, and enables him to delight it 
 more. Brilliant wit, the most cutting personal 
 satire, often mixed with buffoonery, but always 
 delivered in elegant language, and with action 
 particularly suited to it, these are his excellen- 
 cies. His speeches, however, are got up with 
 much labor and study : an immense quantity 
 of hoarded quotations must soon be exhausted 
 by the enormous consumption ; there may not 
 always be sufficient opportunity for the satire, 
 and the public will then find time to observe the 
 almost total want of argument. Manners Sut- 
 ton and Robinson have some talents for speak- 
 ing, and will probably improve. Ponsonby 
 
14 
 
 speaks like a gentleman, generally tame ; he 
 sometimes rises above himself. After these, 
 there is nothing at present worth notice. 
 
 The subject of the Princess of Wales, re- 
 London, peatecUj brought before Parliament, 
 
 March 24. j^^^ puzzlccl Mluistcrs, exposccl the 
 Royal Family, and completely disgusted the 
 2:>ublic : possibly the issue may have been ra- 
 ther favorable, than otherwise, to the Princess. 
 Whitbread has made some powerful speeches 
 in her favor, but for want of communicating 
 with well judging friends, he committed the 
 great error of producing Mrs. Lisle's account of 
 her evidence, in a Letter to the Princess of 
 Wales, in which it was evidently softened, to 
 contradict the evidence itself, (at least to invali- 
 date it), given on oath before the Commissioners 
 appointed for the enquiry. Lord Ellenborough, 
 the next day, in the House of Lords, attacked 
 AVliitbread in language worthy only of Billings- 
 gate : this intemperance gave Whitbread a 
 great advantage, and alone enabled him to make 
 good his retreat. 
 
 I spoke last night on finance. Five or six 
 
 March 26. pcrsous had obtained the preference. 
 The House was tired. I was not suffi- 
 ciently master of my subject, was alarmed, 
 confused, and failed. 
 
15 
 
 The House of Coinnions appears to me more 
 ^j,rii 4. fi^ii' i^iitl candid tliaii for many years ; 
 and Ministers may find tins to tlieir 
 cost, when tliey least expect it. In conse- 
 quence of a general opinion that, from the 
 dangerous state of the King's health, the du- 
 ration of the Parliament was likely to be 
 short, many of the political jobbers did not 
 think it worth while to procure seats ; and a 
 large proportion was, in consequence, returned 
 of those who have no selfish object. Canning, 
 not\^ithstanding, has gained. Ward, Lord 
 Kennington, several East Indians, and others, 
 have joined him ; profligate and false in his 
 politics, he is industrious and cunning, but he 
 must now sink into insignificance. Lord Moi- 
 ra has lost his consequence, must I say, his 
 character ? His abilities were probably rated 
 too high ; his negotiations to form an Adminis- 
 tration w-ere weak and contemptible ; his zeal 
 for the Regent, aided probably by the difficul- 
 ties into which he has been plunged by his un- 
 bounded extravagance, has led him into still 
 greater errors. 
 
 At the sale of the late Lord Gainsborough's 
 books, I got the original drawings of Patterson, 
 at the Cape of Good Hope, 3 vols., folio, for 
 £23., made for the late King. The next day, 
 
16 
 
 the town was more aware of the vahie of tlie 
 articles. On that day, Gramger's Lives, illus- 
 trated by Lord Gainsborough, w^ere bought by 
 White, from Paris, for £157. ; and Lord Bute's 
 Botanical work, of ^vhich only twelve copies 
 were printed, by Mr. Borroughs, at Oxford, for 
 £83. ; but I obtained the miniature of Jesus 
 Christ, on lapis lazuli, by Guido, for sixteen 
 guineas. Two men had come down from Lon- 
 don on purpose to buy it, but they could not 
 discover it in a dhty shagreen case. 
 
 I had determined to make some additions to 
 my house, for which a plan had been agreed 
 upon, between Mr. Jeffi-ey Wyatt and myself; 
 but, on beginning to put it into execution, 
 everything appertaining to the old house was 
 found in so ruinous a state, that it would have 
 been very imprudent to have suffered it to form 
 a part of the new plan. Jeffrey Wyatt was 
 accordingly again sent for, and after three 
 day's deliberation, and taking many plans into 
 consideration, we have fixed upon one which 
 2)romises to be both convenient and handsome. 
 
 The Duke of Cumberland is gone suddenly 
 to the Continent, no one knows why or where, 
 bearing with him universal contempt and de- 
 testation. 
 
 Wliat an anxious moment ? A desj^erate 
 
17 
 
 battle lias been f()uglit at Lutzen, in wliicli, I 
 fear, tlie French have gained the advantage. 
 Yet their brave enemies, obliged to yield to 
 numbers, but protected by a numerous cavahy, 
 have lost neither cannon, ensigns, prisoners, 
 nor honor. The Russians, too, appear to have 
 had few troops in the battle, which affords 
 hope for the future. AVhat will now be the 
 policy of Austria and Sweden ? Can they he- 
 sitate ? On their decision the fate of Europe 
 probably depends. 
 
 At length, on the 24th., the Catholic Bill 
 May 26. ^^cut iuto a Committce of the whole 
 House. The delay of a fortnight had 
 been consumed by Lord Castlereagh, Grattan, 
 and Canning, in forming a bill, in which each 
 sacrificed something to the opinion of the others. 
 I confess I do not like the fruits of their labours, 
 because the restrictions with which they have 
 loaded the measure, appear to me to be unjust, 
 nugatory, and irritating ; nor can I understand 
 the fairness of interfering with the patronage 
 of their clerical establishment, when we do not 
 contribute to its support ; yet, even this qua- 
 lified measure is far better than none. The 
 delay has given time for our opposers to re- 
 cover from their panic ; and, certainly, they 
 have made good use of their time. The Prince 
 
18 
 
 has made every possible exertion to defeat the 
 bill, and the most profligate intrigues have 
 been carried on. Many Members, who before 
 supported, have now voted on the other side ; 
 but, probably, the delay could not liave been 
 avoided. 
 
 The opposition to the bill was led by the 
 Speaker, in a violent, inflammatory, and in- 
 judicious sj)eech, to wdiich Whitbread replied 
 with due severity. Canning and Lord Castle- 
 reagh spoke w^ell, and contrary to their usual 
 manner the first was argumentative, and the 
 last, animated and decisive. The Court de- 
 termined to try its strength on the first clause, 
 that for admitting Catholics into Parliament. 
 The decisive moment arrived, and Ave w^ere 
 beaten by 251 to 247. Grattan immediately 
 threw up the bill. Lord RanclifFe gave notice 
 of a motion for reform of Parliament, founded 
 on the proof of corruption, which this night 
 had afforded. Satisfied with the opportunitv 
 it gave him of stating his grounds, he probably 
 will not proceed further at a time when there 
 would not be the slightest hope of success to 
 the measure. 
 
 The India question has been compromised. 
 stubton, "^^ Directors, seeing their opposition 
 was wholly fruitless, and having no 
 
 June 30. 
 
19 
 
 ally but Tierncj, accepted a renewal of tlieir 
 charter, for twenty years, ^vitli the monopoly 
 of the China trade, givhig up their exclusive 
 trade to the Peninsula. The Saints, too, ob- 
 tained a clause favorable to their missionary 
 objects, which Lord Castlereagh, at the same 
 time he granted it, hoped to defeat, by putting 
 it under the control of the Directors. Thus 
 ended this great national question, in half mea- 
 sures, the natural fruits of weak and vacillating 
 counsels. 
 
 The Allies have concluded an armistice with 
 Bonaparte, to afford time for a Congress to set- 
 tle a general peace. This armistice puts an 
 end to all immediate hopes of insurrection in 
 Germany, and may give the French an op- 
 portunity of taking measures to render it less 
 probable hereafter. The Russians will also find 
 great difficulty in maintaining their German ar- 
 my, unless, indeed, it is to be paid by England. 
 All depends upon the conduct of Austria ; 
 should she lose this opportunity of making 
 common cause with the Allies, she must, in all 
 probability, fight alone against France, in two 
 years, for her independence ; but if, as appears 
 most probable, she think it necessary to pre- 
 serve the appearance of consistency, by a real 
 or pretended effort to bring about a general 
 
 c 
 
20 
 
 peace, the Allies cannot, prudently, refuse to 
 enter into her views. From a conference be- 
 tween the three Emperors, good Lord deliver 
 us. 
 
 From Spain, we may now^ every day expect 
 important intelligence : it is true, the fate of 
 Spain must he decided in Germany ; yet, a 
 splendid and decisive victory in Spain, might 
 be felt in its effects, far beyond the bounds of 
 the Peninsula. 
 
 It is now sufficiently evident, that neither 
 j„no 5 France nor the Allies intended peace. 
 
 i«i3. ^Ylien both sides had recruited their 
 armies, the war was renewed ; Austria and 
 Sweden openly joined the Allies, and Moreau 
 arrived from America to assist in their opera- 
 tions. It is said to have been by his advice, 
 that an attempt was made by the Allies, and 
 principally by Austria, to surprise Dresden. 
 It was attended by the total defeat of the Aus- 
 trian army, with immense loss ; yet, this event, 
 which threatened ruin to the cause, has been 
 more unfavourable in its consequences to the 
 French. Fearing to be surrounded in Dresden, 
 Bonaparte left an army in it, and retired to 
 Leipsic. Here, relying too much upon success, 
 he appears to have made no provision to repair 
 a disaster; at length, after many actions, which 
 
21 
 
 lose tlieir importance only when compared 
 to the last, and in all of" wliicli he seems 
 to have heen unsuccessful, he fought the hattle 
 of Leipsic, one of the greatest and most deci- 
 sive recorded in history. It was decided hy 
 the defection of the Bavarians and Saxons, who 
 went over in a hody to the Allies, and after 
 prolonging the comhat to the third day, the 
 French Emperor was under the necessity of 
 adopting the measure of a precipitate flight, 
 with the renniant of his hroken army. I know 
 not whether most to admire the great military 
 talents displayed hy Schwartzenhurg in this 
 hattle, and the maneuvering which led to it, or 
 the modesty and good sense shown by the allied 
 Kings and Princes in serving cordially under 
 his command. Schwartzenhurg has, indeed, 
 heen blamed for ordering Blucher, when pur- 
 suing' the French after the battle, to turn off 
 towards Cologne. We are too apt to judge 
 from events : surely it was a just reasoning to 
 suppose that the French, ruined by a precipi- 
 tate retreat, and finding in its front a Bavarian 
 army which had not been in action, ^vould at- 
 tempt to cross the Rhine where no opposition 
 was to be expected. Had this happened, the 
 measure of Schwartzenhurg w^ould have been 
 thought the masterpiece of a consummate Gen- 
 
22 
 
 eral. Bonaparte anticipated tins policy, and 
 therefore resolved, at all events, to cut his way 
 through the army of Bavaria. 
 
 The English nation, proud, jealous, and un- 
 social towards other nations, always supposes 
 insincerity and treason ; even now, when the 
 Allies have fought with a valour and self ahan- 
 donment heyond all former example ; ^^hen 
 success has heen heyond hope ; this nation is 
 heginning to he dissatisfied with Austria. Much 
 more reason, I fear, have the Allies, and par- 
 ticularly Austria, to he dissatisfied with us. 
 Not to mention that the Government papers 
 are again talking of setting up the Bourhons, 
 and avowing the flagitious principle of" interfe- 
 ring with the internal government of other na- 
 tions ; to whom, hut to the British Court, can 
 Austria ascrihe the late ursupation of a new 
 title, hy the Prince of Orange. If there he any 
 meaning in the title of Sovereign Prince of the 
 Netherlands, it must include the Austrian Low 
 Countries. If the Prince had only wished for 
 an increase of the executive power, he might 
 in the present chcumstances, have easily ob- 
 tained it from the free suffrages of the Dutch, 
 instead of sowing the seeds of future mischief, 
 hy assuming it without authority ; hut if it he, 
 as is supposed, the act of Carlton House, the 
 
23 
 
 country (l)otli countries) liad a riglit to expect 
 something more than neutrahty irom tlie Bri- 
 tisli Cabinet. 
 
 The Alhes are Avithout pecuniary resources, 
 and we must furnisli them all with enormous 
 sums. It is true that such a moment was not 
 to he neglected ; yet, if the war should con- 
 tinue for t^vo or three more campaigns, can the 
 ruin, total ruin, of our finances be avoided ? 
 Perhaps, even this consequence might be bet- 
 ter than to risk the independence of the Con- 
 tinent, and it is for this reason that I am one 
 of many, who rather consent to leave every 
 thing at this period to the discretion of Minis- 
 ters, than to interfere with the vigor for which, 
 on the present occasion, we must at least give 
 them credit. Of peace I have no immediate 
 hope. Will the French Emperor give uj) 
 Italy ? Can or ought the Allies to yield it ? 
 This alone seems decisive against it. 
 
 For a good many years I have attended to 
 January, ^lic liabits of pcafowl ; and for the last 
 
 ^^^^' eleven, have written down observa- 
 tions relatinaf to them. 1 iind the individuals 
 to differ in temper and attachment to then* own 
 young ones, as much, almost, as human beings. 
 Some have been willing" to take care of the 
 young ones of others, whilst some have pursued 
 
24 
 
 and killed them, whether they had a brood of 
 theh own or not. Some cocks have assisted 
 in the care of young ones, whilst others have 
 attacked them. One cock is amj^ly sufficient 
 for six hens ; nor have I found the having hut 
 one, either to delay the period of the different 
 hatchings, or to lessen the number of the broods. 
 The hens most often j)roduce in June, and 
 if the first brood be destroyed at an early period, 
 still more if the next be destroyed before hatch- 
 ing, another brood is generally produced. The 
 second brood is often equally numerous with 
 the first. An early hen frequently has a brood 
 herself the next year. Age makes no difference 
 in the number of the brood ; I have had six 
 h'om one a year old, and one from an old one. 
 Tlie hens have frequently a great preference to 
 a particular cock. Tliey were all so fond of an 
 old pied cock, that one year, when he was con- 
 fined and in view, they were constantly assem- 
 bled close to the trellis walls of his prison, and 
 would not suffer a japanned cock to touch 
 them. On his being let out late in the Au- 
 tumn, the oldest of the hens instantly courted 
 him, and obtained the proofs of his love in my 
 presence. The next year, he was shut up in 
 a stable, and the hens then all com'ted his ri- 
 val ; for the advances amongst these animals 
 
25 
 
 are always made by the female. My peafowl 
 were so irequeiitly carried off by foxes, that I 
 ha\e not yet been able to ascertain tlie natural 
 period of their lives. This evil is now in great 
 measure remedied by the formation of a mena- 
 gerie, in Avhicli they all choose to roost at 
 night. A hen at Lord St. John's died appa- 
 rently of old age at 23. By the japanned, 1 
 mean that breed of which the whole body is 
 blue or green, of a dark shade, without a brown 
 or speckled feather in any part of the animal, 
 (this of the cock) : the hen is of a bad pigeon 
 colour, or like a very light coloured turkey ; 
 the young ones are at first white. There is 
 stronaj reason to believe that this verv remark- 
 able variety originated in England. 
 
 In Lord Brownlow's nnmerous flock of com- 
 mon white and pied, the japanned suddenly 
 appeared within my memory, and without any 
 strangers having ever, for a great length of time, 
 been received ; and it has since increased. Li 
 Sh John Trevellyan's flock of perfectly plain 
 peafowl, the same circumstance occiuTed, and 
 this breed has prevailed over the common. 
 The same consequence has followed in a breed 
 Mrs. Thoroton had from Lady Chatham, and 
 fi'om which mine originated. Notwithstanding 
 their origin, they ap2)ear more tender than the 
 
26 
 
 common. I find them more difficult to rear, 
 and several in two of the hroods I have men- 
 tioned, which are near me, as well as in mine, 
 were killed hj the last winter, which did not 
 hap2)en to the others. 
 
 The peafowl succeed hest where least atten- 
 tion is paid to feeding them, provided there are 
 plantations thick at hottom for them to prowl 
 in ; for feeding them takes them off from their 
 natural food of insects, and hj keeping them 
 ahout the huildings, makes them more liahle 
 to have their young ones destroyed hy dogs 
 and foxes. 
 
 We have had a most severe frost of some- 
 
 stnijton, thing more than a month. The wind 
 
 Jan. 20, lyu. ^^ ^^^^^^ South aud the snow rapidly 
 
 diminishing. The snow never much exceeded 
 an average of six inches. In most parts of the 
 British Islands it has heen deeper than ever 
 remembered, particularly in the West of Eng- 
 land, where it interrupted all connnunication. 
 Many accidents have occurred, and the London 
 post did not reach us lor three days together. 
 My day and night thermometer was once in 
 the night as low as 24 Fahrenheit. The poor 
 have suileied dreadfully, though my constant 
 connnunication with the poor of this ncighhovu'- 
 hood, as a Magistrate, has given me the satis- 
 
27 
 
 faction of 1)elioviiig that tlicy have no wlicre 
 suflercd less : liore tliey have never wanted 
 eniploynient. 
 
 I employ many lahourers in my farm and 
 gardens ; those in the latter, (excepting two or 
 three in whom skill is necessarv, and several 
 also in the former,) receive no more than the 
 wages of the conntry : on the other hand a con- 
 stant labourer of mine is never discharged, 
 unless for misconduct, and almost all of them 
 have good gardens, and land enough to keej) a 
 cow, at a low rate. 
 
 My wife employs all the women of decent 
 character in our four tillages, who choose it, 
 in spinning ; the stuff is then wove and bleach- 
 ed in the same district ; what is wanted for our 
 own use is taken, and the remainder gi\'eii 
 amongst the poor. This whole establishment 
 has never exceeded the expense of forty gui- 
 neas, and I am persuaded jn'oduces more be- 
 nefit than might be obtained by five times the 
 expenditure : the practice originated with my 
 father. I have generally found, that to give 
 amongst the labouring class, too often creates 
 idleness ; to lend, or to bestow, as the price of 
 labour or exertion, generally encourages indus- 
 try. I never give to those who go about on 
 pretence of having lost cows, and I suffer no 
 
28 
 
 man on my estate to adopt so humiliating a 
 practice. My usual plan with those who have 
 any claim upon me, is, to lend what is wanted 
 without interest ; and neither in that case, or 
 any other of the little similar loans which I 
 wilhngly make amongst the lahouring class, 
 have I ever scarcely met with any otlier prin- 
 ciple, than the honorahle anxiety to repay me 
 as soon as possible. Why do men so frequently 
 complain of the ingratitude of the lahouring 
 class, and of servants ? No doubt sometimes 
 with reason, but I am convinced they much 
 oftener comjjlain, most unjustly, of want of 
 gratitude where no flivour has been granted. 
 Between a good master and good servant the 
 obligation is mutual. 
 
 How enormous is the expense of building ! 
 In January last, I had expended £7000 ; my 
 house was, indeed, covered in, but that was all. 
 My farm, this year, for the first time, turns out 
 a losing concern. It is tolerably well managed, 
 and with perfect integrity, but our arrange- 
 ments of buying and selling the different sorts 
 of corn were not well timed ; and a terrible 
 malady has, for two years, afflicted the cows, 
 who all produce dead calves. Every possible 
 remedy has been tried in vain, and we must 
 now entirely renew the herd, Avhicli was a re- 
 
29 
 
 marlval)ly good one. It is a singular circum- 
 stance, that this disorder should he usually 
 found to he contagious amongst cows. 
 
 I have not jet attended this Session of Par- 
 Februaiy. h^nient. Thcrc was in fact nothing 
 to do. All agreed that every exertion 
 must now he made to prosecute the war to 
 an honorahle tennination, and none of the 
 measures of Ministers have met with any op- 
 position. They have, however, committed a 
 gTeat error in their scheme for recruiting the 
 army. Tlie Militia was every where ready to 
 volunteer to go to Spain. Ministers hastily 
 offered to accept the men, either individually 
 for the time, or collectively as Militia, to serve 
 in hodies together ahroad, under their own 
 officers: almost all preferred the latter. In 
 the mean time it was recollected, that this 
 mode would hurthen the army with an immense 
 dead weight of useless officers; an attempt 
 was made to check it, the men were offended, 
 and the measure totally failed. 
 
 France is invaded on all sides. The Allies 
 preceded their invasion hy proclamations dis- 
 owning all selfish ohjects, and offering to leave 
 France gi'eater than under any of her Kings. 
 They seem to have expected, that this offer, 
 vague as it is, would he refused, and are appa- 
 
30 
 
 rently a little enibaiTased by the readiness of 
 Bonaparte to accept it ; probably neither party 
 is sincere, and the war must continue, at least, 
 till the flite of Italy is decided ; mean while, 
 scarcely any resistance is offered by the French 
 in the held. Are their armies really annihila- 
 ted, or are they reserved for some great and 
 decisive effort i Again the Bourbons are talk- 
 ed of. Can the French wish their return ? 
 Ought we to wish it ? If imposed u])on the 
 French by force, the example would be dread- 
 ful to Europe. 
 
 The Austrian Court is now said to be well 
 satisfied with our prompt and vigorous coope- 
 ration, and an Amdassador is at length on his 
 road from Vienna. 
 
 The loss of the Austrians in the tremendous 
 battle of Dresden, turns out to have been grea- 
 ter than even stated by the French ; not less, 
 I believe, than 40,000. Vandamme being 
 sent in pursuit, with the promise of the "whole 
 of Bonaparte's army to support him, if neces- 
 sary, there was reason to fear the entire de- 
 struction of the Austrian army. Blucher ha- 
 ving at that time defeated the left wing of the 
 French, the King of Prussia saw, at once, that 
 Bonaparte could not move ; he immediately, 
 contrary, it is said, to the advice of his Gene- 
 
31 
 
 nils, ordered the wliole of Lis disposable force 
 to attack ^"aiidaiinne. I'lie latter, cut oil, was 
 obliged to surrender with his entire division, 
 and the Austrian army thus saved from destruc- 
 tion, returned and retook the Avhole of their 
 artillerv, which had remained in the bad roads 
 where they were taken. 
 
 The Regent has been to Belvoir to stand as 
 Sponsor to the Marquess of Granby. After 
 visiting the nobility on the line of his progress, 
 his reception at Belvoir was most royal ; and 
 on the day of the christening he got most royally 
 drunk, but being accustomed to that amuse- 
 ment, went to bed without much exposing 
 himself. How easy is it for a King of England 
 to be popular ! How completely is the mob 
 duped by the splendour, or rather, by the 
 imaginary ideas they attach to royalty. The 
 Regent had, certainly, sunk very low in the 
 general estimation. He has shown himself, 
 and wherever he has been seen he is popular. 
 Something, indeed, may be attributed to the 
 late and unexpected successes of the war ; and 
 I am afraid his profligate apostacy from libera- 
 lity and toleration to the Catholics, is by no 
 means offensive to the nation. 
 
 The fate of General Moreau, and the appro- 
 bation given to his character and conduct, give 
 
32 
 
 rise to reflections. Moreau appears to have 
 possessed a very amiable disposition, and to 
 have been much beloved by those about him ; 
 nor can great mihtarj talents be denied him ; 
 but there is notliing to be found in him of the 
 patriot, and httle of the hero. He figures in 
 the Revolution as a Repubhcan, and resents 
 the assumption of the supreme power by Bo- 
 naparte. Brought to trial for a conspiracy, he 
 is convicted and condemned. He admits the 
 justness of his sentence, implores pardon, and 
 receives it. After this, instead of remaining 
 in his retirement in America, he joins the 
 ranks of the Allied Sovereigns, and dies in 
 arms against his country. He had no party, 
 no hope of establishing a Repubhc, no motive 
 which I can discover, but those of personal re- 
 sentment, or personal interest. 
 
 Arbuthnot, of the Treasury, was well ac- 
 Peb.G. quainted with Pichegru; the latter 
 was in correspondence with Moreau, 
 and returned to France in consequence of a 
 communication with a person in the confidence 
 of Moreau, and whom the latter had sent over 
 to invite him. The timid conspirator afterwards 
 withdrew his cooperation, and abandoned 
 Pichegru to his fate. 
 
 On the fii-st invasion of Russia, Alexander 
 
33 
 
 sent a conlidciitial ofFiccr to Bonaparte, ollcring 
 to agree to all his demands, exce})t tliat of re- 
 ceiving French Doiianiers in his sea-ports. 
 This he said he could not consent to, as it 
 would rouse the indignation of his suhjects, and 
 prohahly cost him his life ; hut he ofFered to 
 enoaoe, that the Russian Douaniers should con- 
 form to the orders of the French Emperor : the 
 latter replied, that such an offer would have 
 satisfied him a week sooner, hut now he must 
 march forward, and would negotiate as he ad- 
 vanced. The General, who has hrought the 
 Russian order to the Regent, declares that he 
 was the messenger of Alexander on this occa- 
 sion. At the heginning of the war, Alexander 
 visited the head-quarters of several of his 
 armies. Intending to go to those of Witgen- 
 stein, he ohserved to the officer who accompan- 
 ied him, that the postilions were taking the 
 wrong road; he was then informed that his 
 Generals liad thought it essential to his service 
 that he should return to Pctershurgh. He 
 quietly acquiesced, and appeared no more with 
 the armies, until after the ruin of the French 
 invasion. The Archduke Constantino (the 
 Russian Duke of Cumherland) was found far 
 more trouhlesome with the armies. The Com- 
 mander in Chief, Barkly de Tolli, one day 
 
34 
 
 presented liim Avitli a paj^er on wliicli was writ- 
 ten, *' I quit tlie Army," and informed him, 
 that His Royal Highness must decide which 
 of them shoukl sign it. The Prince oheyed. 
 
 The Alhes are said to have guaranteed the 
 okl Constitution of Switzerland. What right 
 have they to guarantee the constitution of any 
 country ? They should guarantee its indepen- 
 dence, and leave its constitution to itself. 
 Those who ruined, massacred, and divided 
 Poland, hrst guaranteed its wretched constitu- 
 tion, to ensure the duration of its weakness 
 and intestine divisions. 
 
 I had a good deal of conversation with 
 Crahhe, the poet : he does justice to Lord 
 Byron. Tliis man, Lord Byron, astonishes 
 me. Never yet did any man so happily unite 
 the most suhlime poetical fire, with the truth 
 of nature. How far hehind him is Walter 
 Scott, great even as the latter is in many parts 
 of the Lay of the Last Minstrel, and the hattle 
 in Marmion. We must go hack to Dry den 
 for a rival to Lord Byron. 
 
 Crahhe acknowledged that he had no ear 
 whatever for nmsic. Fox, Burke, Pitt, and 
 Wyndham, were in tlie same predicament. 
 Bishop Watson, amongst a very few hooks he 
 recommended to the particular attention of the 
 last Duke of Rutland, named Bacon as the first. 
 
35 
 
 For three months, Bonaparte, with an army 
 oi" less than sixty thousand men, kept at bay 
 the whole of" the Allied forces. He seems to 
 have connnitted a great error in leaving behind 
 him so manv lar^e garrisons in fortresses which 
 could not long be defended ; but he fought 
 with desperate valor, maneuvered with aston- 
 ishing rapidity, and generally has been success- 
 ful since he was th'iven within his own frontiers. 
 In Schwartzenburg, however, he found a skilful 
 prudence which gave no opportunities to the 
 enemy ; and when he had beaten old Blucher, 
 and his Prussians, half a dozen times, their 
 obstinate bravery did not leave him at all the 
 more at rest. All this time, the negotiations 
 continued, and Bonaparte might have obtained 
 a peace which would haAC left him at liberty to 
 recruit his strength, and soon to take the field 
 again : instead of this, he made a desperate 
 effort and got into the rear of his enemies ; but 
 thev, instead of returning, marched directly 
 for Paris. Even this was provided for. The 
 Parisians fought with determined courage, and 
 would certainly have defended the Capital till 
 their Emperor, in another day, had fallen upon 
 the rear of the Allies, had not the contest been 
 yielded by the weakness or cowardice of Joseph 
 Bonaparte, and the treason of Marmont. The 
 
 D 
 
36 
 
 latter, under pretence of saving Paris, deserted 
 his master with the only army he possessed, 
 that had not been almost worn out with fatigue. 
 Bonaj^arte found himself surrounded hy his 
 enemies, and obliged to abandon his throne. 
 The Senate, for some time di\'ided, declares for 
 the Bourbons ; and thus is accomphshed a re- 
 volution as extraordinary as any of those which 
 have 2)receded it. It is the fashion here to 
 suppose that Talleyrand had long planned this 
 change. For my own part, I do not believe 
 that any man foresaw it three days before it 
 arrived, but Talleyrand took care to avail him- 
 self of it, and stands forward as the effective 
 Minister of France. The Allied Sovereigns 
 are extolled for not destroying or plundering 
 Paris, which was not in their power, and of 
 which the attempt would, probably, have been 
 fatal to their cause. They deserve credit for 
 their humanity to the individuals in their 
 power, and it is certainly an extraordinary 
 part of the increased morality and humanity of 
 modern times, that not one of the numerous 
 family of Bonaparte, which has usurped so 
 many crowns, should have suffered the slightest 
 personal injury from the indignation of those 
 whom they have oj^pressed or ruined. Napo- 
 leon may rise again ; no doubt he will preserve 
 
37 
 
 in Elba a few troops, and a large sum of money 
 ready ior the auspicious moment. In Paris, 
 in the greater part of France, he is still admired, 
 and will soon be regretted. The whole of the 
 army is with him. The Bourbon Princes are 
 weak in intellect, and Louis XVIII, who had 
 rather more talents than the rest, has changed, 
 during his misfortunes, a cold and cheerless 
 depravity into a degrading superstition, or per- 
 haps, has added the latter to the former. 
 
 In the mean time, the Crown Prince of 
 Sweden demands to be put in possession of 
 Norway, which, in defiance of their proclama- 
 tions, the Allied Sovereigns had engaged to 
 give him ; and in which, in spite of all politi- 
 cal morality, and natural justice, our Minis- 
 ters had concurred. The brave Norwegians 
 betrayed at home, and deserted abroad, are 
 obliged to yield to unrelenting force. 
 
 Lord Cochrane, a man who had served with 
 May. brilliant success in the navy, and his 
 Uncle, and Coclnane Johnstone, are 
 convicted in the Court of King's Bench of a 
 most infamous conspiracy to defraud the pub- 
 lic, by propagating a falsehood. They are ex- 
 pelled the House of Commons, where, however, 
 Lord Cochrane makes an able defence, and, 
 unfortunately, gains credit with some of the 
 
38 
 
 Opposition. Here, again, the violence of Lord 
 Ellenborougli injures the cause he espouses. 
 The Electors of Westminster take 2)art with, 
 and re-elect their Member ; new j^roofs, how- 
 ever, have since convinced the doubtful, and 
 morality will not be scandalized by the re-ad 
 mission of Lord Coclu'ane into society. This 
 man was not l^rivy to the 2)lot till the morning 
 of its execution, but he then, unfortunately, 
 plunged into guilt. The history of his Uncle 
 is romantic. Elegant, handsome, and accom- 
 plished, he began life by an early marriage with 
 the beautiful daughter of Lord Hopetoun, heir- 
 ess of the house of Annandale. In a short pe- 
 riod, her death Avas followed by that of her only 
 child. He then followed his military profes- 
 sion, and became Governor of Dominica ; 
 here he was probably guilty of an atrocious 
 breacli of faith. He found the Island in in- 
 surrection, and, having obtained the principal 
 fortress by capitulation, he put the ringleaders 
 to death ; which, certainly, was not one of the 
 articles of the treaty. For this he was not 
 called to account, but was tried for employing 
 soldiers in draining the marshes of the Island, 
 and, though it was proved that he had no per- 
 manent advantage from the measure, though he 
 was accpiitted of all moral guilt by the Court, 
 
39 
 
 the Judge Ailvociitc thoiiglit proper to asjjerse 
 his character, hy a note in the King's name, 
 and he was passed o\ er in the next j^'omotion. 
 The Judge Advocate, Sir C. Morgan, was 
 hlanied, resigned, and lost a Peerage which 
 liad heen granted liini ; yet Cochrane Johnstone 
 was not rest(n'ed, and it is supposed, the Com- 
 mander in Chief was prejudiced against him, 
 from thinking he had views contrary to the in- 
 terests of his country. Fie had at that time 
 married Mademoiselle de Clugny, a near rela- 
 tion of Madame Bonaparte, a West Indian, 
 beautiful and rich. Cochrane Johnstone had 
 been at Paris, where he wished to obtain the 
 post of Commissioner for English prisoners of 
 war, that he might have an opportunity of pro- 
 secuting the restoration of his wife's fortune, 
 which had been confiscated durinsj the Revo- 
 lution. Obliged to return to England, he left 
 his wife at Paris, where she regained her pro- 
 perty ; but Bonaparte informed her that her 
 husband was disgraced, and she was at length 
 persuaded to consent to a divorce, was declared 
 a Napoleon Princess, and married to some 
 great foreigner. Cochrane Johnstone, always 
 full of resources, made a very successful specu- 
 lation in Merino sheep, from Spain. He went 
 to South America and engaged amongst the 
 
40 
 
 mines. The South Americans raised an im- 
 mense sum for the purchase of the liberty of 
 the Pope, and Cochrane Johnstone was entrus- 
 ted with the negotiation. Bonaparte is said to 
 have consented, but, probably, meant to have 
 the money, and keep the Pope. Neither party 
 would trust the other, and thus the negotiation 
 ended. Cochrane Johnstone has fled from 
 England with the insolence of avowed guilt, 
 to seek new adventures in new climates. 
 
 Upon the peace with France immense quan- 
 tities of corn were instantly poured into this 
 country, at a very low price : and our Farmers, 
 loaded with taxes, could no longer obtain a 
 price for their corn sufficient to reimburse their 
 expenses. The necessity of encouraging agri- 
 culture by checking importation was generally 
 felt, and a measure for that purjjose was 
 brought in by Sir H. Parnell, assisted by our 
 ablest country Gentlemen in the House of 
 Commons, and afterwards amended by Hus- 
 kinson. Delay was, above all things, to be 
 deprecated, but our feeble Chancellor of the 
 Exchequer, Vansittart, immediately yielded 
 to the first wish for delay. G. Rose published 
 a vulgar, lying pamphlet on the subject. The 
 Manufacturers, utterly incapable of under- 
 standing the question, took the alarm. Their 
 
41 
 
 Representatives were controlled, many others 
 were iriglitened, and nothing was done ; in the 
 mean time, the evil has rapidly increased and 
 must he remedied. The Lincolnshire Farmers, 
 particularly in the Fens, have not only heeii 
 (Ustressed by the totally inadequate price of 
 corn ; many of them have suffered deeply by 
 the breaking of Sheath's, Barnard's, Bellairs' 
 and other Banks, and the gaols are crowded 
 with them. 
 
 llie building of my house continues. I 
 Jan. 1815. l^^^ve finislicd the *conservatory, 60 
 feet by 20, 21 high, adjoining to the 
 house. It is, certainly, a beautiful thing ; 
 nothing of the kind ever gave so much satisfac- 
 tion, and it is planted with a most choice col- 
 lection of plants. A conservatory is of rather 
 late in^'ention, and it is probably because Jef- 
 fery Wyatt and I had seen so few, that we 
 succeeded so well, our imaginations not being 
 restrained by servile imitation. 
 
 AVliy could not the principal features of the 
 gi'eat Continental aiTangements have been 
 settled at Paris ? It is true, they must have 
 been settled hastily, but they would then have 
 been, probably, conformable to the great prin- 
 
 ♦ Many have since been built, to which mine cannot even be compared. 
 
42 
 
 :.<"- 
 
 ciples avowed, and we should have heen saved 
 the ruinous expense which has heen continued 
 ever since ; and, perhaps, now they will be 
 settled in no other mode than by every one 
 seizing what he thinks himself strong enough 
 to keep. What are we to think of the magnan- 
 imous Alexander taking possession of Poland, 
 Prussia, of Saxony, and all, like the making 
 over of Norway to Sweden, without consulting 
 the wishes of the people : thus, the great Alli- 
 ance, formed for the defence of the indepen- 
 dence of nations, ends in the most unqualified 
 disregard to those principles to which its success 
 was chiefly due. We must acknowledge there 
 is no political morality in Europe. If we turn 
 to Sj)ain, our miserable disappointment only 
 increases. I had always hoped well of Ferdi- 
 nand. 1 knew, indeed, that he was weak ; 
 but I knew, also, he had been entirely governed 
 by the Duke de L'Infantado, a liberal and 
 virtuous patriot. I did not blame his journey 
 to Bayonne, because I thought he could take 
 no other step. At that time, Bonaparte had 
 privately acknowledged him ; the Prince of 
 Peace, his father's Prime Minister, had plotted 
 against his life, after poisoning his Princess ; 
 the French were in military possession of 
 S])ain ; and Ferdinand, if he refused to repair 
 
43 
 
 to Bavonno, had neither a Ibrtress to which he 
 coukl retire, nor an armed force to defend his 
 person : besides, it might he well expected, that 
 the French Emperor might begin to think it 
 well to respect the persons of Princes, and be 
 satisfied with leaving Ferdinand the name of 
 Kino-. It was not till Ferdinand had been 
 basely and treacherously imprisoned, that any 
 resistance appeared in Spain ; then, indeed, it 
 blazed out with a noble fmy, and, as far as the 
 people are concerned, has been maintained 
 with a courage and constancy beyond all ex- 
 ample. At last, when fortunate events have 
 placed the beloved Ferdinand on the throne, 
 he throws himself into the arms of the few 
 whom the French suffered to be about him in 
 his prison, rej^eals every thing that had been 
 done to amend the condition of his country, 
 renews the Inquisition, persecutes every pa- 
 triot, and every man ^^'ho really endeavoured 
 to maintain his authority during his misfor- 
 tunes. By his worthless conduct, he has already 
 lost America, and, for the good of mankind, it 
 is to be hoped will soon lose himself. 
 
 If we look to Italy, \ve shall see Genoa gar- 
 risoned by an English force, under pretence of 
 preserving its liberties, and then surrendered 
 by our Government to Sardinia, without the 
 
44 
 
 pretence of justice. Italy is desirous of form- 
 ing one united State, but it will continue to 
 be j)arcelled out as before : yet, if a patriot and 
 a hero were to arise in that country, it wants 
 not soldiers, and might regulate its own des- 
 tiny. At Rome, the Poj^e, who in his misfor- 
 tunes attracted, by his courage and prudence, 
 the admiration of Europe, is returned to dis- 
 appoint it, by a superstition worthy of the four- 
 teenth Century. There, too, we have the sing- 
 ular spectacle of a brother of Bonaparte, the 
 flatterer of the Pope, rewarded with a Papal 
 principality. His Poem of Charlemagne has, 
 certainly, considerable poetic merit, though I 
 am astonished at the little j^leasure I received 
 in reading it. Some of the descriptions, are 
 fine, but the subject is heavy though well 
 managed ; the hero detestable. One is revolted 
 at finding the two Brutus' amongst the damned, 
 and still more, at the gross suj^erstition which 
 pervades the work, and which one can hardly 
 beheve to be even sincere. 
 
 The Widow of my excellent and generous 
 Uncle, Sir R. Heron, died in October, at 92 
 years of age. She had survived herself. By 
 her death, I inherit some property of Sir R's, 
 besides some valuable pictures, glasses, china 
 ware, books, and plate. 
 
45 
 
 In the last Spring, England was honored 
 with the presence, lor some time, of the Em- 
 peror Alexander, the King of Prussia, four 
 Prussian Princes, many of the most illustrious 
 Russian and Prussian Generals, and of the 
 Hereditary Prince of Orange. Satisfied with 
 then' renown, the Monarchs despised the pomp 
 which pleases vulgar minds, and delighted, 
 particularly Alexander, in mixing in society, 
 when permitted to do so, as private individuals. 
 He went to halls, sometimes unattended, and 
 always danced with Lady Jersey and Mrs. Ar- 
 buthnot, sometimes, also, with others. His 
 countenance is open and his manners simple 
 and pleasing. He wished to see the Opposi- 
 tion, and Lords Grenville and Grey, Whit- 
 bread, Wilherforce, and some others, were 
 desired to wait upon him. He did not listen, 
 but talked much. He said the Opposition was 
 a glass in which Sovereigns should see them- 
 selves, and that when he returned, he would 
 organise an Opposition in Russia. This Em- 
 peror is certainly not wise. He is, at present 
 entirely governed l)y his sister, the Duchess 
 of Oldenburgh, Avho is said to have married 
 her late husband to avoid the necessity of mar- 
 rying Bonaparte. The King of Prussia is very 
 handsome, as are also the young Princes. He 
 
46 
 
 appears sensible but melaiicboly, baving never 
 recovered from tbe loss of bis Queen. 
 
 Tbe people pusbed tbeir curiosity to tbe 
 impertinence of calling to tbe Emperor to sbew 
 bimself at tbe windows ; wlien, bowever, Blu- 
 cber bad appeared, no one else w as tbougbt of, 
 and tbe Kings and Princes migbt repose. 
 They went to see every tbing. Tbey were 
 entertained witb tbe utmost magnificence. All 
 London was kept in a state of total idleness, 
 and, as if tbis relaxation bad not been sufficient, 
 fetes were continued for a long time, and at 
 an immense expense, by tbe Regent, after tbe 
 departure of tbe Sovereigns. 
 
 Tbe Hereditary Prince of Orange came to 
 marry tbe young Princess Cbarlotte of Wales. 
 He is a voung man of bidi and amiable cbarac- 
 ter. All England desired a William 4tb, a man, 
 too, wbo bad served witb distinction in our 
 armies ; but wben a message was every day 
 expected by botb Houses, tbe Princess altered 
 bermind, and peremptorily refused bim. It is 
 said, sbe bad fallen in love wdtb one of tbe 
 Prussian Princes. Sbe appears to possess tbe 
 virtues and amiahle qualities of lier family. 
 
 My Constituents baving invited me to be- 
 come a Vice President of tbeir Auxiliary 
 Britisb and Foreign Bible Society, I refused, 
 
17 
 
 and promised to give my reasons wlicncver 
 called upon at GrimsLy. 1 am, in principle, 
 hostile to these Societies, hecause they are 
 engines in the hands of the Methodists, and in 
 aid of the Missionary system, a system which 
 has caused half the miseries and half the crimes 
 of the human race. These Constituents of 
 mine, certainly do not give me much troidjle ; 
 they are satisfied with my never going near 
 them hut at elections, and they are totally in- 
 different to politics. Once, indeed, they most 
 anxiously charged me with the negotiations 
 relatinof to their ha^en hill. My Colleague 
 was ahsent in Scotland, and the whole rested 
 on me. I took infinite pains, offered good 
 terms to the Haven Company, and these heing 
 refused, and finding the whole a joh oftheTe- 
 nysons, for their 2)rivate interests, I threw out 
 the hill, and had the good fortune to please all 
 parties ; it must he owned, however, that good 
 fortune is the only word I am justified in using 
 on the occasion. 
 
 There appears to he a strong feeling of jea- 
 lousy, and even hostility, in France against 
 the English, and their King seems not to want 
 his full share of these sentiments. It is not 
 surprising that he should feel some resentment 
 against the Regent, and his Government, who. 
 
48 
 
 indeed, gave him a subsistence, but showed 
 him httle attention during his misfortunes, and 
 only oppressed him with a pompous reception, 
 when he w^as ah'eady become King of France, 
 without then* aid or participation : but his 
 marked incivihty to Lord Buckingham, and 
 other individuals, whose generous hospitahty 
 had diminished the ii'ksomeness of his banish- 
 ment, is not so easily to be either accounted 
 for, or excused. 
 
 Lord and Lady Jersey were at Paris during 
 February, tlic Summcr, aud intended proceeding 
 
 ^^^^' into Italy, but they were prevented 
 by the earnest advice of the Minister, Talley- 
 rand, who told Lord Jersey that Italy was on 
 the point of being the scene of much bloodshed, 
 and repeatedly said to him, " n' y allez pas." 
 
 The Winter, this year, set in with the pro- 
 mise of gTcat severity. Last year, my river 
 was visited by a flock of about thu'ty-four 
 wild swans, a number of very large dark and 
 swan-like geese, and many other uncommon 
 wild fowl, wdiich remained with us all the 
 Winter. These returned in November last, 
 and have remained with us, but the Winter is 
 notwithstanding, dissolved without any great 
 severity, and though the frost has been long, 
 the thermometer has never been lower than 14 
 Fahrenheit, and, in general, about the freezing 
 
49 
 
 point. Can any one doubt the progi'cssivo but 
 great change wliicli lias taken place in our cli- 
 mate '( What are its causes ? Probahlj, the 
 principal cause, (or should we rather call it the 
 consequence ?) is the ^ast accunnilation of ice 
 about the Polar Region, which has totally cut 
 off the comnnmication with Greenland, and 
 has rendered Iceland scarcely habitable. I 
 have, sometimes, been inchned to attribute the 
 increased coldness of our Summers, in some 
 measure, to this country being now universally 
 intersected with hedges of the white thorn, 
 which cannot but evaporate an immense quan- 
 tity of moisture ; a much greater quantity, 
 probably, than large masses of wood ; because, 
 in hedges, almost every leaf is exposed to the 
 full action of the air. As to the effects, they 
 are chiefly felt in the want of heat in our Sum- 
 mers. Many plants that formerly adorned our 
 soil, will not now bear om* climate, as the Pla- 
 tanus and Arbutus. Vines, which formerly 
 fruited in many parts of England, now requu'e 
 the protection of glass ; apricots will not ripen 
 without walls ; and the peach and nectarine 
 do not, in every Summer, arrive at perfection 
 in the open air.* 
 
 Note, 1848. — *This was a very exaggerated opinion. The Platanus wag 
 ouly destroyed in one year. The Arbutus, with me, thrives well, and is rarely 
 injured ; aud, in my garden, Peaches and Nectarines are produced in perfec- 
 tion, on the uuheated walls. 1 suppose the year 1810 was an exception. 
 
5i) 
 
 I returned from London a week before the 
 Easter recess, a good deal indisposed, from a 
 continuation of late hours, together with re- 
 peated colds acquired from the bad weather. 
 We had carried on a good deal of political hos- 
 tility with little success. The most important 
 measure was the corn bill, in which I agreed 
 with Ministers, and a great majority of the 
 House. The mob was raised against us by 
 the inflammatory speeches of Baring, and the 
 false statements of the Mayor of London. 1 
 was myself attacked by the mob, and for five 
 minutes in their hands, but I escaped from 
 them, with no other injury than the loss of a 
 part of my coat. The riots and destruction of 
 houses were most disgraceful ; for a single 
 Magistrate, with tw^enty Constables, determi- 
 ned to do their duty, might easily, in my 
 opinion, have suppressed the riot, at its com- 
 mencement. Sir F. Burdett was favourable to 
 the corn bill, but was not honest enough to 
 avow it. He made a speech equally violent, 
 absurd, and unjustifiable, in the House. In 
 my opinion, the effect of the corn bill will be 
 beneficial, as tending to encourage the growth 
 of corn, by suppressing the importation, and, 
 at the same time, saving to the country the 
 enormous prices which were unnecessarily paid 
 
51 
 
 to foreign countries for the article of subsis- 
 tence. I do not think it will be found to raise 
 tlie price of corn to an unfair lieiglit, l)ut that 
 it will tend to maintain it at a reasonable and 
 more steady price, -f 
 
 The night before I came away, I delivered 
 my sentiments (on the Report of the ways and 
 means) against the proposed war establishment 
 during peace for four years ; incidentally 
 against the proceedings of the Congi^ess ; and 
 above all, against the extravagance of Ministers 
 and of the Regent ; to little purpose, indeed, 
 but with the satisfactory reflection in my own 
 mind of having discharged my duty. 
 
 Before I left London, wx had received the 
 disagreeable news that Bonaparte had landed 
 near Frejus, with about twelve hundred men. 
 Our naval Commander appears to have been 
 lulled into security ; no precautions had been 
 taken by sea or land. He seems to have been 
 every where well received, and no part of the 
 army could be brought to act against him. 
 The Marshals, indeed, appear in general to 
 have been well disposed to the established order 
 of things, but how many of them may have 
 joined him since he has recovered the throne, 
 we do not yet know. The Royalists are 
 
 + My opinions on this subject have since undergone a change. 
 
 E 
 
rv7 
 
 said to be attempting to form an army, and, 
 no doubt, tbe Allies will immediately march 
 against him. Tliey have, indeed, a vast force, 
 and as he must be unprepared, one knows not 
 what may be accomplished by a rapid inva- 
 sion, in conjunction with a powerful party in 
 France ; but it seems to me to be the interest, 
 and, I fear, will prove the inclination of the 
 French, to unite under the Emperor : in that 
 case, we have only the prospect of a long, un- 
 successful, and ruinous war, commenced at a 
 moment when it was very doubtful whether we 
 were even able to meet the burthen of a low 
 peace establishment, together with the expense 
 of the interest of our debt, with some exertion 
 for its discharge. The payments stipulated for 
 the maintenance of Napoleon, in Elba, had 
 never been made good by France, but the pos- 
 session of these sums would, certainly, have 
 made the Emperor neither less able nor less 
 inclined for the attempt to regain the throne. 
 The moderation of the Allies in leaving bun at 
 liberty to make it, appeared to me insanity. 
 From the moment of" the treaty of Paris, I ne- 
 ver myself doubted that he would land in 
 France, and from the accounts I had received 
 of the dis2)osition of the French, 1 ^vas led 
 greatly to fear the result ; so much so, that 
 
53 
 
 1 bad betted rive guineas witb Mrs. Arbutbnot, 
 tbat be reco^•ered tbe tlirone before tbe year, 
 1816. 
 
 How mucb may we now repent our faitbless- 
 ness to Murat, unless it can be immediately 
 repaired by an effective treaty. On tbe wbole, 
 tbougli I fear mucb, I do not absolutely des- 
 ])air ; abstractedly, indeed, we lia^ e no rigbt 
 to interfere in France, but in tbe particular cir- 
 cumstances of tbe case, we ougbt to make an 
 effort to save ourselves from tbe ruin wliicb 
 tbe secure re-establisbment of Napoleon may, 
 and I fear must, bring upon us. It is, cer- 
 tainly, a most extraordinary circumstance, tbat 
 two sucb Revolutions sliould bave been accom- 
 pUsbed witbout a drop of blood being yet spilled 
 in civil commotion. It must be acknowledged, 
 tbat tbe conduct of Louis XVI 1 1. , or bis advi- 
 sers, bas been bumane, moderate, and, witb one 
 exception, wise ; tbat exception is, bis causing 
 tbe dissatisfaction of tbe most powerful men 
 in tbe nation, by refusing tbem tbe bereditary 
 peerage. 
 
 On tbe most mature consideration, I voted 
 
 June 17, against tbe war. I incline to tbink it 
 
 ^^^^' will be sbort and successful, but 
 
 I believe it to be impolitick, if not unjust. I 
 
 conceive tbe project of seating Louis XVIII. 
 
54 
 
 upon the throne, to be a most dangerous prece- 
 dent hkely to be followed by any future con- 
 spiracy of Kings. Sixteen millions are already 
 voted under various titles, as subsidies, and the 
 expense of this campaign is estimated at eighty. 
 I do not think the choice of all the Sovereigns 
 on earth is, to us, worth one hundredth part 
 of this sum in our present circumstances. On 
 this subject, the Grcnvilles, Grattan, Plunhett, 
 Lord Milton, and a few others, voted with 
 Ministers. 
 
 I voted myself with Ministers on the pro- 
 perty tax, not to enable them to carry on the 
 war, but, because I infinitely prefer it to the 
 multitude of oppressive taxes, of doubtful pro- 
 duce, by which it must have been replaced. 
 The property tax has, at least, the merit of 
 being productive, it being economical in the 
 collection ; of obliging those who live abroad to 
 contribute their share ; and of obtaining some- 
 thing, though flu* from wdiat is due, from the 
 mercantile and monied interests. 
 
 Mu rat's political j)Ower is annihilated. Cer- 
 tainly he has not shewn much of political 
 whatever he may possess of military talent. 
 It appears extraordinary that Bonaparte should 
 have made no effort to save him ; it seems 
 equally so, that the Allies should have given 
 
55 
 
 Napoleon time to put an end to the intestine 
 commotions in France, which might have made 
 so powerful a diversion in their favor ; each 
 side, however, fears the dangers of oflensive 
 operations, without an overwlielming force. 
 In my opinion, peace might have heen preser- 
 ved, I no longer see very great dangers from 
 the return of Napoleon. It is not, merely, 
 that the state of France is altered, hut that of 
 Europe ; the neighbouring States do not now 
 afford to his ambition the same opportunities 
 they formerly offered. The Congi'ess has done 
 much to estrange them, but the fear of French 
 subjugation must prevail over all other consi- 
 derations. 
 
 I have bred many gold fish for six years, in 
 the aquarium, and have now about eleven 
 hundred of all ages, in a paved pond in the 
 flower garden, which seems to suit them re- 
 markably well, and where they have bred in 
 considerable numbers. Of my original stock, 
 six came from Burleigh, and six from Ken- 
 drick's, in Piccadilly. I have since had a few 
 which Kendrick calls Brazil fish, but which 
 do not differ from the others. I had heard of 
 a breed, a variety of the gold fish, entirely 
 black, found in the lakes on some volcano, in 
 China. With some difficultv, I obtained a 
 
56 
 
 pair, male and female, from Stocten, more 
 than a year and a half ago ; they were of a jet 
 black and aj^peared old fish, bnt in about a 
 year, they totally changed colour, till they be- 
 came entirely red. It is singular they should 
 have remained black so many years, for the 
 female bears the marks of extreme age. Was 
 it the heat of the aquarium which produced the 
 change ? They certainly constitute a consi- 
 derable variety from the ordinary sort, for this 
 pan' have produced a very numerous progeny, 
 which are all l)lack, (now, many of them more 
 than four years old) and, like the parents, have 
 most of them very prominent eyes, both cir- 
 cumstances entirely new in my shoal. Of gold 
 iish in general, the following observations 
 have occurred : they change their colour at very 
 uncertain and capricious periods, some at less 
 than an inch in length, and three months in 
 age ; others, though of the same breed, and in 
 the same situation, when more than six inches 
 in length, and more than two, or, I beheve, 
 three years in age : those exj^osed to the heat 
 of the aquarium change at an earlier average. 
 Linnceus and Gronovius seem to have obser- 
 ved, each of them, only one of these fish, as 
 each has fallen into the error of considering a 
 different variety, a monstrosity of formation, 
 
57 
 
 as one of the constituent marks ot the species. 
 Linnieiis having supposed them all to have the 
 anal fin clouhle, Gronovius, the tail triple, acci- 
 dents which with me occur, perhaps, to ahout 
 three in one hundred. Of the age to which 
 these fish live, I know only one well authen- 
 ticated fact. Sir C. Kent has a very remark- 
 ahle gold fish, at Little Ponton, which I have 
 measured, and found to he twelve inches in 
 length, and ten in circumference. I have 
 ascertained, that it w^as alive at Ponton, in the 
 year 1792, and those who then rememher it, 
 think it was at that time as large as now. It 
 is become pale. When there are only two or 
 tlu'ee pahs in my aquarium, a great quantity of 
 young ones are bred there ; in one year, more 
 than one thousand ; hut, when crowded, no 
 young ones are produced. I conclude from 
 this, that when crowded they devour the 
 spawn. Lime is a deadly poison to these fish; 
 paint does not, in the least, affect them. 
 
 In the beginning of June, a (ew days after 
 stiibton, I ^^^^ left London, Whitbread put an 
 ^^''' ^' end to his life. Pie expired almost 
 instantly. This man appears to have enjoyed 
 every possible source of haj^piness, yet, he Mas 
 miserable. In his mother's family, there were 
 frequent instances of mental insanity, from 
 
 / 
 
58 
 
 which, that of liis father does not seem to be 
 enthely exempt. There appears to have been 
 some fauUin the organisation of the head, which 
 occasioned a temporary pressure on the brain, 
 when the veins were too full of blood ; more 
 than sufficient cause for the terrible oppression 
 of spirits to which it now seems he had, of late, 
 been frequently subject, but wliich had been 
 carefully concealed. He enjoyed gi^eat wealth, 
 lived in the most perfect domestic fehcity, pos- 
 sessed splendid talents. Though his harsh and 
 overbearing manners had, for a long time, been 
 obnoxious to many of all ranks, and particu- 
 larly to the poor, even whilst they received 
 benefits from him ; yet, the experience of his 
 honesty, his enlightened benevolence, and his 
 indefatigable exertions in almost every depart- 
 ment of town and country business, had, at 
 length, procured for him universal respect, and, 
 out of Parliament, almost universal acquies- 
 cence in his measures ; and, probably, few men 
 have been so extensively useful to the countrj^ 
 His place, in Bedfordshire, will never be sup- 
 plied. In Parliament, his bad taste and, "what 
 is perhaps the same thing, want of judgment; 
 above all, his impracticable disj^osition, and 
 total want of" cooperation, diminished gi'eatly 
 the advantages which might otherwise have 
 
59 
 
 been derived from his great ability as an orator, 
 his experience, and his incorruptible firmness. 
 Whitbread had a great desire for ofiice, pro- 
 bably ironi an opinion that he might be useful 
 to his country. He shewed this in a very ex- 
 traordinary manner, by listening a\ illingly to 
 the ridiculous attempt of the Regent, to form an 
 Administration of Lord Moira, Lord EgTe- 
 mont, Whitbread, and Sheridan. Admitting, 
 no doubt, the weak and servile Addingtonians, 
 but excluding the principal parts both of the 
 present 02)position, and those now in power. 
 
 I have well known Whitbread ever since I 
 attained the age of eighteen. When I left 
 him in London, I thought it very probable 
 I might not see him again, but I was far 
 from suspecting the true cause of the evident 
 alteration which had taken place in him : I 
 expected apoplexy, which had caused the death 
 of his father. 
 
 I was engaged during the Session in two 
 different matters respecting individuals, in both 
 of which I was on the successful side. Croker, 
 of the Admiralty, one of the most determined 
 jobbers, whether fi'om caprice, personal feeling, 
 or some strange fancy, to obtain credit with the 
 public for an economy which he never serious- 
 ly sought after, took it into his head to oppress 
 
60 
 
 the four Marine Barrack Masters, most ancient 
 and deserving servants of the puhhc, hj de- 
 priving them of the fair and allowed advanta- 
 ges of their situations, without any adequate 
 remuneration. The Treasury were easily 
 brought to decide in their favor, but the Ad- 
 miralty, who had already given an opinion 
 favorable to them, was induced to supj^ort the 
 measure of Croker. At last, the subject came 
 before the house of Commons in a select 
 committee, which, at length, decided in favor 
 of the Barrack Masters. The great difficulty 
 was to get a sufficient number of the committee 
 to attend, to prevent the matter being smug- 
 gled through by Croker, and the few who had 
 lent themselves to this job. General Ainslie, 
 accused of various offences in his government 
 of the Islands of Grenada and Dominica, and 
 recalled to answer the accusations, applied to 
 me to repel the charges against him. My per- 
 sonal connection with bun arises from his 
 having married the near relation of my wife. 
 This man, without judgment, his temper na- 
 turally too irritable, rendered more so by the 
 habit of drinking continued in a hot climate, 
 had, certainly, been guilty of many great in- 
 discretions : that, however, which a2)peared to 
 me the least capable of justification, was con- 
 
Gl 
 
 cealed from lue till two days before tlie business 
 came on, when it ^vas too late to retract the 
 promise I had given to defend hhn. Fortu- 
 nately, this mihtary oflence having been refer- 
 red to the Commander in Chief, I was at 
 liberty to refuse to enter upon it : fortunately, 
 too, those who attacked hhn had little infor- 
 mation on the subject, and as they d\velt, 
 principally, on the Maroon War which he had 
 conducted with great merit, T was able to 
 make an honorable retreat for him, and to 
 induce INIr. Gordon, sup2)orted as he was by 
 Romilly and W. Smith, to withdraw the mo- 
 tion of enquiry. 
 
 The battle of Waterloo has decided the fate 
 of Europe, and put an end to the dynasty of 
 the Napoleons. During the tremendous con- 
 flict, Brussells was filled with soldiers, and 
 even officers, who ought to have shared its 
 dangers : of the Netherlanders many, as might 
 be expected, from disaffection ; but, even of 
 the British no small number, certainly, from 
 different motives. 
 
 The Duke of Wellington appears to have 
 been surprised. On the IGthand 17th, scarce- 
 ly a horse, and not a cannon, appeared in our 
 lines ; yet, on those days, the British batta- 
 lions yielded only to the ch'eadful havock that 
 
62 
 
 was made of them ; tliey were mowed down 
 in heaps, but no where conquered. In the 
 memorable battle of the 18th, the obstinacy 
 of Lord Uxbridge had nearly proved fatal to 
 our army. He persisted in charging the 
 French Cuirassiers with his light cavahy, who 
 were unable to make the slightest impression 
 upon them ; and it was not till they were al- 
 most destroyed, that he reluctantly brought 
 forward his heavy brigade. But the people 
 respect his courage, and the Regent has white- 
 washed him with a Marquisate. Bonaparte 
 seems to have committed a great error, in not 
 making use of an innnense reserve, and though 
 every thing was conmiitted to the hazard of 
 this battle, yet, he does not appear to have 
 made any great personal exertion to prevent 
 its loss. The Duke of Wellington braved 
 every danger ; exposed himself wherever the 
 battle languished ; and, if he required from his 
 men the most perfect contempt of death, the 
 abandonment of every idea of j^ersonal safety, 
 he, at least, shared with every soldier the sac- 
 rifice he demanded. All would still have been 
 insufficient, valour beyond examjjle would not 
 have availed, had not the Prussians, beaten 
 on the ICth, ready to figlit again on the 18th, 
 attacked the French in the rear, after a long 
 
63 
 
 and niti<>uing march, and decided the daj. 
 Had the hattlc heenlost, Brussells ^vouhl have 
 hailed the victor, and the defence even of Hol- 
 land nnist have heen hopeless. The Emperor 
 Alexander wonld have hastened to make peace, 
 at the expense of his Allies, Prussia must have 
 been annihilated, Austria humbled, and Eng- 
 land ! AVhat would have been her fate ? She 
 might have been saved by a disgraceful peace. 
 Bonaparte might still, after the battle, have 
 maintained himself, at least, for some time, 
 at the head of the remnant of his army, but 
 he threw himself amongst his enemies, at 
 Paris, and was probably betrayed by Fouclie 
 to the last step of surrendering his person, his 
 ambition, and every future hope. 
 
 In the mean time, the combined Sovereigns, 
 in the hour of prosperity, forget every promise, 
 every engagement, and every principle, they 
 had put forth, when they thought the public 
 02:)inion necessary to their success. But on the 
 English Government falls the greatest load of 
 guilt. It is they who principally insist on im- 
 posing upon the French, the wretched and des- 
 potic government of the Bourbons. It is the 
 blood and treasure of this free country, which 
 cements their tyranny and bigotry, and enables 
 them to enforce their perjured authority upon 
 
64 
 
 tlieir miserable subjects. Under our presiding 
 influence, the Monarchs are leagued against 
 every exertion of popular energy, and every 
 attempt to mitigate the abuses of arbitrary 
 power. 
 
 The restoration of the Jesuits, of the Inqui- 
 sition, the persecution of the Protestants, are 
 amongst the benefits we have been instrumen- 
 tal in conferring upon the world ; and nations 
 have been parcelled out, like land upon an 
 inclosure, and in many instances, as in the 
 case of Warsaw and Genoa, delivered up to 
 then' bitterest enemies. We have not even 
 been very strict in observing the treaties we 
 ourselves have dictated. The friends of Ney, 
 and many others, have in vain reclaimed 
 the caj^itulation of Paris. They who interfere 
 in every other instance, refuse to interest them- 
 selves in favor of clemency, or, even to stop 
 the persecution of the southern Protestants. 
 
 The Bourbons are incapable of profiting by 
 experience. They, and their violent counsel- 
 lors, must soon create a new Revolution, and 
 the new policy we have adopted of interfering 
 in the internal government of other nations, 
 must involve us in new wars, and render our 
 bankruptcy more certain and more speedv ; 
 unless the j^eople (for tlieir Representati\cs will 
 
(j5 
 
 not do it) put an end, at once, to tliis most 
 impoliticlv, unjust, and ruinous system. 
 
 The Duke of Wellington, a i)arty to the 
 treaty of Paris, eould lia^e saved N ey : not to 
 have done so was cold, heartless, and unjust. 
 It has fixed an eternal blot upon his great 
 name. 
 
 I believe the marriage of the Princess Char- 
 lotte with the Prince of Orange, was put an 
 end to, by the artful intrigues of the Duchess 
 of Oldenbin-gh, who wanted him for her sister. 
 
 Even before the conclusion of the war, the 
 sttxbton. country had begun to be involved in 
 Apru 22. ^i^g greatest distress. The immense 
 fictitious credit maintained by the prodigious 
 issue of paper money, had enabled Ministers 
 to increase the public burthens, far beyond any 
 reasonable calculations of our financial powers, 
 by postponing the terrible effects of the pres- 
 sure which at last, however, can only become 
 more dreadful. At length, the bubble burst. 
 The Merchants failed ; the greater part of the 
 country Banks broke ; the multitude of Far- 
 mers, who had purchased or cultivated land, 
 without capital, are thrown into goal, the shops 
 have little custom, the laborers, in crowds, 
 thrown out of work ; and so immense a quan- 
 tity of paper money being at once withdrawn, 
 
G6 
 
 the price of money is gi*eatly iacreased, and 
 that of every other commodity, or nearly every 
 other, decreased in proportion. 
 
 In this state of things, Ministers act hke a 
 man ruined hy deht, they calculate for the 
 moment and dare not look our affans fairly in 
 tlie face. It is evident, that one remedy only 
 remains for us, if even that be sufficient — re- 
 trenchment ; every other is childish : without 
 retrenchment, carried to the utmost practicable 
 degi'ee, the interest of the debt, together with 
 necessary expenses, cannot be paid, much less 
 that debt gradually diminished. In these cir- 
 cumstances, a peace is concluded, big with the 
 promise of new wars, and creating the necessity 
 of continuing enormous establishments. To 
 meet these expenses, it is proposed to continue 
 every w^ar tax, excepting only one half of the 
 income tax, that is, to relieve us of six out of 
 eighty millions. Against this preposterous plan, 
 the Opposition have been successful in rousing 
 the indignation of the country : petitions from 
 every part have been presented, and the House 
 of Commons has obliged Ministers to aban- 
 don the property and malt taxes. Much, 
 how^ever, yet remains to be done, and I fear 
 neither the House nor the people will have 
 perseverance enough to drive Ministers from 
 
07 
 
 the priiicipli' of exlnivagancc, the desire of 
 creaiing patronage, and the iiiean suhservience 
 to the prolligate expenditure of the Regent. 
 At one moment, there was a very near prospect 
 of a change of Administration, wliich must 
 liave led to a radical change of measiu*es ; l)ut 
 an mdiscreet and violent speech of Brougham's 
 terrified those country Gentlemen, usually at- 
 tached to the existing Government, who had 
 joined us, and threw away the opportunity. 
 Since that time. Western, with the hest inten- 
 tions, has occupied the time of the House, and 
 diverted the attention of the people to the state 
 of agriculture : a suhject on which it is irnpos- 
 sihle for any good to he achieved hy the Legis- 
 lature ; and, in the mean time, I much fear 
 the zeal of the people, and their determination 
 to ohtain retrenchment, will have heen found 
 to hecome suhsided. 
 
 1 can reflect with some satisfaction, that I 
 have, during the whole Session, never omitted 
 any exertions in my power, to promote the 
 great ohjcct of puhlic economy. I have, on 
 e\ cry occasion, spoke holdly Avhat appeared to 
 me the truth, and have never spared either 
 Ministers or the Court. Contrary to the opin- 
 ion of almost all my friends, who, though they 
 heartilv supported me, yet thought the measure 
 
 F 
 
68 
 
 impolitick, I called a county meeting, and jus- 
 tified my determination by the most complete 
 success, after obtaining a most numerous and 
 respectable assembly. My petition against the 
 property and malt tax, and for economy and 
 retrenchment, was j^resented at the same time 
 with those from Yorkshire, London, and many 
 others, and on the very day on which the fate 
 of the property tax was decided ; and to that 
 decision it cannot fairly be denied to have con- 
 tributed its share. 
 
 Brougham is desirous of taking Whitbread's 
 place in the House of Commons, but he is 
 inferior to him in talents, in character, and in 
 consequence ; and he is possessed of no sound 
 judgment. He speaks, sometimes, very ably, 
 but he is not ready, and never succeeds when 
 suddenly called upon. Like Whitbread, he re- 
 fuses to submit himself to the leading of Pon- 
 sonby, and aims to be himself at the head of a 
 party ; but his indiscretion has already dimi- 
 nished, if not annihilated that hope, too hastily 
 adopted. His speech against the Prince con- 
 sisted of violent and unqualified invective, 
 unconstitutionally applied to the person of the 
 Regent, instead of his advisers. It was univer- 
 sally disapproved. I was the first ^vho spoke 
 the truth on this subject. I was nearly as 
 
69 
 
 strong as Brougham, yet it gave almost general 
 satisfaction, merely because it was done with- 
 out \'iolating accustomed forms, and appeared 
 to arise naturally from the suhject in debate. 
 
 Early in the Session, in consequence of 
 information I had received, I asked a question 
 of Ministers, which produced the curious fact, 
 that in the very week that succeeded the open- 
 ing of the Session, with the word economy in 
 the royal speech, they had been employed in 
 augmenting the salaries of the customs and 
 excise officers in England and Scotland, 
 Ministers were so much annoyed at the im- 
 pression created by this discovery, that they 
 declared they would answer no more questions, 
 and the next day answered them as usual. 
 Nothing can have exceeded the contemptible 
 sort of cunning tricks and duplicity they have 
 displayed throughout the Session. Can such 
 j)olicy ever be successful ? Even when the 
 Princess Charlotte and Prince Leopold are to 
 be j)rovided for, they take the opportunity of 
 endeavouring to clieat the public out of £30,000 
 per annum for the Prince. She had expended 
 of late years, £7000 per annum only, but the 
 Regent had thought j)i'oper to place £37,000 
 to her account, and Ministers, instead of mo- 
 ving for an increase for her of £23,000 to make 
 
70 
 
 up llic £(30,000, liave obUiinetl a vote of 
 £00,000, including only the £7000, which 
 was drawn from the Consolidated Fund, and 
 leaving the remaining £30,000 as an addition 
 for the general expenditure of the Civil List. 
 
 Whitbread left debts to the amount of about 
 £350,000. His income was very large, his 
 landed property being stated, by those who 
 were best acquainted with his circumstances, 
 at £20,000 per annum, and his share of the 
 brewery, at £15,000. His style of living, 
 though very handsome, did not account for so 
 large an expenditure : lie was never addicted 
 to play, led a domestic life, and his nearest 
 friends cannot imagine in what manner the 
 money could have been disposed of. I have 
 heard it said, that purchases were made with 
 borrowed money, both by himself and his fa- 
 ther ; his estates, too, were thought to be very 
 high let, and the rents were, probably, ill paid. 
 
 The last Winter was very severe. The 
 frosts were not of very long duration, but the 
 intervals between them were short, and they 
 wxre so intense, that on one particular night 
 the tliermometer in many places, and amongst 
 others, here, was at 4 degrees below Zero of" 
 Fahrenheit. In other places, v\ithin three miles, 
 it was at i above Zero ; and this remarkable 
 
71 
 
 (lillbrenco, williiii a short distance, was obser- 
 ved ill many irdiis o(" the kingdom. In July 
 last, a pair of kangaroos, half gi'own, were 
 given me by Lord Bath. The male was kil- 
 led by the severe night in P'ebruary ; the fe- 
 male does not appear to have suffered. I have 
 now a larger male irom Sir Jose]:)h Banks. 
 The remarkable large gold fish at Ponton 
 July. died a few da}s ago. 
 I had long witnessed the evils occasioned to 
 the lower orders, Avithin twenty miles of Lin- 
 coln, by a local poor bill, passed in 1790, and 
 which has been smuggled, in some extraor- 
 dinary manner, through both Houses ; as it 
 contained clauses oppressive and tyrannical to 
 a great degree, and contrary to the principles 
 of common law, as well as of justice. The 
 workhouse was managed well as to food, clean- 
 liness, and order, but it was ruled with an iron 
 rod, and chains and dungeons were in constant 
 use for trivial faults, and at the will of the go- 
 vernor ; it was, also, totally without the means 
 of complaint for the unfortunate inhabitants. 
 The last of these inconveniences must, I fear, 
 remain ; the rest I had determined to remedy. 
 AYith the assistance of Sir Samuel Romilly, I 
 framed a bill for that purpose, which has also 
 the advantage of repealing all similar clauses 
 
72 
 
 in other local Acts. Ellison, who has always 
 been condemned as the author of the Lincoln 
 poor bill, attended in the House, apparently 
 to support it ; but having raised uj) Mr. George 
 Rose, and Lockhart, who made feeble at- 
 tempts to resist the impression my plain state- 
 ment of facts had made upon the House, he 
 sneaked away. Tlie persons interested, at 
 Lincoln, were extremely angry, and sent a 
 deputation to London to oppose my measure. 
 The deputies, however, found they could do 
 nothing but through me, and the principal of 
 them being, fortunately, a candid and liberal 
 man, came and consulted with me upon the 
 occasion ; in the mean time, a more formidable 
 opposition had arisen from the Members for 
 Coventry, whom, at last, I satisfied by inserting 
 a new clause. It is curious, that this new 
 clause for which the bill was expressly recom- 
 mitted, which was regularly moved, reported, 
 and agreed to, was afterwards left out by some 
 error of the clerk's : an error not discovered 
 till the bill had passed into a law. The Act 
 is far better without it. Ellison expressed to 
 me his perfect satisfaction of the bill as amend- 
 ed, and told me he had always disapproved of 
 the Lincoln Bill ; but as soon as I had left 
 Town, he threatened to oppose my bill, and 
 
73 
 
 told Sir Samuel Romillv that there was neither 
 sense nor legislation in it : he did not venture 
 to oppose the third reading. 
 
 Not imagining any danger would he in- 
 curred in the House of Lords, I had merely 
 desired Lord Lilford to attend to its progress. 
 The Chancellor shewed an inclination to oppose 
 it : it was supported hy Lords Lauderdale, 
 Holland, and Stanhope; and Lord Ellenho- 
 rougli approving it, it passed into a law. 
 
 The Session, which opened with a promise 
 of economy in the Regent's speech, continued 
 and concluded with the systematic refusal of 
 Ministers to practice it. A few clerks, indeed, 
 were diminished, hut a higher peace estahlish- 
 ment w as made than ever hefore know^n ; and 
 an immense addition to the Civil List revenue. 
 In the mean time, every source of revenue 
 begins to diminish in its produce, and the pub- 
 lic debt, instead of being lessened, is actually, 
 in fact, increasing. What will be the issue of 
 such insane conduct ? Either national bank- 
 ruptcy, a revolution, or both. To diminish 
 the interest of the funds, (an act of bankruptcy 
 which may soon become absolutely necessary) 
 would produce great individual distress ; though, 
 perhaps, less than that which it would relieve : 
 and the public Ijenefit arising from that, or a 
 
74 
 
 still more decisive measure, would be, in my 
 opinion, immense : but tlie act, if not j ustified 
 by imperious necessity, would be most dishon- 
 est. It would probably put an end, for some 
 time at least, to tlie funding system, (the art of 
 cheating posterity) and to public credit, which 
 enables us to carry on unjust wars. Ministers, 
 however, will do nothing : they have neither 
 talents, decision, nor virtue, to qualify them to 
 act in such a crisis. 
 
 Charles Chaplin, of Blankney, Member for 
 November, tlic couuty, dicd iu the last days of 
 August. He was one of my earliest 
 friends, and, however politically hostile to each 
 other, we had always lived in the strictest 
 friendship in private life ; we had even had 
 very considerable pecuniary transactions, with- 
 out intervention or security, with mutual ad- 
 vantage and satisfaction. He was an lionorable, 
 virtuous, and benevolent man, but he had no 
 head, and his ignorance on all poHtical subjects 
 was wonderful : his subserviency to Ministers 
 made him popular with those, who call them- 
 selves the loyal party in this county ; and his 
 private character was deservedly respected by 
 all. What was to be done I knew not. I 
 consulted my friends ; they all advised peace. 
 Another vacancy was shortly ex})ected, and 
 
75 
 
 this was not tliouglit the proj^er one ; great 
 part of tlie county might resent the attempt of 
 carrying two men of independent principles. 
 Lord Brownlow had set up liis brother, a con- 
 test was certain, and thouLih my success was 
 deemed sure, yet, it might be i)urcliased by 
 enormous expense, and the enemy might reco- 
 ver at the next election. The increasing in- 
 dignation at W. Cust being proposed, appeared 
 to possess all parties. The partial SherilF, 
 obliged by a requisition (not from my friends) 
 to call a day of nomination, had taken care to 
 fix it the yery day before the election, probably 
 for the precise purpose of not giving me time 
 to vacate my seat, if I should be called upon 
 by the freeholders : this call, in fact, took place, 
 and seemed almost unanimous with those who 
 attended. The next day, (the day of election) 
 1 went to Lincoln, and explained to the assem- 
 bly the impossibility of my then acquiescing 
 in their wishes. They applied to the Sheriff to 
 postpone the election, to give me time to vacate. 
 C. Chaplin was then put in nomination, but 
 haying already promised his support to Cust, 
 which he had since repented, the latter was 
 elected with every possible mark of public dis- 
 ap])robation. 
 
76 
 
 After breakfast, I was in formed that Belvoir 
 opt„^ej. Castle was on fire. I w^ent to the top 
 ^'^* of my house, with a good telescope. I 
 saw a vast body of smoke, but seeing the build- 
 ing a2)parently entire ; no flames, no bustle, 
 and no appearance of engines, I concluded that 
 some workshop had been on fire and w^as extin- 
 guished. At half-past one, a messenger arrived 
 with the lamentable intelligence that the inte- 
 rior of the Castle was consumed, and that the 
 assistance of my Cavahy w^as requested for the 
 preservation of the property. I immediately 
 gave the necessary orders, and repaired myself 
 to Belvoir. The walls yet remained, and 
 some of the new apartments had been spared 
 by tlie fire ; the rest was a tremendous heaj) of 
 ruins, in many parts of which the flames still 
 threatened to break out again. The fire had 
 probably broke out soon after twelve at night, 
 though not discovered before three. As there 
 was no Engine at Belvoir, and those from 
 Grantham, Belton, and Melton, could not ar- 
 rive before eight or nine, the flames long raged 
 without control. Multitudes attended of all 
 ranks, and from all parts, anxious to give their 
 utmost assistance ; but their zeal ill directed was 
 often mischievous, and immense destruction 
 was effected by rashly tearing do^vn pictures. 
 
// 
 
 glasses, and furniture of all kinds, without 
 necessity, and even, after the fire had heen 
 suhdued ; yet, all had acted with the hest inten- 
 tions. Soon after four, the greater part of my 
 Cavalry, who had anticipated my order, arri- 
 ^ed, and we immediately took possession of 
 the Castle, which we found full of strangers ; 
 and placing sentries at all the avenues, guarded 
 the property for two days, when the moh had 
 entirely dispersed. 
 
 The loss is enormous. Tlie work of the life, 
 and fortune of the Duke of Rutland has almost 
 disappeared. The jilate was saved and the 
 greater part of the pictures ; hut a few hy the 
 first masters are destroyed, particularly the 
 Sea Monster, by Salvator Rosa, and the Maid 
 of Orleans, by Rubens. Almost all those by 
 Su' Joshua Reynolds are also gone. There 
 does not a23pear the slightest grounds to suppose 
 the fire to have originated from design, but 
 the gi'eatest negligence is every where apparent. 
 The *Duke of Rutland's conduct evinced firm- 
 ness, gratitude, and all the most amiable feel- 
 ings. He was perfectly alive to the consoling 
 circumstance, that all his family was safe ; and 
 
 ♦ He was absent at Cheveley, but arrived in the moruii g; lie was refuseJ 
 admittance by my sentry, who did not know the Duke, wlio i.fterwards acknow- 
 ledged tlic propriety of his strict obedience to orders. 
 
78 
 
 the concern and anxiety of all descriptions of 
 persons, marked the nniversal estimation in 
 wliicli liis character is held. 
 
 This Session of Parliament hegun nnder 
 
 stiibton, circumstances rather favorahle to 
 
 Ma.ch,i8i7. Opposition. Ministcrs had most 
 
 impudently despised the puhlic desire for re- 
 trenchment ; thus they neglected the opportu- 
 nity of gaining credit to themselves for those 
 reductions, which they very soon found them- 
 selves under the necessity of adopting ; insuf- 
 ficient as they are, either to satisfy the country, 
 or to rescue its finances from the hankruptcy 
 which appears to me inevitably to await it. 
 Every thing they have yielded to economy, has 
 been, evidently, unwillingly done. First, to 
 avoid a committee of finance, named by Op- 
 position, they formed one of their own ; hinting 
 that the report might not be made for two or 
 three years : they have already found it expe- 
 dient to announce, that this committee has 
 recommended the abolition, on the death of the 
 present possessors, of ten sinecui'e ofifices ; an 
 abolition which, if future events give them 
 courage, they may still intercept in the House 
 of Lords. They next recommended the 
 Regent to alibrd to the public necessities 
 £50,(K)() from his allo\vance for private expen- 
 
79 
 
 (liture. This miserable i^iit, liowcxer, farcical 
 as it is, they had some di/riculty to jn'opose to 
 tlic Regent, and, at last, persuaded Leach to 
 do it ; who is said to ha\'e thereby incurred 
 the high displeasure of" the Prince. The navy 
 they have since very much reduced ; and the 
 armv, thousih still more than t\^'ice the amount 
 of any former peace establishment, is still 
 diminished considerably, both at home and 
 abroad, setting aside that in France, which is 
 also reduced. With all this, the country was 
 not satisfied. It is become sensible, that the 
 trade cannot struoole against the enormous 
 weight of taxation. That our former prosperity 
 cannot, in any degree, be restored to us, with- 
 out a very great diminution of our burtliens ; 
 which nuist daily increase the distress of the 
 country, ^\hilst they daily become less equal 
 to the discharge of even the interest of our 
 debt. Ministers, utterly incapable of measures 
 calculated to meet the danger, have recourse 
 only to such as are calculated to afford to them- 
 selves a temporary respite. AVithout necessity 
 and with scarce a colorable pretext, they have 
 suspended habeas corpus, and re-enacted the 
 seditious and gagging bills. To do this, they 
 ha\e realarmed the alarmists, and imjiosed 
 upon Ponsonby and Pigot. Opposition, conti- 
 
80 
 
 iiually told by the two latter members of the se- 
 cret committee, that we should find there w^as 
 some ground for alarm, knew not how to act 
 and assisted the sliam j^lot by not treating it as 
 it deserved. It appears to me, that the coun- 
 try has not been much duped by this scheme, 
 and even the alarmists in the two Houses, 
 those exce2:>ted who are desirous of availing 
 themselves of this oj^portunity of joining Ad- 
 ministration, are fast recovering from their 
 momentary fears. 
 
 Of late, the gi'eat question of the reform of par- 
 liament has made many converts. Tlie people 
 are become more anxious to obtain it than they 
 have ever before appeared to be : but the little 
 hope, if any hope there were, that any measure 
 of reform could be canied through the House 
 of Commons, has now vanished for the present. 
 The violence of Hunt, the London riot, con- 
 nected with the meeting for reform in Spafields, 
 and the insult upon the Regent, when going 
 to open the Session of Parliament, have cer- 
 tainly diminished the very httle inclination 
 there was in the Legislature, to give any plan 
 of reform a favorable reception. 
 
 The slender talents for eloquence in the Le- 
 
 Aprii u. gishiture are still more diminished. 
 Canning is returned ; but his powers 
 
81 
 
 iippoar to have sunk willi liis cluiractcT. Soiiic- 
 tinics, indeed, lie is delivered of poetical prose, 
 liigblj wrought, with great labour ; not ah\ays 
 new, very beautifully expressed, and forming 
 the conclusion of a loncj harangue, little to the 
 ])urpose and without any strength of argument. 
 Burdett is much improved, but neither he nor 
 Brougham have learned discretion. Horner is 
 no more. Great acquirements, intense appli- 
 cation, a great command of words, taste, judg- 
 ment, force, honour, aiul patriotism — an ami- 
 ableness of disposition and manners which 
 engaged and captivated all men, led us to look 
 to Horner as one of the first hoj^es of the 
 nation ; and his youth afforded the prospect of 
 long and substantial improvement, from expe- 
 rience in every thing connected with political 
 exertions. His exertions in the House of 
 Commons, and those which he made in his 
 profession, the law% were too much for a con- 
 stitution apparently delicate. He died in Italy 
 of a consumption, and carried with him the 
 sincere regi'ets of a more than ordinary propor- 
 tion of his countrymen, and the professed 
 lamentations of the rest. 
 
 After Horner, there are few men on the libe- 
 ral side of the House of Commons on whom our 
 present reliance is placed with fonder anxiety 
 
82 
 
 tlian Tierney ; but lie, too, is struggling against 
 impaired health, and the event of" the struggle 
 is yet doubtful. Grattan is wearing out, and 
 Ponsonbj is no longer what he was. Brough- 
 am, with all his brilliant talents for speaking, 
 all his fund of parliamentary knowledge, and 
 skill in debate, possesses the confidence neither 
 of the House, nor of the people. Lord Coch- 
 rane is a wretched speaker ; yet, in a debate 
 on reform, founded on some petition. Brough- 
 am, was thought to be much hurt in reputation. 
 Lord Cochrane accused him of abandoning his 
 former opinions, and Brougham failed in an 
 angry attempt at justification. Should the 
 contest for Westminster be between these two, 
 Brougham will probably be beaten. Sir G. 
 Heathcote was extremely anxious for a county 
 meeting, to petition for economy and reform. 
 I was against bringing forward the second ques- 
 tion, though ready to support it ; because I was 
 sure that many of my personal friends would 
 be highly displeased at my placing them (those 
 iQifriendly to reform) in a very awkward situa- 
 tion. At length, the httle fermentation created 
 in men's minds by the new plot, made the 
 meeting, in the opinion of all, inexpedient ; 
 and by a sort of tacit consent, the Tories 
 gave up all idea of petitioning on the escape. 
 
83 
 
 Craycroft, indeed, proposed to tlie grand jury 
 after Chaplin and I had left it, to adckess the 
 Regent on the escape ; and as he 2)ersevered 
 in sjnte of the wishes of all but Elndiirst and 
 Massingberd, it was most unwillingly, at length, 
 acquiesced in, and some bad English is to be 
 presented by Pelham, the foreman. 
 
 The susj^ension of habeas corpus was to 
 stubtou, expire on the lirst of this montli. 
 '^"'■'" Government appear to have been in 
 some perplexity ; they determined, however, 
 to revive the old secret committee, and rcnew^ 
 the suspension. Ponsonby, Pigot, and Lord 
 Milton, were no longer then dupes ; and the 
 scandalous manner in which a few discontented 
 had been urged on by those in the j)(^y (^tid em- 
 jAoy of Ministers, became notorious to the pub- 
 lic. The suspension was carried, as every 
 thing is carried, by a great majority. The 
 nation is indifferent : What will be the conse- 
 quence? Nothing. The job of appointing Can- 
 ning Minister to Lisbon, where there was no 
 Court, on which and some other conditions his 
 union with Administration ^vas secured, had 
 disgusted the country. Canning had sunk 
 in reputation, rarely spoke, and never with 
 effect. Brougham, wishing to imj^rove up- 
 on this advantage, lost it. He persuaded 
 
 G 
 
84 
 
 Lambton to bring forward a question upon it, 
 and L. opened the subject with great modera- 
 tion, propriety, and judgment. Burdett then, 
 at Brougham's desire, totally ignorant of the 
 subject, which till that morning he had never 
 considered, made a most violent, indiscreet, 
 and offensive speech, for the purpose of pro- 
 voking Canning to defend himself, as if this 
 could ever have been a matter of doubt. He 
 did defend himself with great ability, and suc- 
 ceeded in fixing the question on the false 
 ground on which Burdett had rested it. 
 Brougham then spoke, well or ill we know not, 
 for the House refused to listen. Canning's 
 defence imposed on me, and I was near leaving 
 the House with Lord Folkestone and Brand, 
 but not thinking it prudent to prefer the im- 
 pression of the moment to my former conside- 
 rate opinion, 1 determined to wait for Tierney, 
 whose argument brought me back to reason, 
 and convinced me in what manner I had, for 
 a moment, been imposed upon. I spoke, at 
 some length, against the bill for giving the 
 power to the Crown of granting pensions in 
 lieu of the sinecure places abolished. This 
 speech had not much effect in the House, nor 
 did any of the Members express afterwards to 
 me any approbation of it ; yet, it seems to 
 
86 
 
 have been more approved in tlie country, than 
 any former effort of mine. 
 
 On the poor laws, as I expected, nothing 
 has been done. A l)ill has passed the Com- 
 mons to diminish the expense of elections, 
 ^particularly county elections, from which I 
 hope for great advantage. Two days after I 
 left London, Ponsonby had a paralytic or 
 apoplectic stroke in the House of Commons. 
 He may live, but his public life has closed. 
 Who is to succeed him ? 
 
 Ponsonby lingered only about a week, with- 
 out hope. No man has possessed or deserved a 
 higher private character. As a statesman he 
 was deficient in energy, and even in decision. 
 He was too often the dupe of the compliments 
 Ministers paid to his candour ; his principles 
 were not sufficiently fixed ; and honorable and 
 virtuous as he was, he had not a sufficient 
 detestation of corruption. His oratory was, in 
 general, tame and weak ; but he sometimes 
 rose above himself. Tierney must be his suc- 
 cessor if he have sufficient health ; if not, the 
 post must remain vacant. Should Brougham 
 attempt to occupy it, the mischief will be very 
 gi'eat. 
 
 The dreadful and increasing effects of the 
 bad system of our poor laws, determined me 
 
86 
 
 to erect a house of industry at Claypole, for 
 seven, perhaps uUmiatelj, nine contiguous 
 parishes. My ohjects are, to employ the whole 
 of the poor, hy attaching a farm and large gar- 
 den to the estahlishment : thus, at the same 
 time, to make the poor less miserable, and 
 oblige them to provide by their labor for a part, 
 at least, of the expense of their maintenance ; 
 and to afford a suitable education for the chil- 
 dren. The establishment is founded on the 
 Act, 22 Geo. Ill, c. 83. The committee for 
 lending exchequer bills for the employment of 
 the poor, were much delighted with my plan ; 
 and, finding they could not advance me the 
 money I wanted, under their act, procured a 
 clause to be inserted in the amendment act to 
 enable them to do so. The general opinion in 
 the country seems to be, that the establishment 
 will prosper during my life, and then fall into 
 abuse : should this happen, I shall have done 
 more harm than good ; but I really think if 
 once well started, it may continue for ages to 
 be well managed. In the mean time, Owen 
 has developed his plan for forming, not the 
 poor, but all the lower orders, into communities 
 of fifteen hundred to ^yq thousand, assembled 
 in a single building, occupying a farm in com- 
 mon, under a sort of monastick government. 
 
87 
 
 Fortunately, lie is utterly unable to obtain any 
 sort of coneurrence in this plan ; for a more 
 admirable sclieme lor the destruction of all 
 public spirit, or personal exertion, never was 
 contrived. Owen is, I l)elieve, an honest en- 
 thusiast, admirably calculated for the manage- 
 ment of a large manufacturing establishment, 
 and for brinoinu; it to a state of order and moral 
 conduct. I am in correspondence with him, 
 to obtain a master for my house of industry. 
 Owen ajDpeared to ha\ e many and some power- 
 ful supporters until one of his publications con- 
 tained an expression reflecting upon religion : 
 from that moment he ^vas totally deserted. 
 In the last Summer, I received a very unex- 
 1818. pected affront. Sk T. Whichcote had, 
 of late, rarely attended the assizes, 
 and the office of chairman, whether he was pre- 
 sent or absent, had been virtually exercised by 
 me. Notice was given of a motion for a perma- 
 nent chairman, and it was publicly avowed by 
 the Chaplins, as well as the other Magistrates, 
 that I was to be the person chosen ; Sir T. 
 Whichcote having declined, on account of his 
 health, the com])liment intended to be paid 
 him, and of which I had given notice. When 
 the day arri^ cd, I was somewhat surprised at 
 the unusual and ominous presence of Reeve, 
 
88 
 
 and of others not in the habit of attending ; still 
 more was T surprised when I found Mr. Chap- 
 lin was elected chairman, and had, afterwards, 
 to qualify as a Magistrate. The reason avowed 
 for Chaplin's being a candidate was, that it 
 would assist him as candidate for the county ; 
 thus sanctioning the disgraceful practice of 
 bringing politics into a Court of Justice. Yet, 
 I nnist acknowledge that he made a good 
 chairman. 
 
 In the mean time, Chaplin began openly to 
 declare his intention of opposing Cust at the 
 next election, and actively, though quietly, to 
 solicit votes. Sir W. Welby, on behalf of 
 Lord Brownlow, asked Chaplin if he were 
 really determined ; and on being told he was, 
 infonxied him Lord Brownlow would give him 
 no further trouble. Soon after. Lord Brown- 
 low, finding himself supported by Sir J. Banks, 
 and by Ministers, (though they rather wished 
 him to dechne,) induced Sir Wihiam Welby 
 to explain away his communication. Just at 
 this period, Mr. Chaplin's name appeared first 
 on the list for Sheriff, and he hastily published 
 a hand bill, accusing Lord Brownlow of having 
 effected this, to exclude him from being a can- 
 didate. With these aggi'avations, I httle ex- 
 pected cither to give way, and immediately 
 
89 
 
 published my address to tlie county. No 
 sooner had it appeared, than Cust withdrew, 
 recommending Chaphn. They did not see 
 Cha])hn's hand bill till the day after. My 
 friends now thought my prospect very bad. I 
 had scarcely any considerable friend but Sir 
 John Thorold, Sir Gilbert Heathcote would 
 not come forward, and I was even myself 
 inclined to withdraw. This, however, was 
 thought disgraceful, and it was determined to 
 persevere. Pelham and Chaplin are at an 
 immense expense. I have no paid agents.* 
 
 In parliament this year, Opposition seem 
 March 20. fcduced lowcr than ever ; nor can we 
 obtain a decent attendance. We have 
 been unlucky on some questions. Brougham, 
 indeed, has been as able and more discreet 
 than usual ; but it has been otherwise with 
 Lamb ton and Lord Folkestone. Even on the 
 indemnity bill, which involved the great ques- 
 tions of the secret committee and suspension 
 bills, though the argument was all with us, 
 our divisions were most scanty : thus inspirited. 
 Ministers refuse all economy ; but I think they 
 are growing more and more unpopular in the 
 country. I am sure it is so in my county. 
 
 * The greater my foUj*, for it is absurd to attempt to carry a county election 
 without paid ageuts. My experiment fully proved this. 
 
90 
 
 The Session, probably the Parliament, is 
 stubton, nearly concluded ; and, after remain- 
 May, 1818. ^^^^ niucli longcr in London than I 
 had intended, I am returned, much reduced 
 by a protracted affection of the lungs. The 
 imbecility of Ministers in Parliament has been 
 extraordinary. They first made a feeble at- 
 tempt to gain popularity, by hurrying through 
 the repeal of the habeas corpus suspension bill, 
 in a single day, and this when the royal speech 
 had just informed us, that the vigilance of 
 Magistrates would be necessary to preserve the 
 tranquillity of the country. Throughout the 
 Session, they have frequently been beaten on 
 a division, and have often given up important 
 measures without risking one. Lately, they 
 thought proper to bring forward an increase of 
 the allowances to all the royal Dukes, from 
 £18,000 per annum to £40,000. The House 
 however, gave the Dukes of Kent and Cam- 
 bridge £6,000 each additional; (offered the 
 same to Clarence, which he foolishly refused 
 as insufficient ;) and refused all that exceeded 
 this, as w^ell as the sums intended as outfit. 
 I spoke against even these additions, on ac- 
 count of the great emoluments derived by those 
 individuals from Hanover and Gibraltar. 
 Brougham displayed very great eloquence 
 
91 
 
 in moving for a commission to examine into 
 the abuse of charities, — abuses the most exten- 
 sive and shocking. The two persons against 
 whom tlie lieaviest charges are brought, are 
 Lord Lonsdale and the Bishop of Tincoln ; 
 but the measure appears to meet w ith the most 
 barefliced opposition from the Chancellor and 
 Lord Redesdale : ah'eady it is encumbered 
 with exemptions, and 1 nmch fear the delin- 
 quents will be, in a great measure, screened 
 from punishment. 
 
 My last act this Session was to bring forward 
 a motion for the repeal of the septennial act, 
 the most moderate project of reform which 
 can be entertained. I was heard with great 
 attention for forty minutes, and did my best. 
 The ministerial side of the House did not 
 vouchsafe a word in reply. I was supported 
 by Romilly and W. Smith. Brougham thought 
 proper to defend the right of Parliament to 
 prolong their own duration. This warm, and 
 I thought, unnecessary attack rather than de- 
 fence was directed against W. Smitli. Brough- 
 am, contrary to the principles he himself laid 
 down, had, a few days before, supported the 
 addition to the Duke of Kent's allowance : 
 he gained no credit by it with either side of the 
 House. 
 
92 
 
 During this Session, S. Douglas, son of Lord 
 Glenburnie, has greatly improved in speaking. 
 Sir J. Mackintosh has also distinguished 
 himself, and, on the alien bill, delivered a 
 speech worthy of the days of Fox. Canning, 
 in that debate, avowed that anv movement 
 in France would draw us into a Continental 
 war. Will not the public t ike the alarm ? 
 Gifford, the new Solicitor General, having 
 totally failed in parliament, it became necessary 
 to call in the assistance of Copley, who had to 
 change the whole of his public principles, to 
 qualify himself for the task : his voice and 
 manner are excellent, but, hitherto, it is " vox 
 et preeterea nihil." 
 
 Towards the end of the Session, the hfe of 
 Lord Milton was suddenly endangered by a 
 pleurisy, and the fracture of his collar bone in 
 hunting. The deep anxiety which prevailed 
 in London, proved the high value in which 
 his safety is so deservedly held. I fear he is 
 even yet in a precarious state. His incorrup- 
 tible honesty would render him a severe public 
 loss : in private life no man would be more 
 lamented. The death of Lord Ossory left the 
 Lieutenancy of Bedfordshire vacant. The 
 petty malice of the Court induced them to 
 give it to Lord Grantham. The reason hinted 
 to the public was, the Duke of Bedford having 
 
93 
 
 subscribed to IToiic. I am inforinetl, Lord 
 Ossory had two years before wished to resign 
 it to the Duke of Bedford, but was told he 
 would not be his successor. The Duke of Bed- 
 ford gave me his unsolicited support, and on 
 mv "v\Titin2f to thank him, I received a letter 
 most highly approving my political character 
 and conduct. 
 
 The dissolution will, 1 believe, take place 
 
 stubton, this day, certainly, this Aveek. My 
 
 June 1], 1818. gjt^^tiQn \^ uuccrtaiu. Tlie voice of 
 
 the county is decidedly with me, but I never 
 was, from various circumstances, so little pre- 
 pared, in a pecuniary point of view, for the 
 struG:2;le. 
 
 The nomination for our county came on 
 Stubton, ^^^011 the 24th of June. Chaplin had 
 July 1- mustered all the persons he could per- 
 suade or hire, few of them freeholders, and he 
 obtained the show of hands. The next day, 
 w^e proceeded to the election. On the first 
 day, I had a majority over Chaplin of 28 ; 
 on the next came a reverse, and I was 147 
 below him. On Saturday he had gained still 
 more, and was 416 above me. 
 
 THURSDAY. SATURDAY. 
 
 P. 1187. P. 3693. 
 H 880. C. 3069. 
 C. 858. H. 2653. 
 
94 
 
 We had polled two thirds of the freeholders. 
 To continue the contest, it would he neces- 
 sary to hring in the outvoters, at an enormous 
 expense and uncertain result. A general 
 opinion prevailed amongst my friends, that we 
 should have more voters in Lincoln on Friday, 
 than we could either poll or provide for, (both 
 unfounded,) and many were actually and most 
 fatally stopped from coming. 
 
 It is now prohahle, that had I not persuaded 
 (prohahly) 750 of my pluni])ers to vote unwil- 
 lingly for Pelham, I might have been at the 
 head, he, possibly, at the bottom of the poll. 
 Had I, however, adopted the plan of polling 
 all my votes single, Pelham's friends, who 
 are now many of them disgusted with his sel- 
 fish conduct, would have supposed it had 
 naturally followed from my first hostile measure. 
 With regard to the resignation, on the informa- 
 tion we possessed, no other step was prudent. 
 That our returns were so bad, was partly owing 
 to the bad measures my inexperience led me to 
 pursue, partly to the difficulty of bringing volun- 
 teers to act with concert and regularity until 
 they have been once beaten. I find that I 
 have been every where blamed for giving away 
 a sure victory ; but, even in their vexation, the 
 freeholders have shown a determination to ad- 
 
95 
 
 here to my cause. Measures are already com- 
 meiiccd to prepare i'or a more successful battle. 
 At a large meeting, at Gainsborough, of friends 
 of that neighbourhood and the Isle of Axholme, 
 I have already reconciled the opinions of all, 
 and increased the nundjcrs of my partisans ; 
 and I have little doubt of producing the same 
 result at Boston, when an opportunity may 
 ofler, but the attempt yet would be premature. 
 In the mean time, I am informed that Chap- 
 lin's expenses have been enormous, certainly 
 not less than two or three times my own. 
 Had I proceeded, the expense of the three last 
 days must have been exceedingly inconvenient 
 to me. 
 
 On a peach tree, in my peach house, bearing 
 August c. ^ goot^ crop of peaches, of which a 
 small part is already gathered, is one 
 very fine and perfect nectarine, produced with- 
 out any art or trick. I had heard of this 
 singular circumstance having occurred else- 
 where, but never before had an oj)portunity of 
 seeing it. 
 
 After di'awing my barouche from Lincoln 
 
 stubton, Assizes, on a day uncommonly hot, 
 
 Aug. 7, ]8i8. ^^^g q£ ^^^y coach horses, six years 
 
 old, the finest I ever possessed, was taken ex- 
 ceedingly ill ; he was in a high fever, and had 
 
96 
 
 not discharged any urine since he left Lincohi. 
 They liad akeady obtained from him a large 
 quantity of blood, and I ordered him to be 
 fomented, which was done. I w^ould also have 
 administered a clyster, but no pipe was within 
 reach ; unfortunately, the farrier arrived on 
 other business : knowing him to be a man who 
 l^ractised only because, having broke as a 
 farmer, he had nothing else to do, I had even 
 less confidence in Hoole than in the ordinary 
 race. He approved, however, of what had 
 been done, and promised to give no medicine. 
 I ordered the horse, naturally shy in staling, 
 to be left alone, and the door locked, and went 
 away : no sooner was I gone, (to dinner) than 
 Hoole, to excite the horse to stale, thrust an 
 onion up the passage of the urethra, which it 
 comj^letely stopped. The excess of his igno- 
 rant folly, however, was not beheved, till the 
 horse having died in agony, the onion was 
 found : on its removal, the urine followed. 
 This reminds me of another farrier, who was 
 giving drinks to a cow, and assured his ad- 
 miring audience, that one drop of water would 
 j)roduce instant death. To then* astonishment, 
 I ordered them to let her go ; she filled herself 
 with water, at a pond, and never ailed more. 
 The two farriers, it is to be hoped, will be ruin- 
 
97 
 
 ed as to their trade. The horse was recovering 
 when the farrier arrived, and I had Httle doubt 
 of his stahiig when left alone. 
 
 At the last election, I lost a very gi'eat num- 
 ber of votes from tlie long and unaccountable 
 supineness of Sir G. Heathcote. lie was 
 zealous at last, when it was too late ; and 
 when his inactivity had afforded an excuse for 
 persons connected with him, to espouse the 
 opposite interest ; amongst them, Smith, of 
 Horbling, an attorney, probably carried against 
 me more votes than any other individual in 
 the county. Lord Fitzwilliam and his son, 
 notwithstanding their near relation to the Pel- 
 hams, afforded me the strongest proofs of their 
 friendship. Lord Milton, by canvassing with 
 me, went far to contradict the worthless false- 
 hoods which had been industriously propagated 
 against me. My journey to Boston has not 
 had all the success I expected from it : this 
 may, in gi'eat measure, be attributed to the 
 measures of a very zealous friend and near 
 neighbour, whose bad judgment has created 
 considerable mischief to the cause. The re- 
 publicans at Boston seem, in general, well 
 inclined. Numbers in that neighbourhood are 
 dissenters, who are almost all with me, parti- 
 cularly the Quakers, who nearly all give me 
 plumpers. 
 
98 
 
 The speaking at Lincoln was better far than 
 I had ever known it. Pelham, indeed, was 
 very bad, and Sir C. Anderson did not sj^eak 
 so well as once before ; but Su- R. Sheffield, 
 for Pelham, spoke in a very manly and con- 
 stitutional style. Allix, in seconding my nom- 
 ination, acquitted himself remarkably well ; 
 and Chaplin himself, though without learning 
 or information, spoke with good humour, and 
 in a manner far superior to all our expectations ; 
 and which, though somewhat vulgar, was not 
 ill adapted to his audience. 
 
 The elections, on the whole, have not turned 
 out favorable to those in power ; the numbers 
 they have lost are not very considerable, but 
 several are chosen from amongst the avowed 
 friends of reform ; some of them, too, men 
 of activity and talents, whose exertions in par- 
 liament will probably create a great effect. 
 The Capital, including Westminster andSouth- 
 wark, has chosen none but members of the 
 Opposition. It is remarkable, too, that the 
 Ministers have not even been able to nominate 
 the whole of the Scotch Peers. Lords Belliaven 
 and Roscberry having been returned in oppo- 
 sition to them. From Brooks', one hundred 
 and thirty members have sent a written request 
 to Tierney, that he would act as leader of the 
 Opi:)Osition, with which he has complied. 
 
99 
 
 Since the general election, Koniilly, who 
 siubtoti, liJitl recently lost liis wife, snfTeriiig 
 ec. 1SJ8. ^^jjj^j. ^]jg severest mentul affliction, 
 
 pnt an end to his life with a razor. He appears 
 to have anticipated the possihilitj of insanity. 
 He had led a life in which his unremitting at- 
 tention to husiness was, probahly, greater than 
 could be supported even by his great and vigo- 
 rous intellect. No man could ha\'e been less 
 spared by the country. His indefatigable devo- 
 tion to his public duties, his incorruptible integ- 
 rity, sound patriotic principles, and powerful 
 mode of lashing the worthless and corrupt, have 
 left no one to succeed him. Horner, alone lit 
 to be his political heii*, was gone before him. 
 Romilly devoted the little time his business in 
 l^arliament, and in the Court of Chancery, left 
 him, to the enjoyment of his domestic comforts, 
 and was rarely seen in society. I never knew 
 him but in the House of Commons ; but, I re- 
 flect with pride, that he supported me in every 
 motion I have brought forward of public impor- 
 tance, and even had the goodness to dra^v up 
 for me several bills which I have introduced 
 into the House. 
 
 Romilly always entertained the highest pos- 
 sible respect for the characters of Lords Ellen- 
 borongh and Eldon, and never liked to hear 
 
 H 
 
100 
 
 any unfavorable reflections made upon them. 
 When informed that Lord Ellenborough was 
 become childish, he said no man's mind was 
 safe. 
 
 No proper candidate could be found to suc- 
 ceed Romilly in the representation of West- 
 minster. Lord John Russell was physically 
 unfit, from the badness of his health, and the 
 extreme feebleness of his voice. Sir F. Burdett 
 had better have avoided interfering, but he 
 exerted himself for his friend Hobhouse, who 
 refused to give a sufficiently explicit declaration 
 of his political principles, and inspired no party 
 ^vith confidence. G. Lamb, probably in his 
 heart an enemy to reform, excited no gi'eat 
 zeal in his supporters ; but is chosen by the 
 efforts of the old whigs and the preference of 
 the tories. 
 
 Whitbread, the father of the last, possessed 
 Maicb 12. *^ great deal of industry, much sin- 
 gularity of character, possibly some 
 talent. Early in life, he expended somewhat 
 more than the whole of his very small fortune, 
 in a sort of summer house, near Bedford, yet 
 known by the name of Whitbread's folly. His 
 creditor dunned him for the debt he had con- 
 tracted, and that in a manner so little agreeable 
 to liim, that he determined to exert himself 
 
101 
 
 to pay him. To this accident he attrihiited 
 his success in life. He was indefatigable in 
 his business ; and there was no hour, day or 
 night, when those whom he em2)l()yed could 
 rely upon his absence. His manners and ideas 
 were vulgar, and he had a great deal of unin- 
 telligible superstition ; but he was generous 
 and charitable. He was the intimate friend of 
 another remarkable character, Howard, the ^ 
 visitor of prisons and hospitals, and almost 
 the first corrector of their abuses. Howard 
 was a tyrant at home, but his tyranny appear- 
 ed more the effect of a mind partially diseased, 
 than of a disposition naturally bad. His harsh 
 treatment was thought to have hastened the 
 death of his wife, before whose picture he 
 frequently performed a sort of penance. He 
 had an only son, whom, for the slightest offen- 
 ces, he obliged to remain for hours in a pre- 
 scribed attitude, in a grotto in his garden. 
 The son became a lunatic, and the father a 
 wanderer ; but he nobly paid to mankind at 
 large, the voluntary forfeitme of his domestic 
 offences. Whitbread and Howard were both 
 natives of Carrington, near Bedford. 
 
 The new Parliament acquired some esteem 
 
 jQjje fi'om the people. Ministers had more 
 
 than once been defeated. A large 
 
102 
 
 floating party alarmed those in power, and ap- 
 peared undecided both as to measures and 
 men. In an evil hour, Tierney brought for- 
 ward a motion on the state of the nation . The 
 question might have rested firmly on its own 
 grounds, but he, unfortunately, argued it on the 
 grounds of party feeling, and a desire to obtain 
 possession of ofhce. Nothing ever appeared 
 to me so imprudent, nothing ever was less 
 successful. The floating party were, in fact, 
 men unconnected with, and unknown to, each 
 other ; who had few of them any other inten- 
 tion than that of espousing the strongest side. 
 Being driven to a premature decision, they 
 joined the government, and, contrary to the ex- 
 pectations of both sides, gave them a triumph- 
 ant majority. The joy of Ministers was not 
 concealed : they instantly took advantage of 
 their victory, no longer attempted to diminish 
 the odium of their measures, and added taxes 
 to the amount of three millions to the burdens 
 of an oppressed people. The folly of this last 
 measure must soon appear ; it may assist in 
 ruining our trade and manufactures, but must 
 be absolutely unproductive. 
 
 Cuvier sur les Fossiles. I never was so 
 astonished as by this book ; it gives room for 
 the most extraordinary reflections. He gives 
 
103 
 
 facts oulv, and misleads iioitlicr you nor liini- 
 self, hy attempting the ibrmation of any theory. 
 He appears to me to prove that no hmnan 
 bones have yet been found in a fossil state, 
 and that the skeletons and hones so found, 
 belong to animals scarcely any of them now 
 existing. In the regions furthest North, have 
 even been discovered, by the sudden melting 
 of almost aboriginal snows, bodies of animals 
 approaching to the elejjhant, with the flesh 
 and hair upon them ; animals which could only 
 exist where there was a vegetation luxuriant 
 as that near the tropics. How ignorant are 
 we of the world we inhabit ! 
 
 Black swans, from Ne^v Holland, have bred 
 October, freely at AVentworth. The soil there 
 appears peculiarly salutary both to 
 animal and vegetable life. The plantations 
 near the house have rhododendrons growing in 
 the highest perfection, as underwood. The 
 Portugal laurels grow in the giTatest luxuri- 
 ance ; one which I measured was fifty-seven 
 yards in circumference. About the 4th of 
 June, I received from Kendrick, three Brazil 
 tortoises, 2J inches in the greatest length of 
 the shell ; the flesh green and yellow striped, 
 the shell of a dingy green, brown, and red. 
 They delight in the warm ^vater of the aqua- 
 
104 
 
 riiim, but ^vhen tlie sun sliines, sit basking on 
 a pot, a stone, or gravel. Thej will eat insects, 
 small fish, and almost any animal food ; they 
 are very active and tame ; and in three months 
 have gi'own three quarters of an inch. 
 
 In the course of the Summer, the great body 
 of the people have taken more than usual inte- 
 rest in the question of refonn. Unfortunately, 
 by the apathy of the whigs, having fallen into 
 the hands of the most violent and profligate 
 demagogues, it was no longer possible for the 
 best friends of liberty to unite with them. 
 Hunt and Co. pushed them on with a revolu- 
 tionary (French revolutionary) violence, which 
 revolted and alarmed the timid. Little, indeed, 
 was the occasion for alarm ; for the people of 
 England never have acted, and never will act, 
 with permanent vigor or resolution, unless 
 under the guidance of men of rank or conse- 
 quence. Ministers seem to have resolved 
 to drive them into some act of violence, to 
 justify their use of the military ; and, at last, 
 somewhat prematurely, the event occurred at 
 Manchester. Ministers have totally failed in all 
 their financial speculations. I might say, in 
 all their political speculations. They had pre- 
 dicted increasing prosperity, and we find only 
 increasing misery and ruin ; it appears, there- 
 
105 
 
 fore, to tlieiii absolutely necessary to throw the 
 blame upon the people ; and this idea is, pro- 
 bably, the more welcome to them, as it will, at 
 the same time, give them the opportunity of 
 diminishing their rights and liberties, particu- 
 larly those which relate to the consideration of 
 grievances, whether by the use of the press, 
 or in public assemblies. Of the meeting at 
 Manchester, and the events which followed 
 upon it, the accounts are, in some respects, so 
 contradictory, that it is time alone which can 
 enable us to form an accurate judgment upon 
 them. Why then refuse all enquiry ? 
 
 It appears that an immense mass of people 
 assembled from various places, part of them 
 marching under flags w ith some degree of re- 
 gularity, but all unarmed ; that the Magistracy 
 pretended or felt great alarm for the tranquillity 
 of the place ; and proceeded in the most violent 
 and offensive manner to arrest Hunt, wdio 
 had before offered to surrender himself to them, 
 and w hom they could have had no difficulty 
 at any time in securing. 
 
 Whether the riot act was read in some place 
 where no one heard it, or w^as not read at 
 all — w^hether the constables were or were not 
 first employed and driven back — are facts yet 
 unproved ; but the legal mode of a posse comi- 
 
lOG 
 
 tatus was not resorted to, and the military 
 were ordered to charge an unresisting people. 
 The regular troops are said to have behaved 
 with a due desire to avoid the shedding of 
 blood, but the yeomanry of the vicinity appear 
 to have been the too w^illing agents of a violent 
 and sanguinary Magistracy. Hunt and Co. 
 ^vere seized ; then followed disgraceful scenes 
 of prisoners ill treated, justice denied, and 
 Coroners adjoining then courts to screen de- 
 linquents. 
 
 In the mean time, the most violent mea- 
 sures are resolved upon in the Cabinet. The 
 Magistrates and yeomanry are thanked by the 
 Secretary of State, in the name of the Regent, 
 and the fountain of niercy is thus polluted 
 with civil blood. Lord Fitzwilliam, univer- 
 sally respected for his benevolence, his domes- 
 tic virtues, his moderation, and his attachment 
 to the constitution and religion of his country, 
 is dismissed from his office of Lieutenant of a 
 part of Yorkshire, because he attended a public 
 meeting which only called for enquiry into 
 these important subjects. Lord Sidmouth has 
 issued circular letters, for the purpose of crea- 
 ting, as far as his folly and imbecility can effect 
 it, a false alarm. Orders to secure cannon, 
 and to take every other precaution against a 
 
107 
 
 powerful enemy — and ^vllat is this enemy ? — 
 a few men driven to desperation by famine ; 
 perhaps a few others with bad designs ; the 
 whole totalhf without arms, ammunition, lea- 
 ders, or money. It is melancholy to reflect, 
 how many are the dupes of all this system of 
 hypocrisy and falsehood. In my own county 
 and Northamptonsliire we dare not call a meet- 
 ing ; such are the fears of some, and the 
 apathy of others, that even defeat might be 
 incurred from the want of a full attendance : 
 and by the advice of all my friends, with re- 
 luctance and vexation I give it up. What can 
 be done for the people, if they will do nothing 
 for themselves ? 
 
 Mountague Matthew, brother of the Earl 
 of Landaff, who died this Siunmer, was accus- 
 tomed to deliver his violent and vulgar speeches 
 in the House of Commons, with stentorian 
 lungs. Once, w hen in vain called to order by 
 the Speaker, the whole House exerted itself 
 to drown his voice, but he was plainly heard 
 above them all. Some one, mistaking him for 
 Matthew Mountague, he said, they were no 
 more alike than a chesnut horse to a horse 
 chesnut. 
 
 Brand, having succeeded to a peerage, and 
 November, Lauib, liaviug uiadc a successful can- 
 
 ^^^^" vass for Hertfordshire, Lord Fitz- 
 
108 
 
 williain wrote to offer me the vacant seat for 
 Peterborough. His letter was most friendly 
 and liberal ; yet, an allusion to his opinion, 
 hostile to reform, made me very doubtful of 
 the issue. I stated my opinions very fully to 
 him, and he was perfectly satisfied. I inchne 
 to think Lord Milton well disposed to reform, 
 but restrained by his great respect and affection 
 for his flither. On going to Milton, for the 
 purpose of canvassing Peterborough, I found 
 the high church terribly hostile, both to the 
 family at Milton, and to myself These good 
 courtiers can see no virtues in a man at vari- 
 ance with the court. The Bishop, Marsh, is at 
 the head of this hostility ; he was once, I am 
 informed, a friend to liberal principles and 
 toleration, but, finding this was not the road to 
 preferment, he turned round, wrote a book, 
 and became a bishop. One clergyman went 
 the length of informing his neighbours, that I 
 was a rascal, a jacobin, and an atlieist : the 
 last of these accusations w^as alarming. For- 
 tunately, when I w^ent to canvass the place 
 with Lord Milton, the mob drew the carriage 
 and gave us an opportunity of addressing them. 
 Lord Milton spoke with great emotion, and 
 even shed tears ; he defended me most honor- 
 ably, and with fiir more effect than I could 
 
100 
 
 have defended myself. It luul not been usual 
 for the inhabitants to take much interest in the 
 elections, but their little respect for the clergy, 
 the great and merited popidarity of the house 
 of Milton, and, perhaps, some favorable im- 
 pressions received of me, made me the most 
 acceptable candidate thej have long or ever had. 
 
 My election came on the last of November. 
 December An immcusc coucoursc, many per- 
 
 ^^' sons from the country, gave great 
 eclat to the scene. The dinner was very 
 numerously attended. Late in the evening, T 
 left them and proceeded to London to take my 
 seat. The clergy affected to fear a riot ; the 
 most resj^ectable amongst them, however, Dr. 
 Strong, had relented. 1 inculcated oblivion, 
 and I hope all animosity will cease. A prin- 
 cipal layman, deceived by calumny, had gone 
 into Norfolk to avoid me : he there heard so 
 good a character of me, that he returned to 
 support my election. 1 am exceecUngly pleased 
 with this return to parliament, and it aj)pears 
 to give gTcat satisfaction to all my friends, pub- 
 lic and private. I could owe a seat to no man 
 more honorably or more agi'eeably than to 
 Lord Fitzwilliam ; besides, my friends were 
 disappointed, and my political enemies delight- 
 ed, with my not having a seat in this House. 
 
no 
 
 This appears to me the most corrupt and 
 stubton, ii^c)st vulgar Parhament that ever 
 Dec. 20, 1619. ^^^^ . ^|^^^ hhiicllj support thc Mi- 
 nister in every proposition. Then, they are all 
 orators, half of them want to speak on every 
 important question. It is true there is an in- 
 creased numher, hostile to Administration ; 
 hut then, there is no third hody, of any weight 
 or numhers, to turn the scale on any occasion. 
 The hills, founded on the late events, have 
 heen well fought. The sechtion hill, hy heing 
 made temporary, hy not affecting meetings in 
 rooms, and other alterations, is disarmed. The 
 worst of these measures, are those which affect 
 the liherty of the press ; and Ministers, on 
 this suhject, were so determined, that nothing 
 could he gained. It was wonderful to hear the 
 exaggerations of danger in the country repea- 
 tedly hrought forward, repeatedly contradicted, 
 and always heheved. In these circumstances, 
 Lord J. Russell hrings forward a proposition 
 to disfranchise Grampound, and give the re- 
 presentation to Leeds. We all expected it to 
 he treated with derision. Sir H. Ward ^vas 
 supposed to he ready, and Canning, evidently 
 so. Suddenly, Lord Castlereagh yields this 
 question (as far as it goes) of radical reform. 
 It does httle, hut it promises much ! Lord 
 Castlereagh, Sir V. Burdett, and al)()^•e all, 
 
Ill 
 
 li(.ml IMilloii, are uiucli improved in spcaldrig. 
 Caniiiiig appears to me gone oil'. How odious 
 is this exercise of privilege. The sending 
 Hobhouse to Newgate is supposed to have 
 arisen from the desire ol" provoking Burdett to 
 violence, that he might lose the very great 
 credit he had gained hj his last ahle and 
 moderate speeches. In the House, he was 
 sufficiently on his guard ; hut at the Crown 
 and Anchor, he signed, as chairman, an address 
 to Hobhouse, as violent as his enemies could 
 wish. C. ^\^ynne had certainly determined to 
 move that he should be sent to Newgate ; on 
 Thursday, he thought the House too thin, and 
 whilst he waited, either he altered his mind or 
 was persuaded to abandon his intention. 
 
 I am afraid hydropho])ia is become more 
 jaiinarv. prevalciit tluiu formerly in this coun- 
 ^^'°- try. Of its causes, we are at present 
 utterly ignorant. Experience, I think, proves 
 that it does not arise from heat, from cold, or 
 from want of water. I believe, hitherto, it has 
 never been cured. It is conmiunicated by the 
 saliva entering into the circulation of the blood ; 
 and, therefore, the person bitten is frequently 
 saved by the saliva being wi])ed a^vay from the 
 teeth, by the clothing of the part bitten. Phy- 
 sicians doubt whether caustics or even excision 
 can be applied sufficiently speedily to save the 
 
112 
 
 patient. I have conversed with a physician, 
 who attended a girl at Leicester, fatally afflic- 
 ted with this dreadful malady. Sir H. Halford 
 related to me the particulars of the case of 
 another girl, ^diom he constantly attended. A 
 horse, at Beckingham, died last week frantic 
 from the bite of a mad dog. Some years ago, 
 in my own stable yard, I caressed a strange 
 dog wliich looked very miserable ; it was a very 
 large and powerful dog; I afterwards heard 
 that it was under the influence of tlie disorder, 
 and had bitten several dogs that morning. 
 Shortly after I left it, it bit a horse, in Stub- 
 ton, which I attended, and which died furious. 
 Both these horses drank freely, and the follow- 
 ing very extraordinary facts result from all the 
 information I have yet obtained : that horses 
 and dogs, afflicted with the disorder, are furious 
 and deprived of whatever supphes the place of 
 reason, but have no fear of water, though oc- 
 casionally unable to swallow it, from a sweUing 
 of the tlu'oat ; but human beings, thus afflic- 
 ted, in general perfectly retain their reason, but 
 are thrown into convulsions, more or less 
 violent, by the sight of hquids. 
 
 Ten days before the death of the King, I 
 
 stubton, liad informed my friends of this ex- 
 uicL, i«io. pg(.^g^| QyQ^i^ j^i^j ^\^^^ Parliament 
 
113 
 
 would certainly be dissolved about the 25tli 
 February. I had no personal wish for a con- 
 test in the county, and I was resolved it should 
 not be at my own expense. I was determined, 
 too, not to be again a burthen on my private 
 and personal friends only ; but I felt that it 
 was due to those who had before su2)ported me 
 in the county, that they should have an oppor- 
 tunity of determining for themselves. The 
 leaders delayed assembling to consult, until it 
 was too late ; and tliough my friends had in- 
 creased in number, they shewed little inclina- 
 tion to contribute their money. Some proposed 
 that I should offer myself to those who would 
 poll without creating expense ; but this I posi- 
 tively refused, seeing no advantage or credit 
 from a plan which insured failure. At the 
 county election, few (scarcely any) of my 
 friends attended, as they knew nothing was to 
 be done, and did not like witnessing the success 
 of others. The Sherifij under various preten- 
 ces, refused to adjourn into the yard, and even 
 there I should not have found a very favorable 
 audience ; but that in the county court was 
 most ferociously hostile, and none amongst 
 them more so than Mr. Sheriff Corbett. He 
 sufl'ered every vulgar interruption to be given 
 me; and at last, repeatedly silenced me himself, 
 
114 
 
 yielding alternately to his fears oi" the conse- 
 quences, and begging me to proceed. Fred. 
 Robinson, in a manly manner asserted my 
 rights ; but both the candidates, by their indis- 
 position or want of judgment, lost a fine 
 opportunity of gaining credit with the county. 
 To me, the scene was advantageous, for the 
 attempt to speak in an assembly so constituted, 
 must have been most irksome. I withdrew 
 from the meeting, protesting, Avith the friends 
 who had accompanied me, against the indignity 
 with which I had been treated ; and have since 
 published an address, in -vvhich the Sheriff is 
 in no respect spared. I find he is not sup- 
 2)orted by any, the most violent. 
 
 A few days before the dissolution of Parlia- 
 ment, Thistlewood, and twenty or thirty others, 
 were found armed in a hay -loft, ready to sally 
 forth to massacre, as it is said, all the Ministers 
 whilst at dinner. There can be no doubt these 
 miscreants, urged by fannne and profligacy, 
 had resolved upon some atrocious crime. There 
 can be as little doubt that men, so well known 
 as Thistlewood and some others amongst them, 
 were watched night and day ; and probably 
 some sjiy amongst them fixed the day on 
 which the ciime should be connnitted. Could 
 any day ])c more con\cnient tlian one innne- 
 
115 
 
 diately before the dissolution ? When the King 
 gave his consent, by commission, to the last 
 bills Ministers had the audacity to put into his 
 mouth, a libel on half his subjects, by endea- 
 vouring to connect this conspiracy with the 
 Manchester and Yorkshire meetings, and make 
 it a continuation of the necessity of the late 
 restricti\'e acts. The violence of the minis- 
 terial party is beyond measme increased. No 
 calumnies are spared ; every crime — the late 
 conspiracy — the death of the Duke de Berry — 
 all are openly charged upon the principles of 
 those who support the whig principles. It 
 does not seem, however, that they make much 
 impression on the country. In the mean time, 
 a noble revolution has taken place in Spain. 
 Disgusted with the tyranny of the beloved Fer- 
 dinand, his troops have remembered they were 
 citizens, and calmly declared for a free consti- 
 tution, which they have at length obtained 
 Avithout bloodshed. The example of this gallant 
 nation cannot be lost. It appears, however, 
 that Ferdinand has only yielded to necessity ; 
 that he has acted ^vith his usual cowardice and 
 perfidy ; and he probably only now watches 
 the first opportunity to overthrow the new 
 constitution. An opportunity I hope he will 
 never find. 
 
 I 
 
116 
 
 On Tuesday, the 28th March, a chameleon 
 April 6, ^^'^s sent me, about eleven inches in 
 ^^'^^- length, tail included. It came in a 
 wicker basket, covered with flannel; it was 
 then entirely of a hght yellow. I had it put into 
 the pine stove. The next morning, I found 
 it on the stem of a vine ; it was then entirely 
 of a bright green, like the leaves of the vine. 
 These colours, however, are not from reflection, 
 as they do not change immediately on removal. 
 I have since always found it green, but, some- 
 times, with many broad perpendicular stripes 
 of a dark brown. Once, being repeatedly 
 molested, I saw the bag of the under jaw swell 
 to an enormous size, and become yellow, whilst 
 the rest of the body was covered with multi- 
 tudes of spots, yellow and brown, completely 
 circular. 
 
 The house adjoining its abode being paint- 
 ing, I moved it into a house for forcing cher- 
 ries, but in the night it suffered so much from 
 cold, that the next morning it appeared to be 
 expiring. On being restored to its former resi- 
 dence, it soon recovered ; it was, however, 
 three days without recovering its appetite. It 
 now eats freely, and even voraciously, all flies, 
 bees, &c. put within its reach : when apparently 
 dying, it did not change colour. 1 know not 
 the countrv from whence it came. 
 
117 
 
 The crown ol" the cliameleon does not differ 
 from Buffon's description : the only points in 
 which the animal differs are, that the openings 
 of the memhrane wliicli covers the eye are per- 
 fectly circular, and that I have never found 
 any gi'ey colour upon it. 
 
 The ch:imeleon continued in perfect health 
 June 2-3, ^^iitil this morning, when a stupid 
 
 ^^^^' under gardener destroyed him hy has- 
 tily closing one of the lights on which he had 
 climbed. He was brought from Brazil. Du- 
 ring a journey of six months no food was given 
 him, and it was a month longer before he 
 recovered his appetite. His brother who tra- 
 velled with him is at Exeter Change. 
 
 On the dissolution, the people every where 
 showed a desire to elect men of independent 
 principles, but under the present corrupt sys- 
 tem, their power in that respect is small. 
 Something, however, was gained, and more 
 might have been gained, particularly in the 
 Capital, where the exertions of the whigs were 
 diverted by the anxiety to elect Lamb for 
 Westminster, an anxiety in which I did not 
 partake. There is also in the House of Com- 
 mons a large floating party which, though it 
 generally supports ^linisters, is by no means 
 under their control, and gives them much un- 
 
118 
 
 easiness ; yet, this party has never interfered 
 in favor of economy, or of liberty, or to dimi- 
 nish the enormous standing army. At the 
 beginning of the Session, there seemed to me 
 far too great a complaisance in the Opposition 
 towards the new reign. Both Brougham and 
 Tierney were strongly infected with it, and 
 nothing could be done against the measures of 
 Ministers. Tired with the rej^eated postpone- 
 ment of all important business, weakened by 
 a most severe dysentry of two days, longing 
 for the country, and anxious to attend the 
 annual dinner of my cavalry who were much 
 displeased with the second in command and 
 dissatisfied with my absence, I came down for 
 a week's enjoyment. 
 
 About ten days ago, the eloquent and ami- 
 able Grattan expired in London. In a dying 
 state, he had the anxious wish of finishing his 
 days, like Chatham, in a last parliamentary 
 eflbrt for his country. His friends justly op- 
 posed an imitation which would not have had 
 the effect of the original, and it did not take 
 place. Death has reconciled his enemies, and 
 the gentleness of" his disposition, as well as the 
 unrivalled brilliancy of his oratory, are univer- 
 sally acknowledged. His patriotism had some- 
 what suffered in my estimation, by his having 
 
119 
 
 latterly inclined with Plunkett to the Gren- 
 ^'illes. We liave also lost Sir Joseph Banks, 
 a man violent and vindictive, yet generous 
 and capahle of sincere iriendship. Disliking 
 learning, he left school to travel round the 
 world. He was illiterate, acquainted with 
 no language hut his own, and that not in 
 perfection. He possessed no science : for 
 natural history he had only consulted Pennant, 
 and in botany depended solely on his povverihl 
 memory ; yet, ])ossessed of great wealth, with 
 spirit and inclination to expend it in the pro- 
 motion of science, and the encouragement of 
 young artists, he made himself eminently 
 useful in his line, and became honored and 
 respected at home and abroad. So little is 
 London the proj^er seat of an academy of sci- 
 ences, that it will be found very difficult to fill 
 the chair of the Royal Society with a proper 
 president. I had almost all my Hfe been on 
 friendly terms with him. 
 
 The Session is on the point of closing, (not 
 stubton, properly, indeed, the Session, as we 
 "^ ■ are to have an adjournment and not 
 a prorogation,) and a worse Session for the 
 country we never yet had. The subservient 
 feeling towards the new King, and in some the 
 hope of succeeding to a tottering Administra- 
 
120 
 
 tion, which had offended the King, made all 
 attempts hopeless to oppose the extravagance 
 of Ministers in almost every department ; and 
 the arrival of the Queen totally put an end to 
 all interest in, or attention to, any other 
 suhject. 
 
 The Queen had arrived near the coast, when 
 she was met hy Lord Hutchinson to treat with 
 her on the part of the King and Brougham, 
 who appears to have advised her to accept the 
 terms proj)osed ; and ahove all, not to come to 
 England. Had she taken this advice, she was 
 lost. Alderman Wood went to hring her over. 
 It w^as, however, her own decisive character, 
 and the fear of heing stopped hy a messenger 
 from Paris, which led her to resolve immedi- 
 ately to land in England, without even inform- 
 ing Brougham of her journey. Ministers never 
 helieved she would have taken this step, and 
 were utterly unprepared for it. They treated 
 her with every indignity ; money, indeed, they 
 offered, hut neither respect nor residence, and 
 messages were next day sent to hoth Houses, 
 to appoint secret committees to prejudge her 
 case. The Commons ohliged Ministers to 
 negotiate, hut they offered no terms hut those 
 already refused, and which nothing hut ac- 
 knowledged guilt could have acce2)ted. Wil- 
 
121 
 
 ])eiTorce carried a motion advising her to acce])t 
 tlieni ; but, supported l)y the universal indig- 
 nation of the people against the injustice shown 
 her, she indignantly refused them, and the 
 Commons showed no disposition to give her 
 further support. Without accepting the terms, 
 she might, by her answer, have left the mat- 
 ter to the House of Commons ; and unless she 
 has a very good case, this, I am persuaded, 
 would have been her best course. On this 
 occasion, Lord Lauderdale, the Hutchinsons, 
 and others, have joined the Court, and even 
 Lord Grey has opposed them less directly than 
 I should have hoped. Had he shown the 
 indignation I expected from him, at a course 
 which appears to me to be a violation of every 
 principle of justice, his powerful eloquence, 
 backed by the influence of his high character, 
 must have overturned all their measures. As 
 it is, on the second reading of a bill of pains 
 and penalties, we are to have a sort of trial 
 before the Lords, who have ah'eady avowed by 
 then* votes a shameful partiality. 
 
 I was nominee for Colonel Hughes, but 
 could not prevent his being unseated for the 
 most imprudent system of treating. I brought 
 down Pringle to till the vacant seat, but Ostler, 
 Hughes' agent had been before me, and taking 
 
122 
 
 advantage of my absence, bad pledged Tborold 
 to neutrality, and brougbt forward Sir M. 
 Cbolmeley : tbus have we been outwitted by 
 a fool, and Grantbam will be represented by 
 the most intolerant bigot, unless he should be 
 beat by Sir W. Manners, from whom we shall 
 have but little better to expect. Sir W. Man- 
 ners having refused to obey the Speaker's war- 
 rant, to give evidence before the committee, I 
 w^as obliged to move for measures of rigour 
 against him, which ended in Iris being lodged 
 in Newgate. 
 
 The base subserviency of Ministers in lend- 
 ing themselves apparently against then* opin- 
 ions, to the illegal persecution of the Queen, 
 and the total failure of their measures, have 
 rendered them detested by the greater part of 
 the nation. We shall soon see what will be 
 then' further conduct, and what their fate. 
 
 In the beginning of this montli, 1 passed 
 some time at Milton, to meet the Duke of 
 Gloucester. This weak man (abating the anx- 
 iety for all the ceremonious attention he can 
 obtain) is inoffensive and good humoured. 
 The Bisliop was much puzzled by Lord Fitz- 
 william's good natured attention in asking him 
 to dinner ; he said, rather publicly, that he 
 could not dine at Milton, and then accepted 
 
123 
 
 the invitation. He came in the morning, and 
 violated all forms hv seatinoj himself; after 
 pointing out to the royal guest as well as to the 
 host and hostess, the chairs he allotted them. 
 Tlie next day he sent an excuse from the 
 dinner, on account of an illness, of which his 
 Physician told me there was no other evidence. 
 The Duke was exceedingly eager on the poli- 
 tics of the day, and somewhat tedious in his 
 long repeated dissertations upon them, gene- 
 rally taken from the newspapers. 
 
 There is something extraordinary and even 
 new in the almost frantic \dolence with which 
 the greater part of the clergy, and of the muni- 
 cipal officers, have opposed all the rejoicings of 
 the people on the loss of the bill of pains and 
 penalties against the Queen. It seems really 
 as if they had wished to provoke riots to justify 
 vengeance ; and wherever their insults upon 
 the people have created the slightest irregula- 
 rity, they have no where, that I have heard of, 
 foregone the pleasure of visiting it with their 
 utmost resentment. 
 
 At Sleaford Quarter Sessions, where I presi- 
 january, ^Icd, a loycil declaration was put into 
 
 ^^^1- my hands by order of the Lord Lieu- 
 tenant, signed already by several Magistrates 
 at Falkingham. I read it to the other Magis- 
 
124 
 
 t rates, and then declared that I ohjected, at all 
 tmies, to the introduction of politics into a 
 court of justice ; and that I particularly ohjec- 
 ted to this, as a most atrocious and unfounded 
 lihel on the greater j)art of the community. 
 Of live other Magistrates, one refused with 
 indignation to sign it, two approved, and two 
 more, after expressing their entire disapproba- 
 tion of its appearance, signed it ; four more, 
 who came after we had gone into the court, 
 also signed it. A very long trial took place of 
 three persons charged with assaulting constables. 
 Tlie Magistrates had permitted an illumination 
 on the termination of the bill of pains and 
 penalties, but had prohibited the band of music ; 
 the band, however, entered the town, preceded 
 by rows of men armed with sticks, and attend- 
 ed by a gi'eat crowd. The constables attacked 
 them and got beat. Tallents exerted great 
 ah'dity against, and Mr. Bromhead, one of the 
 Magistrates, great violence. In summing up 
 the evidence, and charging the jury, (a very 
 fair one) I blamed the attack of the constables 
 as the sole cause of the riot : but refrained 
 Irom calling it, as perhaps I ought to have 
 done, illegal ; because this was so different from 
 the evident opinions of at least eight of the 
 other Magistrates, that I thought it would take 
 
125 
 
 UAvaj all wciglit from my 02)iiiion, and increase 
 the rigour of the sentence. IMr. Broniliead 
 vented a violent pliilippick against my charge, 
 in which he accused me of misdirecting the 
 jury, and iinuecessarilf/ introducinfj poUlics into 
 a court of justice. He was not supported hy 
 one Magistrate. Edward Chaplin declared his 
 opinion, that I had not, in any resj)ect, merited 
 the attack, and Mr. Brondiead begged my par- 
 don. Handley, the Magistrate who had di- 
 rected the constables, sat on the bench, and 
 even called for a severer punishment ; it was 
 only when he found his vote would be useless, 
 lie thought proper to decline giving it. One 
 of the men was acquitted, the other two sen- 
 tenced to one month's imprisonment. 
 
 The King told Lady Fitzwilliam, he knew ^ 
 Lord Castlereagh had formerly drank to the 
 rope that should hang the last King. I take 
 his Lordship to be as little sincere as the late 
 Mr. Pitt in any political princij^le. 
 
 At the famous congress, the Kings were 
 ready to do anything demanded by this coun- 
 try. Much was then thrown away by Lord 
 Castlereagh's total want of information, and 
 the want of any person about him to prompt 
 him ; this ignorance was so shameful, that 
 even Lord Stewart was considered by the con- 
 
120 
 
 tinental Ministers, as evincing the greater share 
 of knowledge of the two hrothers. 
 
 We cannot be surprised that Austria dreads 
 the progress of freedom in Italy : her govern- 
 ment is deservedly detested in every part of it ; 
 not the slightest attention is shewn to the in- 
 terests or the feelings of the natives ; their re- 
 sources are carried out of the country, and no 
 Italian ever promoted. The Duke of Glou- 
 cester says, that at Venice, a house become a 
 heap of ruins, is of more value than one in 
 good repair ; the pulling down of houses being 
 j)rohibited. 
 
 During the last Session, a committee of 
 siubton, about six Members sat constantly to 
 
 ^^^^' obtain all the financial information 
 they could. Hume, one of them, used the 
 fruits of their labours in opposing the extrava- 
 gance of Ministers. He was enthusiastically 
 supported by the nation ; and though nothing 
 was carried in the House, it has forced upon 
 Ministers a very considerable reduction in 
 many departments since the prorogation, 
 though very far below^ the necessities of the 
 country. 
 
 When a prosecution was threatened against 
 Hunt, for his conduct at Manchester, Scarlett 
 told his noble friends at Milton, and myself. 
 
127 
 
 that it would be very curious if Hunt should 
 be punished for the only time he ever was 
 right. Soon afterwards he was called upon 
 as king's counsel, to take the lead in the prose- 
 cution, and successfully performed his task. 
 Scarlett brought forward his poor bill, but it 
 remains for decision next Session. It goes too 
 far, or not far enough ; for it is in vain to com- 
 bat the mischievous principle of compulsory 
 relief, unless you annihilate it : whilst it re- 
 mains in action, the salutary principle of vo- 
 luntary relief can never be expected to operate. 
 Reform was brought forward by Lamb ton, 
 with the prospect of a very respectable division ; 
 unfortunately, it came on prematurely in an 
 empty House, when no one expected it. This 
 debate, which lasted two days, was remarkable 
 for a most severe and jjersonal attack by Hob- 
 house on Canning, in resentment for a former 
 allusion to him by Canning. Canning is sup- 
 posed to have intended to reply to him at the 
 time when the debate abruptly closed, and to 
 have been prevented by Hobhouse's momen- 
 tary absence ; it happened, however, that he 
 went abroad, without having taken any notice 
 of this rude blow. Canning appears to me to 
 be lost, and Ministers have, perhaps, found out 
 the truth, that they derive no advantage from 
 his support. 
 
128 
 
 I find mj Mends in this county much dis- 
 appointed hy my silence during this Session. 
 I was several times unfortunate in heing un- 
 able to find an opportunity, often very difficult. 
 I gave notice of bringing forward the question 
 for restoring the Queen's name to the Liturgy, 
 but it was done without Tierney's concurrence. 
 T. Smith came down the same day with the 
 petition from the City, and I was obliged to 
 give it wp to him. During this Session, Tier- 
 ney, from ill health, gave up the management 
 of the 02)position, and had no successor. The 
 question relating to the Queen took up much 
 time. 
 
 The death of Bonaparte created scarcely any 
 sensation, either in this country or even in 
 France. Far greater was the impression made 
 by the sudden death of the Queen. Tlie court, 
 indeed, treated her memoiy with contempt ; 
 and she was hurried with indecent haste to her 
 grave. The citizens of London, determined 
 that the funeral procession should pass through 
 the Capital, and were opposed by the military. 
 An Officer was seen taking a deliberate and 
 successful aim at an individual, unprovoked by 
 immediate danger, and remains unpunished. 
 A Magistrate is obliged to resign, apparently 
 for too much disposition to prevent the effiision 
 
129 
 
 of blood ; and Sir Robert Wilson's briUiant 
 and acknowledged services, are not snflicient 
 to save bim from beincf casbiered for a similar 
 crime. In tbe meantime, tbe King bas not 
 even tbe decency to wait for tbe interment of 
 tbe Queen, before be exbibits bimself in ban- 
 quets and processions in Ireland ; a measure 
 wbicli at any otlier season would bave been 
 just and politic. 
 
 My bouse of industry prospers beyond my 
 stubton, most sanguine expectations. Seven- 
 teen parisbes partake of its advanta- 
 ges ; it is governed witli bumanity and firnmess. 
 Its population is from fifty to eiglity only ; all 
 are employed, tbe cbildren taken care of and 
 educated, and tbe poor rates reduced about 
 fifty per cent. Yet I am no friend to tbe 
 principle, baving adopted tbe measure almost 
 from necessity. I am aware, tbat unless well 
 managed and actively superintended, it must 
 become like many otbers, a source of tyranny ; 
 and it is, tberefore, w itb some concern, I per- 
 ceive tbe example likely to be imitated. ^Vitb 
 us, tbe seventeen guardians always attend tbe 
 montbly meetings, committees cbosen from 
 tbem superintend eacb department, and wben 
 in tbe country, I never fail to exercise my 
 autbority as visitor. 
 
130 
 
 Some black game have been sent me from 
 Scotland : every direction given us has been 
 followed, but the want of their native berries 
 was fatal. 
 
 The kangaroos are remarkably exact in their 
 time of bringing forth. They had been a year 
 without a male, and the one I procured, at 
 length, from Exeter Change, had been a long 
 time alone ; yet, though he arrived in June, 
 his presence w as useless till February, and the 
 three females all produced at their usual time. 
 These animals give suck in an unusual man- 
 ner. I have seen one two years old sucking its 
 mother, each of them having a young one in 
 the pouch. 
 
 A milk white starling, bred in the nest of a 
 common one at Brandon, and a dun crow 
 similarly hatched at Denton, have been sent 
 me this year, and are doing well, A black 
 Poland cock belonging to Mr. Kendal, of Bar- 
 row^by, w^as seized last Winter by a fox, but 
 rescued from him desperately wounded, and 
 stripped of half his feathers. He has now 
 become perfectly white. 
 
 Sheridan, a year or two before his death, 
 was found by the police drunk in the street. 
 On being asked his name, he told them under 
 injunctions of secrecy, " W. Wilberforce." 
 
131 
 
 The deaths of Sheridan and Courtenay tooli: 
 place about the same time. They were both 
 anxiously attended in their last moments hy 
 Sir J. INIackintosh. He told me the former 
 had never read, and trusted entirely to his 
 knowledge of the world, his wit, and prodigious 
 memory. Courtenay was a man of deep eru- 
 dition : both died in great poverty. The Re- 
 gent left his companion Sheridan to pass his 
 time in a spunging house, but was shamed 
 into sending him a paltry sum of money when 
 it was too late. The money was returned. 
 An attempt to establish free constitutions in 
 
 ig22. Italy, and ultimately, probably, to unite 
 that unfortunate country, which began 
 nnder promising circumstances, has, at length, 
 totally foiled. The weak King of Naples ac- 
 ceded to the revolution, and swore to maintain 
 it ; but was foolishly permitted to attend the 
 congi'ess of the Holy Alliance, and returned a 
 traitor. His eldest son may be well excused 
 in the difficult situation in which he was 
 placed ; he has not, indeed, shewn himself a 
 hero, but, without support amongst his coun- 
 sellors or courage in his army, he would only 
 ha^'e sacrificed all future hope of benefiting ^ 
 his country, by an obstinate and vain perseve- 
 rance. Wlien the Prince de Corignan, and 
 
 K 
 
132 
 
 the force of Piedmont, gave up the cause, no 
 resource remained ; for alas, England, hound 
 hy every consideration of interest and of ho- 
 nour to support them, is now the most cruel 
 enemy to liherty. Another opportunity has 
 offered for the Holy Alliance to display its 
 principles, and it has worthily availed itself of 
 it. The Greeks, driven to despair hy the op- 
 pression of the Turks, and no douht encouraged 
 secretly hy Russia, are making nohle efforts to 
 assert their rights. Yet these magnanimous 
 Sovereigns, in effect at least, espouse the cause 
 of the Turks, proclaim the injustice of chris- 
 tian slaves revolting against their masters, or 
 even defending their lives against them ; and 
 our own Government, so far from giving to the 
 Greeks that succour which is called for hy 
 every virtuous feehng, does not even preserve 
 a strict neutrality. Lord Londonderry has the 
 efh'ontery to justify the harharity of the Turks, 
 and calumniate the Greeks, in the House of 
 Commons ; and such is the wretched situation 
 to which the country is reduced, that the peo- 
 ple acquiesce rather than incur a war. 
 
 Li this Session, I was nominee on the Bos- 
 ton committee. On the question of unseating 
 Ellis, there could he no difference of opinion ; 
 hut Johnson, not having made the declaration 
 
133 
 
 required by tlic act, I had so little hope of his 
 being declared the sitting member, that I 
 would have gi^Tn up the petition and moved 
 a new writ, had I been able to do so. \n the 
 mean time, INIinisters, not dreaming of the 
 event, employed no counsel, the principal wit- 
 ness against us lost his head ; the nominee 
 chosen by the connnittee had neither zeal nor 
 knowledge ; and a hundred circumstances 
 combined to favour Johnson. On the ques- 
 tion being put, the votes given were in his 
 favour ; and the op2)osing nominee declined 
 dividing the committee. I believe, had he 
 done otherwise, he would have carried his 
 question, and declared the seat vacant. Three 
 had been silent who would all, I think, have 
 voted with him ; I, who was one, must have 
 done so ; it was my duty to advocate Johnson's 
 cause, but to vote conscientiously. 
 
 Hume, in the former Session, had done 
 j„iy some good, but in this, his eternal in- 
 terference on every question, and the 
 many tedious hours he occupied in attempting 
 trifling savings, only disgusted many from 
 attending, and prevented more important ques- 
 tions from being brought forward. The climax 
 of his vulgar assurance was, the bringing for- 
 ward the Irish tithe question. 
 
134 
 
 In our coiintj we had two county meetings : 
 the first for retrenchment and diminution of 
 taxes, — thinly attended ; the second, somewhat 
 more fully, for reform ; hut at this we should 
 have heen called a mere rahhle had not Chap- 
 lin and his friends, amongst whom were squires 
 and clergy, rather unwisely attended. The 
 meetings, howe\'er, were useful to the cause ; 
 and I hope we gather strength, and shall he 
 more numerous, and offer a more general re- 
 presentation of the county at our next as- 
 sembly. 
 
 The distress of the country has increased to 
 a degree unparalleled, and 1 am only asto- 
 nished at the patience with which it is borne ; 
 especially as it falls principally on those who 
 haye, in fact, the whole strength in their own 
 hands, if they knew how to wield it. For the 
 commercial interests, though far from prospe- 
 rous, are said to be improving ; and the manu- 
 facturers are in general employed, though at 
 low wages, and affording small profit to their 
 employers. It seems to me evident, that the 
 main cause of our distress arises from our 
 being taxed far beyond our means ; but it is 
 aggravated by the effects of Peel's bill. It was 
 certainly necessary to return to the just stan- 
 dard of exchange ; but as neither Peel nor any 
 
13; 
 
 D 
 
 other person in the House of Commons foresaAV 
 the eiFects of the measure, and were, besides, 
 misled by the delusive theories of Ricardo, the 
 measure was enacted, without being accom- 
 panied by those regulations which would have 
 diminished the severity of its consequences. 
 And what should those regulations have been ? 
 I see none effective, but a reduction of the 
 interest of the national debt. Wliere would 
 be the injustice of this ? I doubt myself the 
 justice of contracting it, and of robbing pos- 
 terity of their income and consequent prospe- 
 rity. But the best justification is the ahsohde 
 necessiiij. That such a measure would create 
 great individual misery I allow, but 1 am con- 
 vinced the delay in having recourse to it, 
 creates far greater misery every day, and at 
 last it must be resorted to. 
 
 All the reductions in expense made by Mi- 
 nisters, added to those made by Hume, always 
 too late, are too trifling to afford any relief; 
 they do not even prevent the taxes, which 
 remain operating with increasing pressure. 
 
 Probably these evils will only increase till 
 we have a thorough reform of the system, but 
 this is perhaps not very distant ; it is called for 
 by the great majority, and distress is constantly 
 increasing our numbers. Parliament must 
 
136 
 
 grant it, or it will be reformed with a ven- 
 geance. In all probability. Parliament will 
 give way by degrees ; and every point gained 
 will assist ns in gaining more. The disfran- 
 chisement of Grampound, and giving the rep- 
 resentation to Yorkshire, is, in itself, nothing ; 
 yet it shews the conviction of Ministers them- 
 selves, that something must necessarily be 
 conceded to the popular voice, and it establishes 
 a strong argument for more extensive reform. 
 Death of Lord Londonderry. This man, 
 o,toi,gj., lil^6 Pitt, had the most perfect con- 
 ^^'^''^' tempt for all public principle ; like 
 him he was arrogant and ignorant of public 
 affairs, and determined to make everything 
 subservient to his personal ambition. Though 
 he had not the eloquence of Pitt, yet he had 
 acquired the perfect knowledge of the House 
 of Commons ; was daring or temperate, accor- 
 ding to the occasion ; knew when to be firm, 
 and when to yield what he had before declared 
 he could never be brought to relinquish. Pitt 
 was disinterested with regard to the acquisition 
 of money for himself, though he connived at 
 the most shocking plunder of the country by 
 his friends. Here the comparison fails, at least 
 it is somewhat difficult to account for the im- 
 mense property said to ha^ e been acquired by 
 
137 
 
 liorcl LoiuIoikIoii'n 's iktlier, diiiiiiu" the aduii- 
 nistration of his son. 
 
 Lord Londonderry was tlie constant sup- 
 porter of Ibreign tyranny, and the bitter enemy 
 of every liberal principle, at home or abroad. 
 No man ever brought more calamities upon 
 his country, unless Pitt himself ; and whoever 
 be his successor, the nation cannot but profit 
 by his death. Tliat successor is Canning. 
 The present Lord Hertford betted in the spring, 
 that Canning would not go to India ; j^et he 
 could not foresee the only event which could 
 have prevented it. Canning is become of late 
 more cautious and moderate ; yet, hated by 
 the King and by many of his colleagues, — with- 
 out much influence in the House of Commons, 
 except that of Minister, — without any character 
 in the country, — I see not how his elaborate 
 and artificial eloquence, now perhaps almost 
 exhausted, is to carry him through his under- 
 taking, most arduous as, I trust, he will find it. 
 
 This spring, died Lady Fitzwilliam : a wo- 
 man of a superior understanding, virtuous, 
 benevolent, active in domestic life, and tho- 
 roughly understanding the real interests of her 
 country. It was delightful to see the perfect 
 harmony in which she, her husband, and Lord 
 and Lady Milton, constantly dwelt together. 
 
138 
 
 Lady Fitzwilliam's domestic character and 
 affections, made her httle fond of strange so- 
 ciety. To know her and esteem her as she 
 deserved, it was necessary to see her in private 
 life. I certainly tremhled for the effect such a 
 loss might have on a hushand, who had enjoyed 
 uninterrujDted happiness with her for half a 
 century ; but his own excellent disposition, 
 and the many consolations he finds in the de- 
 voted affection of his children, enables him to 
 support the blow. 
 
 Sitting at the quarter sessions at Sleaford, 
 this year, with many other Magistrates, we 
 were interrupted by a most tremendous crash, 
 accompanied by a fiery light, and a strong smell 
 like that of gunpowder. It was caused by a 
 ball of fire which struck a small house in sight 
 of our audience, though rather behind our 
 backs. The house was much shattered, and 
 the chimnies thrown down into the street. 
 Part of the meteor passed, down a chimney 
 into a little room in which eight persons were 
 at dinner ; it broke the windows, went through 
 them or the door into the street, and appeared 
 to be extinguished in a puddle of water, from 
 which a great column of smoke arose. None 
 of the persons were hurt ; no substance seems 
 to have fallen with the ball. 
 
139 
 
 A cliamcleon, 1 brouglit down with nie from 
 October. London, in March, died this month. 
 It had appeared very healthy till late- 
 ly, when its appetite fell off, and it appeared 
 restless and generally on the ground. It was 
 perhaps looking for a place in which it could 
 repose itself for the winter ; but it must always 
 be very difficult in this country to provide it a 
 hibernacle sufficiently cool for its pin'pose, 
 and yet warm enough to preserve its life. 
 I received this day a pair of black swans, 
 Nov. 13. bred at Wentworth, probably in 1820. 
 We have sent Lord St. John to Harrow 
 school. I was inclined to prefer Eton, but 
 his father had signified a strong dislike to that 
 school ; and probably Eton, with a tutor to 
 himself, might have encouraged ideas of con- 
 sequence and expense, which the moderate 
 income he is likely to enjoy would render 
 dangerous. The great quantity of pocket 
 money boys now carry with them to public 
 schools, certainly leads to many evils, and yet 
 none would wish his son should be in a worse 
 situation than others in this respect ; and by 
 this feehiig, the misfortune is gi'adually in- 
 creased. Yet, with all its inconveniences, a 
 British public school affords, in my opinion, an 
 education far superior to any other I have ever 
 
140 
 
 heard of. My first entry into the world was 
 at the University of Camhridge, hut I was first 
 taught to think for myself hy visiting foreign 
 countries ; and it has always appeared to me, 
 that no species of instruction is so well calcu- 
 lated to expand the mind, as that ohtained hy 
 travelling ahroad ; particularly if that mind 
 has heen narrowed hy a confined education. 
 
 My uncle. Sir Richard Heron, was horn in 
 the year 1724; he was the youngest of four 
 sons who arrived at maturity. My grandfather 
 possessed a strong and vigorous mind, the 
 highest honour and integrity, a sufficient por- 
 tion of pride, and a temper somewhat soured 
 hy the reflection, that he was fallen from the 
 situation which liis family had formerly occu- 
 pied. Their fortunes had suffered greatly in 
 the civil wars, and he had himself retired to 
 Newark with what remained. His eldest and 
 favorite son, John, had received an excellent 
 education, and is reported to have heen an 
 accomplished scholar, a circumstance which 
 rendered the conduct of a vulgar and profligate 
 spouse less tolerahle to him : he carried her 
 ahroad and died hroken hearted. 
 
 My grandfather grew tired of giving exj^en- 
 sive educations to his very numerous family, 
 and that advantage was denied to his vounsjer 
 
Ill 
 
 sons. The losses his family had sustained in 
 the royal cause, had not diminished his attach- 
 ment to it; and on his death hed, he enjoined 
 his sons never to dessert it under any circum- 
 stances. To the impression which this solemn 
 injunction made on their minds, I attrihute 
 much of their courtly politics, so greatly at 
 variance with their liheral opinions, and in 
 many respects, patriotic disj^ositions. My 
 gTandfather, however, was not a jacohite ; for 
 when the Pretender had reached Derhy, he 
 sent the females of his family to London ; and 
 with his four sons, took the most active share 
 in preparing to defend Newark. His own 
 four horses drew the ladies to London ; hy 
 great exertions they reached Bennington the 
 first day, the carriage heing overturned in 
 the course of the journey. A pistol went off 
 close to the ear of his daughter Ann, who re- 
 mained ever afterwards almost totally deaf 
 Sir Richard followed the profession of the law 
 and his opinion was in great repute ; his line 
 was not a hrilliant one, heing that of a cham- 
 her counsel, or special pleader. Early in life 
 a strong mutual attachment was formed bet- 
 ween him and a Miss Hall, but as they neither 
 of them had a farthing, prudence required the 
 sacrifice of their inclinations. She then mar- 
 
142 
 
 ried an old man, Stephen Tompson, of York- 
 shire. When Stephen died, Sir Richard had 
 acquired a competency ; he then married her, 
 and they lived happily till his death. Her 
 portrait is faithfully drawn in the Bath guide, 
 under the name of the Widow Quicklocket. 
 
 Bishop Warburton conceived so high an 
 opinion of Sir Richard's natural abilities, and 
 so great a friendshij^ for him, that he offered to 
 shut himself up with him, and to do his utmost 
 to assist him in the attainment of classical 
 learning. I know not why it was dechned. 
 In the progi'ess of time. Sir Richard acquired 
 from his profession an income sufficient to 
 enable him to live in respect and comfort, in 
 Grosvenor Square; when, in 1778, his friend, 
 John, Earl of Buckinghamshire, being appoint- 
 ed Lieutenant of Ireland, desired him to go 
 with him as his secretary. Sir Richard took 
 upon liimself the office with some reluctance, 
 because he w^as totally unused to public speak- 
 ing ; he filled it, however, with honour to 
 himself and advantage to Ireland, in times 
 the most difficult and turbulent. His heredi- 
 tary attachment to royal power yielded to liis 
 benevolence and integrity ; he was remarkable 
 for his disinterestedness, and returned to Eng- 
 land after a four years' Administration, much 
 
143 
 
 more liiglilv esteemed by tlie people whom he 
 had governed, than by the court which had 
 employed him. He was hut scantily reim- 
 hiu-sed for the profession he had abandoned, 
 by the jdace of collector of customs, at Cork, 
 from which he never received more than five 
 hundred pounds per annum, though, at his 
 death, it was found to have been ^vorth two 
 thousands pounds per annum ; he had terrible 
 quarrels with the Lord Lieutenant, and it is 
 wonderful how they could ever have agreed for 
 a moment. Sir Richard was warm and sin- 
 cere ; Lord Buckinghamshire cold, haughty, 
 and insolent to the utmost degree. Their 
 ladies, who lived in great friendship, once, at 
 least, interfered and prevented the worst con- 
 sequences. 
 
 As Sir Richard's character became more 
 known, it became more respected. The pre- 
 sent King treated him with gi'eat personal 
 attention, and frequently consulted him. On 
 one occasion, his Majesty asked him for some 
 information on our revolution ; he was probably 
 somewhat tedious as well as honest in his ac- 
 count of it, for the King, who had been absent 
 in mind, suddenly turned upon him and said, 
 not very royally, ''Damn you, Sir, do you take 
 me for a jacobin ?" An explanation followed. 
 
144 
 
 and tlie ])upil was sufficiently shocked at liis 
 error. He lived in constant friendship with 
 the Irish Foster, and, T helieve, was the cause 
 of his undertaking to lead the Prince's party 
 in the House of Commons ; hut either from 
 the impracticahility , or the versatility of Foster, 
 this arrangement lasted only one week, and 
 Foster joined Pitt. During that week, hav- 
 ing spent a morning with Foster and Sir 
 Richard, in Lee's garden, the latter was almost 
 frightened hy our free opinions on political 
 subjects, in which Foster had his full share ; 
 but in a few days all was changed, and I never 
 more had any opportunity of private inter- 
 course with him. My uncle had strong feel- 
 ings ; his resentments were bitter, but rare, 
 and he could see few faults in his friends. 
 He at one time shewed some dislike of my 
 political tenets ; and some anger, for I know 
 not what supposed offence, at the time of my 
 marriage. Matters were in time explained, 
 and I ever after lived with him on the most 
 affectionate terms ; experiencing from him all 
 the active services of a friend, the counsels and 
 solicitude of a parent. He died in his 80th 
 year, and will for ever be regretted by me. 
 Sir R. Wilson is gallant and generous, but 
 
 stubton, weak and vain. Flis best act "was, 
 M.wei,i8o.. ^1^^ ^.^^,.^^g ^1^^ |.^^, ^^ L^^ Valette, 
 
115 
 
 wliicli was entirely Lis own plan ; but then, it 
 was necessary for him to send a circumstantial 
 account of it to Lord Grey, from Paris, by the 
 post. The letter was intercepted, and hence 
 followed the trials and punishment of Bruce, 
 Hutchinson, and himself; but for this foolish 
 letter, there would have been no trace of the 
 transaction. 
 
 Sir R. Wilson is gone to assist Spanish 
 August, independence. Can success fail in so 
 holy a cause ? 
 
 Who is to be looked upon as the greatest 
 General produced by ancient or modern times ? 
 In considering this question, the character 
 must include the Statesman. I should cer- 
 tainly fix on Hannibal as the first. He is 
 charged with two errors, I think, unjustly; 
 first, that he did not march to Rome after the 
 battle of Cannee ; but he probably would by 
 that measure have excited an enthusiastic re- 
 sistance, which might have defeated him ; and 
 secondly, he might reasonably have supposed, 
 that his brother Asdrubal could not have 
 been so negligent in an enemy's country, as to 
 suffer himself to be surprised and destroyed 
 from want of ordinary caution. Next to Han- 
 nibal, I am inclined to consider Napoleon as 
 the most able General and Statesman known 
 
146 
 
 in history. He committed an error by inva- 
 ding Russia too late in the season ; yet, but 
 for the burning of Moscow, he might have 
 suceeded. Had he done justice to Poland, 
 his retreat would have even then been safe ; 
 but his patriotism and love of freedom had no 
 other foundation or guide than his own ambi- 
 tion. The Duke of Wellington is a very great 
 General, though, I think, inferior to those I 
 have named ; and, besides, he is in no resj)ects 
 a Statesman. 
 
 This Session of Parliament began under 
 favorable circumstances for Ministers. Can- 
 ning had got rid of Sidmouth and Vansittart, 
 who were a disgrace even to such a cabinet ; 
 and he had also relieved himself of the un- 
 popularity of Bragge Bathurst, in the House 
 of Commons. Robinson, who became Chan- 
 cellor of the Exchequer, made a fair and 
 intelligible exjDosition ; and gave some satisfac- 
 tion to the country by a diminution of the 
 taxes. Canning assumed the appearance of 
 liberal ideas with regard to Spain, and though 
 he was belied by the papers presented to the 
 House, and evidently had never intended to act 
 up to his profession ; yet, this was sufficient 
 to disarm opposition for a time, and to satisfy 
 a people, unfortunately as little in earnest as 
 
147 
 
 himself, and without any just conception of 
 the immense importance to all nations of the 
 cause of Spain. If any fm-ther proof were 
 wanting of the insincerity of Ministers on this 
 suhject, we need only look to Portugal, Avhere 
 a counter revolution has taken place, which 
 the slightest exertion of influence on their 
 part might have prevented ; and, indeed, such 
 "was the oscillation of the French counsels, 
 that it seems pretty evident, any exhihition of 
 firmness on our part Avould have prevented 
 this calamitous reaction. But surely, in this 
 enlightened age, so profligate a conspiracy of 
 Sovereigns, against all people and against all 
 honest political principles, can never ultimately 
 succeed. By treachery at home, and hy the 
 astonishing apathy of all ranks in England, it 
 appears lil^ely to ohtain a temporary success ; 
 hut I will never despair of the cause of free- 
 dom. 
 
 In the spring, Yorkshire took the lead in an 
 effort to ohtain parliamentary reform. Lin- 
 colnshire and many other counties followed, 
 hut we were few and ill supported. The at- 
 tempt failed, and it must he owned, the people 
 of England take but little interest in (questions 
 regarding their own rights. The House of 
 Commons was principally occupied with an 
 
 L 
 
148 
 
 enquiry into the official conduct of Plunkett, 
 and of an orange Sheriff of Duhlin. Minis- 
 ters were on the point of determining to sup- 
 port Plunkett, when the Chancellor, jealous of 
 his talents and rising ascendency, decided them 
 to move the previous question ; thus leaving 
 his conduct and character unvindicated. 
 
 In the House of Commons, however, the 
 cause of reform is gaining ground ; and when- 
 ever the people of England exert themselves 
 manfully, and with some unanimity for it, I 
 shall feel pretty sanguine in my expectation of 
 success. But the fear of radicahsm on one 
 side, and the equivocal aid of Hunt and Cob- 
 bet on the other, at present paralyze our exer- 
 tions. At Lincoln, old Cartwright attended 
 and divided us by a radical amendment, in 
 which I had the mortification to see him se- 
 conded by my friend Johnson. Cartwright 
 was treated as he ought, with all the attention 
 and respect due to his age and character. 
 Johnson expected success, but they had not 
 the support of one in fifty. 
 
 In September, died Lord Yarborough ; and 
 December, occasioucd a vacaucy in the represen- 
 tation of the county of Lincoln. I 
 felt in some measure bound to offer myself, 
 but was not in a situation to incur the heavy 
 
149 
 
 expense of a contest. For some time it 
 was tliouglit I should meet with no ojiposi- 
 tion, hut hatred rankled in the heart of" Pel- 
 ham : "without political principle, he reniein- 
 hcred only that his pride had heen offended, 
 and his purse exhausted hy iny former effort. 
 A stranger. Sir W. Inglehy, offered himself, 
 and Pelham's support was his only hope. In 
 Parliament, Sir W. Inglehy had heen a tory ; 
 and his principles in other respects were now 
 douhtful, hut he was a radical reformer. Pel- 
 ham is an unwilling conv^ert to moderate reform, 
 and professes to he a whig. He adopted Inglehy 
 with a zeal, and supported him with an arro- 
 gance, which disgusted many. To please his 
 patron, Sir William hegan with insulting me 
 in his address ; a tone for which he constantly 
 apologised, hut which he never ahandoned. Had 
 I persevered, I might have heen successful ; 
 hut the expenditure might have destroyed our 
 future comfort. I resigned hefore the puhlica- 
 tion of Sir William's first address, and then, 
 concluding him to he a whig, I determined to 
 support him against any man of opposite prin- 
 ciples ; and, in fact, I was fearful that Sir R. 
 Sheffield, a man deservedly poj)ular, hut a tory, 
 might he chosen : this intention of mine pro- 
 cured Sir William hasty promises of support 
 
150 
 
 from Lord IVIilton and Sir John Tliorold. The 
 conduct and addresses of Sir W. Inglehy, and 
 a further enquiry into his former pohtical con- 
 duct, together with the offensive dictation of 
 his patron, created a strong desire to oppose 
 him ; hut no candidate was to he found. S. 
 Wells, of Huntingdon, declared his determi- 
 nation to nominate Sir J. Thorold ; and, not- 
 ^vithstanding the reluctance of the latter, he 
 was, at length, nominated hj Colonel Johnson, 
 and sujiported hj all my political friends in the 
 county. It ^ras impossible to succeed without 
 either a candidate or money, yet we polled 
 above fifteen hundred votes ; and such was 
 the disinclination of the county to chose the 
 stranger, that, with a profuse expenditure, a 
 host of lawyers, and the great body of the clergy, 
 a less number of freeholders was polled in 
 ten days than had voted in three at the contest 
 of 1818. Inglehy, having conducted himself 
 towards me in a manner equally unjustifiable, 
 nngentlemanlihe, and unprovoked, was treated 
 by me with the most unqualified severity and 
 contempt as he deserved. 
 
 I incline to believe, that Canning was not 
 unwilling to have taken proper measures with 
 regard to the invasion of Spain, had he been 
 supported by the country, against the zeal for 
 
151 
 
 despolisiii, so evident in the court and amongst 
 his colleagues. The least vigour on our part 
 must have heen successful, lor it is evident, 
 that the French long hesitated and feared to 
 strike, until they saw our Parliament inclined 
 to a most disgraceful neutrality. It is true, the 
 constitutionalists in Spain made a poor de- 
 fence ; hut what could they do when deserted 
 hy all mankind ? The afl'aus of Greece aflford 
 some consolation : alone and unassisted, Greece 
 has fought out her own emancipation, and if 
 she has now any danger to fear, it is from 
 Russia and not from Turkey. / 
 
 With regard to Spanish America, the speech / 
 of the President of the United States has put 
 an end to all serious cause for fear ; the roya- 
 lists, unaided, cannot long offer essential oj^po- 
 sition to their independence, and Europe will 
 not now dare to interfere against them. 
 
 Canning's internal policy is certainly far 
 superior to anything the tories have ever given 
 us hefore ; let him go on in this course, and 
 opposition will dwindle into nothing. Peace, 
 and the present prosperity of the country, 
 are also greatly against us. It is true, that 
 great inroads have heen made upon our liber- 
 ties, the people are still virtually unrepresented, 
 and the Catholics are yet denied the enjoyment 
 
152 
 
 of their rights ; hut gradually the latter grie- 
 vance will, I think, he, at no distant period, 
 remedied, though the people of England care 
 little either ah out the rights of the Catholics 
 or their own. 
 
 Within the last two or three years, died the 
 last male direct descendant of Oliver Cromwell. 
 He was well known to my father and to Sir 
 Ahraliam Hume, who lived near him ; they 
 represented him as a worthy man of mild man- 
 ners, much resemhling in character his imme- 
 diate ancestor Henry, Lieutenant of Ireland. 
 Early in life his pecuniary circumstances were 
 narrowed, hut latterly he possessed a comfor- 
 table income. He was desirous of leaving his 
 name to his son in law, a jNIr. Russell, and 
 applied for his Majesty's permission that 
 Russell should assume it ; but the old King 
 positively refused it, always saying, " No, no, 
 no more Cromwells." It certainly affords a 
 strong proof of the mildness of our laws, or 
 rather, perhaps, of the execution of them, that 
 the descendants of Oliver Cromwell should 
 have enjoyed their protection ; and those of 
 the Duke of Monmouth should live under 
 them in affluence and power. 
 
 It must he nearly forty years since I met at 
 
 January, ^^^G liousc of tlic Couitc dc Durfort, 
 
 ^^'^''' near 'I'ours, the famous Pahlos 011a- 
 
1;33 
 
 vides, who had then recently escaj^ed iiom the 
 Inquisition, in Spain. He was a man of a 
 most connnanding figure, and gentle, plea- 
 sing, and unassuming manners. He play- 
 ed at cards, talked much, but seemed to avoid 
 all serious subjects. It appeared to me, that 
 he was combating a disposition to melancholy, 
 very natural in his situation : it was whispered 
 that he had been tortured in the Inquisition, 
 and I imagined I saw traces of it in his coun- 
 tenance, but certainly none in his person. He 
 was so wretched at being separated from his fa- 
 mily, that he wrote a bigoted book on religion, 
 by which he obtained a recall from banishment. 
 One cannot avoid lamenting such a weakness, 
 or participating in the amiable feelings to which 
 he yielded. He died at an advanced age, 
 shortlv before tlie first French invasion of 
 Spain. 
 
 The late Lord Powerscourt kept hounds 
 near Dublin ; he persuaded the Young Duke 
 of Dorset to go out with them, and encouraged 
 him to take a lea^), assuring him, the horse he 
 had lent him would carry him safely over the 
 wall : the Duke was thrown and killed. Lord 
 Powerscourt was so dreadfully shocked at this 
 accident, that it created an aberration of mind, 
 ^vhich uraduallv increased. He was chosen 
 
one of the Irish representative Peers, made a 
 very insane speech, and afterwards died ahout 
 eight years after the death of the Duke. 
 
 In the Autumn of last year. Canning moved 
 stubton, the exchision of Lord Sidmouth from 
 
 ^^''^^' the Cabinet, on the consitutional 
 ground, that he occupied no responsible office ; 
 being outvoted, he yielded, but said, that if the 
 objection he had urged did not apply to Lord 
 Sidmouth, it ought not to exclude another in- 
 dividual whose services, he thought, might be 
 very beneficial to the country. The Chancel- 
 lor, alarmed at this, withdrew his opposition ; 
 and Lord Sidmouth was dismissed from the 
 Cabinet. 
 
 In Parliament, the more liberal commercial 
 system introduced by Ministers, and the ac- 
 knowledgment, by Canning, of the new South 
 American States, weakened the Opposition, 
 and even diminished the inclination to oppose ; 
 and the only remaining contest of unportance 
 seemed to be between Canning on one side, 
 and the old Chancellor on the other : the hoary 
 enemy of every liberal principle. Lord Liver- 
 pool, vacillating between the two. The most 
 interesting question was that of Catholic eman- 
 cipation, in which the Duke of York distin- 
 guished himself by his violence and folly. 
 
1 :).5 
 
 Burdett, to wlioni tlie question was eiitnistecl, 
 brought it forward with ahihty and judg- 
 ment. He accepted, however, a compromise 
 of very doubtful poHcy ; in consequence of 
 which, the bill for emancipation was to be ac- 
 com2)anied by two others, one for the making 
 a provision for the Catholic clergy, the other 
 to disfranchise the small freeholders, who were 
 stated to have been fraudulently created. 
 There were many favorable circumstances, 
 such as the change of opinion amongst the 
 most zealous opponents ; yet, after having jms- 
 sed the Commons, the bill was thrown out in 
 the Lords by a large majority : this unfortu- 
 nate result, was chiefly to be ascribed to the 
 virulent opposition of Lord Liverpool. 
 
 My black swans have hatched four young 
 ones, and brought them np w4th care and suc- 
 cess. I believe they are the first black swans, 
 bred in England, that have rei)roduced. 
 
 Since the last contest for this county, the 
 September, self-appoiutcd committec, wdiich con- 
 
 ^^^^' ducted the unsuccessful Ojiposition, 
 has occasionally met at Sleaford ; but it w^as 
 evident, that the spirit of the yeomanry could 
 not be roused when in a state of agiicultural 
 prosperity, and amongst the gentry little spirit 
 ever existed. I had acceded, not, I believe. 
 
15G 
 
 very wisely, to a negotiation with Lord Hervey 
 who immediately declined being a candidate. 
 I thought at least it might prevent or postpone 
 the fatal step which I saw ready to he adopted ; 
 accordingly, at the last meeting, the least nu- 
 merous of all, my old and worthy friend. Col. 
 Johnson, was proposed as a candidate by a 
 few obscure individuals ; 02:>posed by the few 
 gentlemen who belonged to the committee, and 
 by none more strenuously than myself He 
 has most unfortunately acce2:)ted the little en- 
 viable post, on grounds wholly radical ; and 
 the contemptible cry of aristocratical combina- 
 tion thus dividing and ruining the party, and 
 putting an end, for many years to come, to all 
 hope of "the independence of the county," for 
 the promotion of which, the committee was 
 first professed to be formed. At the time this 
 resolution was taken, the dissolution of Par- 
 liament was generally believed to be at hand. 
 The cabinet council has since met and post- 
 poned it for the present year : a ckcumstance 
 very unfavourable to Johnson's situation. 
 
 I was consulted in November or December 
 on a proposed association of the agxicultural 
 interests. I did not much approve this, but 
 advised a county meeting, which I will never 
 do again in Winter. We had one, miserably 
 
1 M 1*^ 
 
 10/ 
 
 iittendcd, at ^vliicli I carried a moderate peti- 
 tion ; but the J have also estabHshed their as- 
 sociation, which I shall not attend, as I neither 
 agree with them in aj)]n*OYing the present corn 
 laws, nor approve their applying the terms of 
 gross misrepresentation to their antagonists, 
 on a fair subject of difference of opinion ; and 
 on which those terms might, with equal jus- 
 tice, be retaliated. 
 
 Last Autumn, I sent my large male emu 
 Marcii, to Cross, of Exctcr Change, and re- 
 
 ^^^^' ceiled from him a young pair, two 
 years old, and a pair of Poland cranes. I had 
 before received from him a pair of Balearic 
 cranes, and I have sent him, within two years, 
 two pairs of kangaroos, four pairs of gold phea- 
 sants, and a pair of black swans ; having be- 
 sides given of the three last to my friends. 
 
 Mrs. Chamberlain brought me, from Brazil, 
 September, ^ V'*^^^' ^f wliistling ducks, Small and 
 
 ^^'*^' very beautiful. They are different 
 from any T have seen described. She also had 
 for me, a pair of very large black birds, appa- 
 rently of the genus crax ; but of these, one 
 escaped from her on board the ship, and the 
 other pined away. I received only the head : 
 it does not agree with any description in Buf- 
 fon, Linnpeus, or Cuvier. The most satisfac- 
 
158 
 
 toiy circumstance in the menagerie is, to see 
 so many animals find their proper relative 
 situation, without any dangerous quarrelHng ; 
 excepting hetween some of the male pheasants 
 of the same kind. Chamherlain once sent me, 
 what in Brazil is called the royal falcon, a bird 
 between the eagle and the vulture, but diffe- 
 rent from eitlier. It arrived safe at Liverpool, 
 but the person to wdiom it was consigned sold 
 it to Lord Stanley. With him, I had no diffi- 
 culty after I had traced it, but before he could 
 send it me, it died in a fit. It is described as 
 of great size ; and is supposed to be the same 
 bird of a different sex, with that called the 
 sabine eagle, at the horticultural gardens, but 
 much larger. 
 
 In March or Ajnil, the committee, at Slea- 
 ford, again assembled ; when, in concert ^vith 
 Thorold, and a few other friends, I proposed 
 to rescind the resolution by which Johnson 
 had been declared a candidate. Being out- 
 voted, we withdrew our names from the 
 committee, which met only once more ; and 
 then gave up their unavailing opposition, 
 unsupported as it was by the people, or by any 
 2)arty in the county, excepting those calling 
 themselves radicals, who are, probably, fewer 
 in this than in any other part of England. 
 
159 
 
 Joliiisou Lad become particularly unpopular, 
 by lollowing llic opinions of Cobbct. He 
 was and is my bigbly valued friend ; but T 
 never sufl'er private feelings to interfere witli, 
 wliat I believe to be, my public duties. 
 
 Before tlie meeting of Parliament, in Feb- 
 ruary last, a tremendous mercantile alarm had 
 arisen in the country, attended with great 
 distress in all parts; and most particularly 
 amongst the manufacturing population. Many 
 of the country banks failed ; and Government 
 attempted, very unjustly, to tln*ow ujion them 
 the odium of having greatly encouraged (which 
 they certainly had not done) the absurd specu- 
 lations of joint stock companies. It was not 
 very easy to ascertain the causes of such gene- 
 ral distress : a distress not confined to this 
 country, or even to Europe, and still more 
 difficult to apply a remedy. Of the first, 
 Ministers appear entirely ignorant ; and the 
 second, they scarcely attempted ; and this, 
 perhaps, was the best course they could pursue. 
 They seem not unwilling to let it be thought 
 aggravated by the corn laws ; yet, corn has 
 never of late borne a high price. To some 
 temporary admission of foreign corn they have 
 already had recourse, and menace us with 
 importation on a permanent system after the 
 
IGO 
 
 next Session; and they have already taken 
 measures for diminishing the amount of our 
 paper currency. Are they then convinced of 
 the necessity of resorting to the ''equitahle ad- 
 justment" ? or in other words, the forcible 
 diminution of the national debt. If this be 
 not a part of the intended system, it is insane ; 
 for it is utterly impossible, that the interest of 
 our debt, and the expenses of our overgrown 
 establishments, can be defrayed with a reduced 
 currency and reduced jnices. 
 
 The Duke of York, and the Chancellor, had 
 determined to oppose the measures relating to 
 corn ; but, on the day appointed, the Duke of 
 York, who, ill as he was, had gone to the House 
 of Lords for that purpose, there received a let- 
 ter from the King, desiring him to desist from 
 his opposition, as it would embarrass his ad- 
 ministration. The Duke complied, and left 
 the House ; the Chancellor saw his danger, 
 but took care not to provoke it. On the sub- 
 ject of the corn laws. Lord Milton and I were 
 completely divided ; and we spoke frequently 
 on the subject with great warmth. I thought 
 it for them, and not for me, to determine 
 whether such a disagreement was sufficient to 
 dissolve our political union ; yet, I thought if 
 T put forward this consideration, my resigna- 
 
161 
 
 tioii iniglit be merely considered as intended 
 to be refused. I determined, tlierefore, to put 
 it on private and personal grounds, wliicli were 
 not without some weight with me. The real 
 cause, however, was guessed ; and after a long 
 and most friendly conversation with Lord 
 Milton, I was pressed in the kindest and hand- 
 somest manner, to continue to sit for Peter- 
 borough. Lord Milton also told me, of which 
 I was not before aware, that his father agreed 
 with me on the corn laws. 
 
 It was supposed, that the want of money 
 and the precarious state of the King's health, 
 would diminish the anxiety for seats in Par- 
 liament. It turned out otherwise, and I 
 believe there were never so many contests, 
 or so many changes. The most important 
 questions are, whether Canning and the Catho- 
 lic question are gainers by the dissolution. 
 The Catholic question has certainly lost a few 
 in England, but I hope has gained rather more 
 in Ireland. Canning must, I think, be con- 
 siderably stronger by the change ; but the 
 approaching change of the Heir Ap^iarent will, 
 probably, contribute more to strengthen both. 
 My colleague, Scarlett, who has in general the 
 worst information of any man I know, told 
 us that Cobbet, Waller, Hunt, and Wilkes, 
 
162 
 
 would certainly be in the new Parliament. 
 The last is returned, but so disgraced that he 
 can do nothing ; the three former are excluded. 
 Sir F. Burdett too hastily engaged to sub- 
 scribe to bring in Cobbet ; and as his subscrip- 
 tion was likely to produce many more, it is 
 surprising that, with this assistance, he did not 
 succeed ; but his conduct, as a candidate, was 
 violent and odious ; he did not even show in 
 that situation any marks of talent. Burdett, 
 with whom I remonstrated for subscribing, told 
 me he wished to see him in Parliament because 
 he thought it w^ould expose him in his true 
 colours ; and I cannot but think he was a little 
 seduced by the magnanimity of forgetting his 
 personal treachery to him. I, in some measure, 
 shared the first of these reasons for wishing to 
 see Cobbet returned to Parhament ; but this 
 is no longer a motive with me, he is sufficiently 
 exposed by his conduct as a candidate. 
 
 During three months of the Summer, the 
 
 November, ^^^^at was cxccssivc, and the drought 
 
 so great as to burn up all the grass 
 
 fields ; of hay, scarcely any was made in this 
 
 part of England. Much alarm was felt for 
 
 the corn, and there was reason to fear a famine. 
 
 / Wheat, however, and potatoes have recovered ; 
 
 the eddishes arc good, and should we have a 
 
103 
 
 mild Winter, we may not suflbr nuicli from 
 the effects of the Summer. 
 
 Amongst the peculiarities of the season, 
 were the precose ripening of all the Winter 
 fruits, of which none will remain after Christ- 
 mas. The enormous quantity of wasps, with 
 the singular impossihility of finding many of 
 their nests ; and the extraordinary production 
 of hedgehogs, which was so great, that in occa- 
 sional walks round my green walk plantation, 
 of eleven acres, after sunset, in three months, 
 I caught fifty-two, and their numerous ap- 
 pearance, was every where ohserved. 
 
 In the last Summer, a pair of vultures, not 
 1837. of the most common species, were 
 ohserved near BridgcAvater ; they 
 were very wild, hut one of them, having fed 
 voraciously, hecame heavy and was shot : it 
 will he figured in a new supplement to Be- 
 wick's English Bu'ds, and in the next numher 
 of Selhy. Mr. Reid, near York, has two 
 water tortoises, brought over from the Siege of 
 Belleisle, which commenced in 1761. One of 
 them having wandered, was missing for sixteen 
 years, and was then found on cleaning out 
 another pond ; they are both alive, and very 
 tame. 
 
 The Catholic question has been lost by a 
 
 M 
 
164 
 
 small majority in tlie House of Commons. It 
 is said, we were unfortunate, and tliat many 
 were ill or accidentally absent on our side ; 
 but sucb assertions are always suspicious, the 
 real cause of our defeat, I believe to be, the 
 zealous interference of Lushington, Secretary 
 to the Treasury, in the elections. Tliis ex- 
 perienced jobber spared no exertions to expel 
 from the treasury boroughs, or any others where 
 Government had influence, every man who 
 would not declare himself against the measure. 
 In the debate, Copley made a violent, and, as 
 I thouglit, a weak speech against the Catholics, 
 which entitled him to a most severe reply from 
 Canning, under whose sarcasms he seemed to 
 writhe ; he could not even decently suppress 
 his feelings, but soon afterwards, in the lobby, 
 in the presence of many strangers, he declared 
 his astonishment at the treatment he had re- 
 ceived. " Canning," he said, " ought to have 
 seen, that through the whole of his speech he 
 had left a loop liole, which might make him 
 still capable of being his Chancellor to carry 
 the measure." So much for consistency and 
 political probity ! T. Abercrombie, who was 
 present, to put an end to such a scene, asked 
 him when he meant to bring forward his chan- 
 cery l)ilL " Perhaps never," said Copley, *' let 
 
165 
 
 them do their own work, I am iiitlepcndeiit of 
 tliem, and will have no connection with such 
 men ; " jet this man was made Master of the 
 Rolls hj them a few months ago, and is now, it 
 seems, to he made Chancellor hj Canning. 
 
 Lord Liverpool, without talents or integi'ity, 
 political at least, had hy higotry or hypocrisy, 
 acquired a considerahle reputation and in- 
 fluence in the country. The adoption of a 
 more liheral system of Government j)i'oved 
 that his power had not been very efficient for 
 the last two years ; and the disputes in the 
 Cabinet, which could no longer be concealed, 
 promised an important change even before 
 matters were brought to a crisis by the apo- 
 pletic attack of Lord Liverpool. The negotia- 
 tions and intrigues which followed were long ; 
 when Peel, declaring to the King that materials 
 were wanting to form an anti-catholic Admi- 
 nistration, his Majesty appointed Canning 
 Prime Minister. It is evident that he has 
 made to the King promises which are not in 
 unison with the real interests of the country ; 
 and which he relies on time and occasion to 
 get rid of. For some time, his situation was 
 not enviable ; ahnost all the former Ministers 
 having resigned, and the portion of Opposition 
 which afterwards united itself to him, having 
 
166 
 
 long delayed to do so : the ^vliole of us, how- 
 ever, are anxious to support hhn, less from per- 
 sonal reliance on his character, than from an 
 earnest desire to exclude those who are opposed 
 to him. 
 
 Brougham outstepped us far, and instantly 
 threw himself into the arms of Canning : the 
 latter, in the mean time, prosecuted his plans 
 with a good deal of cunning, and, at length, 
 succeeded in forming a strong Administration ; 
 strong in the support of the whigs, and satis- 
 factory from his enthe dependence on that 
 support. Many think that hetter terms might 
 have heen made for the country, had Brough- 
 am and those who acted with him, or on the 
 same plan, heen less eager ; on the other hand, 
 keeping aloof at that moment from Canning 
 might have driven him into a union with 
 Peel, which would have put an end to all im- 
 mediate ho2)es of more liberal principles, or 
 even of the maintenance of the improvement 
 in them which had abeady taken place. A- 
 mongst the many incidents reported connected 
 with these changes, the following, T believe, 
 are authentic. Leach was offered the seals of 
 Ireland, as a man neutral on the Catholic 
 question : he refused them on this condition, 
 declaring himself a zealous friend to cmancipa- 
 
167 
 
 tion. Scarlett was recommciided by Canning 
 as Chancellor to tlie King, who rejected him, 
 and insisted on Copley. On this, Cainiing 
 expressed a donht whether Copley would acce]:)t 
 the seals from him ; the King then summoned 
 Copley, who could not arrive before half-past 
 twelve at night, being out of town : he saw the 
 King, and went away Chancellor. Canning, 
 in his difficulties, wrote to Wetheral, offering 
 him the Rolls. Wetheral had at the same time 
 been persuaded to send in his resignation as 
 Solicitor General. On receiving Canning's 
 letter, he hastened to recall his own ; it was 
 too late, both places were disposed of; he had 
 offended his former friends, and is consigned to 
 eternal exclusion and insignificance. 
 
 Sir W. Knighton, Receiver General of the 
 Duchy of Lancaster, being supposed to have 
 some reasons for fearing the consequences of 
 having an active Chancellor of the Duchy on 
 Lord Bexley's resignation, went to the King 
 and obtained that high office for himself. Can- 
 ning saw the disgrace such an appointiiient 
 must bring upon him ; and immediately im- 
 jilored Lord Bexley to take back his oflice, in 
 which he succeeded, probably without much 
 difficulty ; under other circumstances, this 
 feeble man would have been amongst the first 
 
168 
 
 to be dismissed. The only dangers of tlie ])i'e- 
 sent Administration, seem to be from Canning's 
 bad health, and from some return of the King's 
 inclination to his old servants. From the lat- 
 ter, at present, we are secured by his indigna- 
 tion at their desertion ; and let us hope, that 
 the country will soon find reasons for not being 
 inclined to submit to such a retrogade step. 
 The former, I fear, is a subject of concern and 
 alarm. Burdett, on the first day of the House 
 of Commons meeting after Easter, had great 
 difficulty in determining where he should sit ; 
 at last he took his seat behind Canning. For 
 my own part I determined to take my seat on 
 the left hand of the Speaker, with the Russells, 
 Ponsonbys, old Cook, Lords Milton, Althorpe, 
 Ebrington, and many more staunch whigs, 
 ready to support Ministers when we can, but 
 unwilling to pledge ourselves to them. Birch, 
 Member for Nottingham, begged M. A. Tay- 
 lor to keep for him the seat next his own, 
 directly opposite to the treasury bench : he 
 did so, but, on entering the House, Birch 
 went to the opposite side. His son had that 
 morning been appointed Lamb's private secre- 
 tary for Ireland. Brougham has obtained his 
 silk gown, which was refused to Denman, and 
 his brother is devil to Scarlett, said to be a 
 valuable appointment. 
 
169 
 
 On the deatli of Canning, the first dKhcnlty 
 was to find a Chancellor of the Exchequer. 
 The feehle Goodrich had named Herries to 
 the King, hut when he proposed him to the 
 Cahinet, such a tory a})pointment created so 
 great a fermentation, that he voted against his 
 own motion : even Sturoes Bourne ^vas en- 
 treated to accept it, and when at last the King 
 decided for Herries, Lord Lansdowne tendered 
 his resignation. The King, however, hegged 
 him to retain the seals, hecause, he told him, 
 if he resigned, Huskisson as well as Tiernej, 
 Carlisle, and others, would retire, and he 
 should he chiven to take hack Peel and Co. 
 which he was anxious to avoid. Lord Lans- 
 downe yielded, hut, notwithstanding all this, 
 I much fear that on the first serious division, 
 in this heterogenous Cahinet, Goodrich and 
 Peel may unite, and renew the holy alliance 
 Administration ; in the meantime the weak- 
 ness of the present head has shewn the King, 
 the greatness of his personal power, which he 
 seems disj)osed to retain and to exert. 
 
 When Parliament meets, a severe struggle 
 will take place, and if, as is reported. Lord 
 Grey throw his great weight into opposition, 
 Ministers will not find the House of Lords 
 very easily to be managed ; hut Lord Grey is 
 
no 
 
 the only man of talent there against them ; and 
 the folly and violence of Lord Londonderry 
 may operate much in their favour. 
 
 Few men, I thhik, now hesitate to helieve 
 March, that the King, completely recovered 
 from all patriotic follies, sent Herries 
 amongst his Ministers on purpose to ruin them. 
 With so feehle a head, this could not he a mat- 
 ter of difficulty ; and one is only surprised at 
 their conducting their intrigues so clumsily. 
 The new Administration is the Duke of Wel- 
 Hngton, and Wellington alone. Peel disap- 
 points his friends, and shews himself unequal 
 to his situation, and Huskisson's character is 
 gone ; hut, hitherto, Wellington appears to he 
 no longer the holy alliance tory ; like Canning, 
 one may hope he has seen the necessity of 
 acting on hetter principles : they are pledged 
 to make the finance committee effective, which, 
 with their support, cannot he otherwise. The 
 violent johhers, such as Bathurst, Herries, El- 
 don, Westmoreland, Melville, &c., are either 
 out of office, or in places where they are in a 
 great measure harmless ; and the King, who 
 under Lord Goodrich was every thing, will 
 now, we may hope, possess hut little power. 
 
 The aspect of Foreign affairs is not flivorahle. 
 In Portugal we have done no good ; and our 
 
171 
 
 troops, most rightfully and indeed necessarily 
 sent, are leaving the country in possession of a 
 perjured villahi. In Greece, it is pretty evi- 
 dent that none of our Ministers, unless Can- 
 ning, meant to do anything. The treaty of 
 July last, would have left half the Greeks 
 in slavery ; the rest in dependence. What 
 was intended hy sending the comhined fleets 
 into the Mediterranean ? To hully and vapour ; 
 for when they interfered to save the remnant 
 of the Greeks from Ihrahim's fury, our Admi- 
 ral is all hut disavowed. The Russians, how- 
 ever, and French have begun to act as they 
 ought ; and we shall he driven to do our duty, 
 late as it will be performed. The Greeks will, 
 I trust, be saved ; what may follow, I know 
 not : if anything unfortunate, it will be the 
 consequence of our not adopting a steady and 
 vigorous policy. 
 
 Those who rejoice in the overthrow of des- 
 potism and bigotry, may dwell with unabated 
 pleasure on the late events in France ; and 
 that pleasure is to me the greater, as the state 
 of things appeared hopeless. The elections 
 there are in the hands of fe^v, the influence of 
 Government is immense, no public meetings 
 excited popular enthusiasm, and the ballots 
 by which the deputies were chosen, were so 
 
172 
 
 regulated as to give every oj^portunity for the 
 exertion of power, corruption, and trick. In 
 tins state of things, their Parliament was dis- 
 solved and nearly eighty Peers created. A 
 servile Legislature was relied upon. 
 
 All at once, the strong and universal expres- 
 sion of public feeling obliged the powders to re- 
 sort to a fair mode of balloting ; nothing more 
 was necessary, a free house of deputies has been 
 returned. The Court, the Ministers, and the 
 Jesuits, have been obhged to yield. 1 confess 
 I am obliged to acknowledge my error, and to 
 become a suj^porter of election by ballot. 
 
 It is perfectly true, that Lady Halford w^as 
 on the point of being created a British Peeress ; 
 this was the wish of Sir W. Knighton, who 
 probably thought, with the additional precedent 
 of his predecessor Bloomheld having obtained 
 an Irish Peerage, he might himself hereafter 
 aspire to one or the other : it was stopped by 
 Lord Liverj^ool. 
 
 John Foster, Lord Oriel has died, I think 
 September, "1 l^is 90th ycar, as he sat in the last 
 Irish Parliament of George II. He 
 had afterwards the singular fortune to l)e crea- 
 ted a Peer by George IV. He was a man of 
 strong mental powers, great resolution, and 
 great political profligacy ; yet he was not with- 
 
173 
 
 out sincere attachment to liis country. After 
 many changes in his parhamentary career, he 
 became the deadhest opposer of the Union : lie 
 was very angry at Pitt sending for him to en- 
 deavour to change his opinion, and said it was 
 impossible for the Speaker of the House of 
 Commons to consent to its annihilation. His 
 fiiend Su'R. Heron told me, that now the Union 
 was decided he would not continue a factious 
 opposition. I perfectly understood this, and 
 accordingly his silence in the last Session was 
 followed by a gi'ant for life of the emoluments 
 of the Speakership, which I think amounted to 
 between £6000. or £7000. per annum. Such 
 was his immediate distress and want of judg- 
 ment in his own affairs, that he sold this 
 annuity for less than £20,000. All the ultra- 
 protestant party considered Mr. Pitt as pledged 
 by the Union to give complete emancij^ation to 
 the Catholics ; and Lord Farnham says, that 
 a meeting was at that time held at Foster's 
 house, consisting of about eight persons, at 
 which he and Saurin were present, at which it 
 Avas unanimously resolved to opj^ose the Union 
 by force ; but that Foster procured the delay 
 of a fortnight, which put an end to the scheme. 
 It is difficult to give credit to this story, and 
 the relater has always apj^eared to me half mad. 
 
174 
 
 Foster's son having married the heiress of the 
 Mahareens, has restored the fortunes of the 
 family ; the father continued to the last his 
 violent j^i'ejudices against the Catholics, hut 
 the son will no^v support their cause. Not so 
 Lord Downes, who whilst Sir H. Burdi and 
 Memher for Carlow constantly voted for them, 
 and has since as constantly voted against 
 them. In foreign policy, the Duke of Wel- 
 lington has made a w^retched figure ; he has 
 done nothing effective to relieve our finances, 
 hut he has shown some disposition to settle the 
 Catholic question, which indeed he must he 
 mad to oppose any longer. 
 
 No one knows the Duke of Welhngton's 
 December 1, intcutious witli regard to the Catholic 
 
 ^^'^* question ; yet the alarm amongst the 
 intolerants gives hope, and there are other 
 circumstances which encourage it, yet Welling- 
 ton is in no resjiect committed. Does he meet 
 with difficulties in the closet ? He is the man 
 to conquer them. It is clear that no oj^position 
 to their j ust claims can long he successful ; the 
 opinion of the country is raj^idly hecoming 
 favorahle to them ; the experiment of a county 
 meeting in Kent, though the decision was 
 favorahle to their fanaticism, has not encou- 
 raged a repetition. In this county, the zeal of 
 
175 
 
 tlie Lord Lieutenant lias been checked by the 
 consideration, that success was by no means 
 sure ; and after a dehberate consultation, the 
 idea is abandoned. A few months nuist de- 
 cide whether another year is to pass in dange- 
 rous delay. 
 
 In the mean time, the King is in a very 
 precarious state of health. His heir is sup- 
 posed to be favourable to the Catholics, though 
 he has constantly voted against them. I 
 should be sorry if this were their best depen- 
 dence ; for we have had too much experience 
 how little reliance ought to be j^laced even on 
 the promises of the successor to the crown ; 
 but the Duke of Clarence's life is hardly more 
 secure than that of his brother. Then comes 
 an infancy ; and what if we have a Cumber- 
 land for Regent ! ! ! Heaven forbid. 
 
 It is now evident that the Catholic question 
 juiy^ could not have been carried during 
 ^^^^' this reign, at any rate not in the late 
 Session of Parliament, without the fortunate 
 union of all the favorable chcumstances that 
 occurred. The Duke of Wellington's myste- 
 rious silence was continued till the very day the 
 Session commenced ; and the orange faction 
 was completely surprised. Peel I always 
 thought really favorable to the question, and 
 
176 
 
 lliat his opposition arose merely from the selfish 
 views and narrow calculations of a feehle mind ; 
 but the opponents relied upon him, and his 
 happily timed desertion contrilnited much to 
 weaken their defence. Then, excepting Lord 
 Eldon, they were utterly devoid of talents, 
 and brought the cause into more contempt in 
 every debate. The King, at first, yielded re- 
 luctantly ; and afterwards frequently relapsed 
 into his former state of fear and hostihty. The 
 people appeared in general to have no strong 
 feeling on the question, they seemed willing to 
 leave it to the Legislature, but when assembled 
 they almost always decided against the Catho- 
 lics ; yet, as they became more enlightened 
 by repeated discussion, it proved more impossi- 
 ble every day to excite them to any violent 
 agitation. In the midst of this state of the 
 public mind, arrived the Duke of Cumberland. 
 This most worthless human being is rendered 
 capable of mischief by the only good quality 
 he possesses, — a daring courage ; he had dis- 
 cernment enough to see the opportunity given 
 him of atoning for his crimes in the eyes of a 
 powerful party, by placing himself at their 
 liead. What is the cause of his influence with 
 the King, is it affection or fear ? Be it what it 
 will, that influence is great ; he was and is in 
 
177 
 
 constant comniuniciition with liini. The Mi- 
 nisters were frequently in disgrace ; once or 
 twice they tendered their resignations, and 
 would certainly have been discarded had it 
 l)een found possible to ha\'e formed an into- 
 lerant Administration ; even as it was, tliey 
 were obliged to compromise with the King, 
 and with those of the tories who joined them ; 
 but the points abandoned by them are of a 
 nature to produce little if any permanent mis- 
 chief. It was irksome, indeed, to be obliged to 
 consent to exclude one individual, by wording 
 the acts in such a manner as to vitiate O Con- 
 nel's election ; and it was ungracious to con- 
 sent to the immediate disqualification of the 
 forty shillings freeholders. But O Conn el will 
 be re-elected, and the forty shilhngs freeholders 
 being, in fact, almost all of them voters frau- 
 dulently created, and never to be emancipated 
 from the slavery in which their landlords hold 
 them, except by a question of strong religious 
 feeling, the measure no doubt will be ulti- 
 mately beneficial to Ireland. After all, it was 
 probably to the just fears of Ministers that we 
 owe this great and salutary measure. The 
 Catholic Association was become too power- 
 ful to be resisted : had justice been much lon- 
 ger refused, it would have wielded the whole 
 
178 
 
 power of Ireland ; and the Government is said 
 to have discovered, that had they attempted to 
 control Ireland hy force, the army was not to 
 be trusted. 
 
 In the House of Lords hut little talent was 
 exhibited. Lord Eldon showed less ability 
 and less energy than might have been expect- 
 ed ; the rest, except the Duke of Richmond, 
 were noisy and feeble. On the other side, the 
 Duke of Wellington was manly and decisive, 
 the Chancellor able and unprincipled, Plunket 
 irresistible in argument. 
 
 In the House of Commons, the opposition 
 to this measure was miserably weak in debate. 
 On the other side were many powerful speech- 
 es, but that which most excited mv admiration 
 was from Lord Palmerston ; not only on ac- 
 count of the many new points it contained, 
 and the very masterly and eloquent mariner 
 in which he treated the subject ; but because 
 nothing in his whole life had led us to suppose 
 him capable of so distinguished an exertion. 
 
 During all this Session, Parliament was 
 almost exclusively occupied, as it might well 
 be, with this great and difficult measure ; and 
 so much was the mind of every man excited 
 by hopes and fears, so much were all associa- 
 tions formed, all politics calculated on this 
 
179 
 
 subject, all other party feelings, as it were, 
 suspended by it, that it seemed impossible for 
 the Legislature to return inmiediately into a 
 state sufficiently calm, to enable it to enter 
 upon any other business of importance. In 
 the next Session they will have enough to do. 
 
 And now let us consider what are the vast 
 ad^ antages to be obtained from this measure 
 of justice. A virtual union with Ireland, — her 
 friendship instead of her enmity in the hour of 
 need, — a great saving in the army hitherto em- 
 ployed to control her, — a vast improvement in 
 the condition of Ireland by the great capitals 
 which the cheapness of labour will invite into 
 that country, and which will no longer be w ith- 
 held from fear of the discontented state of its 
 population . 
 
 Ireland, says the virulent faction which op- 
 posed emancipation, is still dissatisfied and 
 disturbed ; and why ? Because the leaders of 
 the Cumberland party have roused their hot- 
 headed friends in Ireland, from their first 
 submission, by persuading them, that the ques 
 tion is not finally settled ; and they have, in 
 consequence, done every thing in their power 
 to goad the Catholics into hostile resistance ; 
 but this forced state of discontent nmst soon 
 subside for want of fuel. 
 
180 
 
 111 the Winter, my emus had laid some eggs : 
 we then confined them to their house, with a 
 small temporary yard. The cock soon formed 
 a nest, and arranging the eleven eggs wdrich 
 were left him, hegan sitting so perse veringly, 
 that he was never seen off the nest, and was 
 ohliged to he fed upon it hy hand. He never 
 suffered the female to interfere in the day-time, 
 yet, in the first week, the eggs were increased 
 to fifteen ; in sixty-seven days five were suc- 
 cessfully hatched towards the end of March, 
 and are now all gi'own and healthy. 
 
 T helieve the primula elatior to be a variety 
 produced between the p. vulgaris and the p. 
 veris. A good many years ago, I planted a 
 p. elatior in the green walk plantation, near 
 some cowslips and primroses ; there are now 
 on that spot two varieties of the primula elatior, 
 one with the ordinary flowers like the primrose 
 in colour, the other with the flowers exactly 
 like those of the cowslip, but much larger. 
 There is also a plant which sends up many 
 single flowers like the primrose, and several 
 umbells of flowers like the primula elatior. I 
 saw at Mr. Waterton's, in Yorkshire, a small 
 mock ruin, in which some common 2>igeons 
 and some owls (strix flammea) lived inter- 
 mixed, in contiguous cells, and without <iny 
 
181 
 
 hostility. In imitation of tliis, 1 brought up 
 two young owls of this species on mice, in a 
 dovecote, in which were some black jacobin 
 pigeons ; but when the owls were old enough 
 to come out in search of mice, their parents 
 found them out and carried them away. The 
 next year, the experiment was tried again ; 
 but this time, in the scarcity of mice, the owls 
 were fed on small birds, and the consequence 
 w^as, they also eat the young and one old pi- 
 geon. 
 
 Tlie King of France suddenly this Siniimer 
 October, dismissed his Ministers, and appoint- 
 ed the Prince de Polignac his chief 
 Minister. The Duke of Wellington had cer- 
 tainly a great share in this intrigue, and ex- 
 pected that all moderate men would rally round 
 the Prince ; who, though of the absolute party, 
 is yet thought a moderate man, and is person- 
 ally po2)ular ; but all those attached to the con- 
 stitution, all the moderates, and even ^^illelle 
 and his friends, have peremptorily refused to 
 connect themselves with the new Minister, 
 and he has been thrown upon the ultras. The 
 Duke of Wellington is, I have reason to know, 
 very much alarmed at the results of his own 
 work. The prospect is alarming ; if the present 
 Administration can stand, libertv is over- 
 
182 
 
 tlirowii, and a struggle must ensue ; if it fail, 
 the French seem inclined to resent the interfe- 
 rence of our Court, and their Ministers may 
 prohahlj he induced to yield to the ^vish of 
 the people and the army. War with England. 
 The inhahitants of this county, who possess 
 January ^^ little political prluclple as those of 
 ^^''^^- any other part of the empire, finding 
 themselves very greatly distressed hegan to 
 desire a county meeting. The suhject chosen 
 was malt and heer ; certainly a very good one. 
 A most numerous and respectahle requisition 
 was presented to Richard Thorold, of Grimshy, 
 the Sheriff, who, for reasons hest known to 
 himself, refused to call the meeting ; he had 
 the folly too to give reasons, and had ones. 
 After some foolish difference ahout nothing, 
 a meeting was called by myself and three other 
 Magistrates. On a terribly cold day, Jan. 8, 
 we met to the number of rather more than 
 2000, censured the Sheriff, and petitioned 
 Parhament to repeal all the taxes on malt and 
 beer : the oratory was not very good, but we 
 were nearly unanimous. 
 
 The little opposition there was, went on the 
 ground that we ought to have gone into the 
 whole subject of the national distress ; and 
 certainly nothing could have more completely 
 
183 
 
 defeated our object tluin such a proposition, 
 had it succeeded, but it was ill handled and 
 easily ridiculed as it deserved. I was a good 
 deal ashamed of my coadjutors of the Newcas- 
 tle and Sadler faction, with their tirades a- 
 gainst free trade, toleration, &c. ; still we may 
 do good. We were wrong in not petitioning 
 for the repeal of the malt duty only, we should 
 liaye been followed by other counties, and pro- 
 bably succeeded. The repeal of the beer duty 
 is important only as destroying the monopoly 
 of brewers ; but that of the malt duties would 
 haye afforded a substantial relief to agriculture ; 
 the majority of the meeting at Lincoln, how- 
 ever, would not have acquiesced in this. 
 This has been a most extraordinary Session, 
 stiibton, there being no man who has authority 
 ^""^' to keep the House of Commons in 
 any order. There are men who waste its time 
 day after day till eight, nine, or even ten 
 o'clock, in foolish S2}eeclies on petitions, often 
 without any general importance ; a long debate 
 then ensues on some subject before the House. 
 Bills of great consequence are read at three in 
 the morning ; and many that ought to have 
 been passed or rejected without delay, are in- 
 definitely postponed. Ministers have no secure 
 majority, for whenever the old Opposition and 
 
184 
 
 the ultras can agree on any subject, they must 
 be left in a minority. The Duke of Welling- 
 ton has certainly clone more for the country 
 than any former Minister, but it is not enough 
 to meet the necessities of the times ; the 
 country begins to be tired of his despotism, 
 and would be much sooner tired if he were to 
 leave anything to his colleagues, of whom Peel 
 alone possesses any public character or confi- 
 dence. The gratitude the old Opposition has 
 felt for the canying the Catholic bill, has more 
 than once saved the Administration ; but this 
 is fast wearing out, and their only safeguard 
 now is the fear of their successors. 
 
 The estimates contained two most shameful 
 pensions, to sons of Lord Bathurst and Lord 
 Melville ; and it fell to my lot to move for 
 their suppression. Many delays took place, 
 ^vhich served to fix the public attention on the 
 subject ; and at last it came on, at the moment 
 1 could have wished. The defence was mise- 
 rably feeble, in fact it admitted of none ; and 
 the question was carried by a majority of eigh- 
 teen. This being the first time the Duke of 
 Wellington had been left in a minority, and 
 the subject of some importance in principle, I 
 was congratulated on my success from every 
 quarter of the kingdom ; and, though certainly 
 
185 
 
 far iroiii Loiiig displeased, I could hardly help 
 feeling a little ashamed of the exaggerated 
 sentiment so universal on this occasion, and of 
 my ephemeral popularity, of which I have he- 
 fore experienced the transitory duration. Mi- 
 nisters had shewn much anxiety, or at least 
 some of them, on this division. Lord Melville, 
 whilst it was in agitation, asked Captain G. 
 Dundas if he wished to be afloat ; (he had not 
 spoken to him, professionally, for ten or twelve 
 years) ; the answer was characteristic, " Not 
 unless there is something to be done." Two 
 hours before the debate, T. Dundas brought 
 me a conversation which Croker had held in 
 his presence, (no doubt for my use) that the 
 places held were for life, and therefore they 
 could not have been aboUshed without giving 
 pensions to the holders ; this would have left 
 me nothing to say, but Croker must have 
 known it to be false, and so, fortunately, did I. 
 I refused to have anything to do with the 
 meetings to condole on the death of a King, 
 whom there is not the slightest reason to la- 
 ment, whose selfish extravagance was never for 
 a moment checked by the distresses of the 
 people ; and ^^ hose character might be summed 
 up in three words, — faithless, worthless, heart- 
 less. I believe his successor to be a foolish. 
 
180 
 
 well meaning man ; and very far from extrava- 
 gant. It is unfortunate that he has thrown 
 himself entirely into the hands of the Duke 
 of Wellington ; but this may be remedied, if, 
 as I believe, the elections have been unfavoura- 
 ble to the Minister. Two years ago, I thought 
 reform of Parliament almost hopeless ; I now 
 believe it to be certain and approaching, the 
 longer delayed, the more it will be radical. 
 It was in the last Autumn I lost my excel- 
 stubton, lent friend Christopher Nevile, at the 
 
 September. ^^^ ^£ g^ ^^, ^ j^^ ^^^^^ ^ ^^^^^^ 
 
 accomplished gentleman, with a good deal of 
 erudition ; just and generous, but timid and 
 inactive. He was devotedly fond of his first 
 wife, a sister of the last Earl of Gainsborough ; 
 the last was, in every respect, opposite to him ; 
 ignorant, waspish, and of the vulgarist mind, 
 with no small impregnation of bigotry, of which 
 he had none : he yielded something for the 
 sake of peace, but to her great dishke of his 
 eldest son and of me he never gave way in 
 the slightest degree. Peculiarities in his fa- 
 mily, and the worthless profligacy of his son 
 in law, had given me the opportunity of being 
 of considerable service to them. He had the 
 character of being stingy, most undeservedly. 
 He once accidentally heard from his son that 
 
187 
 
 I was under some pecuniary embarrasmcnt 
 from the alami of country Bankers, who had 
 called in all their advances : he instantly wrote 
 to inform me, he had in his banker's hands 
 £3200, which was at my disposal. I did dis- 
 pose of it, for a short time, and it was exceed- 
 ingly useful to me ; had I wanted as much 
 more, I am sure I might have had it, with the 
 necessary delay. 
 
 The general election has certainly been un- 
 favourable to the Minister. Either he must be 
 beaten, or he must vield to the wishes of the 
 people, which will probably not save him. 
 Will Huskisson's friends join him ? Not if 
 they think him falling; and their junction 
 would scarcely be sufficient. 
 
 Huskisson was certainly a man of very 
 great talents, but I do not like the extravagant 
 praise bestowed upon him since his death. If 
 men of such profligate public conduct are to be 
 held up as laudable examples, political crimes, 
 and, particularly, unprincipled inconsistency, 
 will lose the disgrace which should always ac- 
 company them. 
 
 France. When a King with his Ministers 
 January, couspircs agalust his people ; his ob- 
 
 ^^^^' ject despotism, his means massacre ; 
 can it be conceived that any considerable party 
 
188 
 
 in England regrets his not having succeeded : 
 yet, this regi'et the Duke of Wellington avows, 
 and shares it with a large faction ; this alone 
 ought to prevent him from ever again possess- 
 ing political power. We have now an Admi- 
 nistration pledged to parliamentary refonii, to 
 retrenchment, and non-interference. The chief 
 amongst them are honest and ahle, and will 
 redeem their pledges ; hut their task is difficult. 
 Reform and retrenchment will lessen ministe- 
 rial influence, and thej can only retain their 
 power as long as they possess the confidence 
 of the people ; yet, there is a party increasing 
 in strength — the extreme radicals — who rather 
 than ahandon any of their own theories, will 
 he ^villing to oppose all the good they might 
 procure for the country, even at the risk of 
 bringing hack to power those who have always 
 opposed every thing liberal, and uj^held every 
 abuse. These, when on particular questions 
 they unite with the last Administration, either 
 in or without the House of Commons, may 
 place Ministers in gi'eat danger. The great 
 trial will be reform of Parliament, on which 
 the radicals cannot be satisfied. Should the 
 Administration be beaten upon it, which ap- 
 pears to me far from impossible from the un- 
 natural union which may take place on that 
 
189 
 
 question against thcni, Parliament must be 
 dissolved, and all will then depend on the 
 feeling and temper of" the people. 
 
 Tlie Duke de Polignac appears to be a very 
 ^veak man, and, probably, not j^erfectly sane in 
 mind. In a letter to the Duke de Rohan, 
 Archbishop of Besancon, he says, he believes 
 he has a divine mission, to restore order in 
 France. In attem2)ting to escape, he assumed 
 the livery of a lady, but was discovered b}' re- 
 taining his rings ; and dining at table with his 
 mistress. There is little doubt of his being son 
 of the King, who always had the reputation 
 of being connected with his mother. 
 
 It appears that our INIinisters have agreed 
 with the other great powers in refusing to 
 permit Luxemburgh to form a part of the 
 Belgium state ; yet, these powers are as much 
 pledged to retaining Belgium for the Dutch 
 King as Luxemburgh. It would have been 
 better to have left each to its own free choice. 
 Has not Poland endeavoured too soon to re- 
 cover her freedom ? Heaven grant her success, 
 but I have little hope of it. 
 
 In England, the late Ministers, by their 
 inactivity, had incurred the risk of converting 
 om- disorders into a civil war. These disor- 
 ders began amongst the labourers, in counties 
 
 / 
 
190 
 
 where they had been treated with great injus- 
 tice by their employers, supported by the folly 
 of the Magistrates. They are now suppressed 
 by a proper mixture of severity and lenity ; 
 and as a very general good feeling prevails 
 upon the subject amongst the higher orders, I 
 hope it will, in the end, produce a better system. 
 The fires are crimes of a frightful nature, and 
 little, I am persuaded, connected with the riots 
 of the labourers. Some of the principal per- 
 petrators must at length be discovered, and 
 then, it is to be hoped, we shall recover our 
 former security. 
 
 What a wonderful man is this Brougham. 
 His astonishing powers of mind, — his immense 
 information on almost all subjects, — the ra- 
 pidity with which he acquires it, and the 
 fidelity with which his memor}^ retains it, are 
 really stupendous. Then, his want of judg- 
 ment, which I believe arises from want of 
 sincerity ; and the strange tricks by which he 
 seeks to obtain his ends, in which he always 
 succeeds. At the very close of the last Session 
 of the last Parliament, when he knew it to be 
 useless with a view to the public, he brought 
 forward a motion against slavery. He then 
 published his speech in a pamphlet, which he 
 circulated amongst all the friends of Wilber- 
 
force, ill Vorksliiro ; uiul tliey accordingly 
 chose hiin for their Meinher. Brougham, 
 who is supposed to he a iree-thinker in rehgion, 
 has ahvajs had the desire to succeed Wilhcr- 
 force as head of the Evangchons. It is curious, 
 too, that one of the earhest puhhc acts of his 
 hfe, was to go with the present Lord Barham 
 on some emhassy from the saints of this coun- 
 try, to those of Germany. When Lord Grey 
 was forming his Administration, some offer 
 was made to Brougham, to which he returned 
 no answer, hut renowned his notices on the 
 slave trade and reform in the House of Com- 
 mons ; declaring that the change in Ministers 
 could not affect him. He well knew they dare 
 not leave him in that House to make these 
 motions in hostility to them ; and he became 
 Chancellor of England. I firmly believe it 
 is the best thing ^^'hich could happen ; he can- 
 not have any other object left, than to signalize 
 himself as a great Chancellor, and who will 
 doubt his ability to be so ? 
 
 Creevy was at Brussels during the battle of 
 
 Au-nst Waterloo. The suspense all that day 
 
 ^^'^^' was intolerable, the rumours were all 
 
 unfavourable, and the non appearance of our 
 
 army in retreat on Brussels, offered the only 
 
 faint subject of hope. Early the next morning, 
 
192 
 
 Creevy went to see tlie Duke of Wellington, 
 
 who had returned in the night. The Duke 
 
 / rejected all congTatulation, and said, "It was a 
 
 dreadful business ; 30,000 men destroyed. It 
 
 was a damned near thing ; Blucher and I 
 
 thought w^e could do it, but it was a damned 
 
 near thing." Here was no vanity, no boasting. 
 
 Keep to your profession, Duke, and meddle 
 
 not with politics, which you do not understand. 
 
 Contrary to expectations, the radicals were 
 
 satisfied ; a very few, indeed, whose opposition 
 
 is more honorable than their support, have 
 
 recovered from their honesty and joined the 
 
 tories. The people are every where true to 
 
 themselves, and have returned an immense 
 
 majority to the new Parliament. The Lords, 
 
 however, bigoted against reform, and those 
 
 who hope to overturn the Ministry, form a 
 
 vast majority in that House. When they had 
 
 rejected the bill, they fully expected Lord 
 
 Grey's resignation ; and were prepared again 
 
 to dissolve the Parliament. Lords Harrowby 
 
 and WharnclifFe called a meeting of their nohle 
 
 friends, to agree upon certain resolutions on a 
 
 reform to be submitted to the Lords, but could 
 
 not find a single supporter ; they then called 
 
 upon the Duke of Wellington, and others, to 
 
 produce their resolutions, but none were ofitTcd. 
 
19:5 
 
 Lord Wliarnclifre ^vas liirious, and I was in 
 hopes he would immediately have seceded. 
 Will he do so ? I see no signs of it. It is 
 most desirahle that the measure should he 
 carried without resorting to the dangerous 
 measure of a great creation of Peers ; hut, at 
 present, I do not see the prospect of any suffi- 
 cient change in the temper of the upper House. 
 
 After much consideration, I ventured, with 
 December, little cncouragement, upon a county 
 
 ^^"^ meeting. It is always difficult to 
 obtain a good one, and most so in Winter. 
 Once resolved, I was manfully supported ; the 
 requisition was signed by nearly 400 good 
 names, and the meeting attended by about 
 1600, containing half the gentry of the county. 
 The principal object was, an address to the 
 King, and a resolution of confidence in Mi- 
 nisters. The last was opposed by General 
 Johnson, now^ a Huntite ; but not more than 
 a dozen hands were held up against it. He 
 carried, indeed, his resolutions against me, (in 
 addition to mine) one of them \'ery violent. 
 As the Bishops were attacked in it, the people 
 were sure to adopt it ; but as it did not affect 
 the main objects, I considered the meeting as 
 attended wdth complete success. Ingleby 
 would have supported Johnson, if he had had 
 
194 
 
 courage. I now wait anxiously the result of 
 the new Session of Parliament, which meets 
 to-morrow. By what means reform will he 
 carried I know not ; hut this I know, that car- 
 ried it must he. 
 
 It was hoped that a sufficient numher of the 
 London, Pcers aud Bishops who had opposed 
 ^^^" the reform hill, would have hecome 
 convinced of the danger of persevering in at- 
 tempting to defeat the anxious and just ohject 
 of a nation's wishes. Should this fail us, there 
 is still the creation of Peers ; which, much to 
 he deprecated, was far preferahle to the revolu- 
 tion which must have followed had the people 
 been diiven to despair. The Opposition, how- 
 ever, remained determined : not to defeat 
 reform, hut to turn out then opponents. A 
 sufficient number of them assisted in carrying 
 the second reading, by a small majority ; but 
 when it went into committee, these men, ex- 
 cepting about four, insidiously turned back 
 and formed a large majority against Ministers 
 on the first question. Perhaps so shameful a 
 prostitution of character never was exhibited. 
 The Duke of Wellington suddenly became a 
 reformer, and was ready to form an Adminis- 
 tration on the basis of an effective reform ; and 
 Lord Harrowbv, a second time, turned round 
 
195 
 
 and voted with him. Lord Grey acted with 
 the yiojoTir that hecame him. He recommen- 
 ded to the King a creation of Peers, and on 
 his refusal, resigned with all liis colleagues ; 
 yet the King had formerly given his consent 
 to this measure, if necessary ; hut it is now 
 endeavoured to he explained, that it was only 
 if necessary to carry the second reading. A 
 miserahle evasion. Does the King resemhle 
 his father and hrother in their hatred to all 
 liberal men and principles, or has his weakness 
 yielded to the constant intrigues and importu- 
 nities of those who surround him ? Sure it is, 
 that the Duke of Wellington and his friends 
 had good information of his intentions, hut he 
 had not concerted measures with his former 
 colleagues. Peel refused to form a part of an 
 Administration which he saw could not he 
 maintained. The Duke had not a single man 
 in the House of Commons to maintain his 
 cause, for A. Baring was annihilated in one 
 night. After a few days expended in useless 
 efforts, the Duke was obliged to acknowledge 
 his impotence to form a Ministry. The King 
 then wrote to Lord Grey, but the communi- 
 cation was not satisfactory. The King was 
 obstinate. Lord Grey firm ; and the nation 
 was kept in awful excitement. Every hour 
 
 o 
 
196 
 
 brought accounts from every part, of the deter- 
 mination of the people : no breaking of win- 
 dows, no trifling expressions of discontent; 
 all seemed reserved for a tremendous explosion. 
 I was in the House of Commons on the Friday, 
 when at five Lord Althorpe entered, and in 
 answer to our anxious enquiries declared he 
 had nothing good to announce. We knew 
 the King had passed the previous evening with 
 the Dukes of Cumberland and Gloucester and 
 Lord Munster only. He could not have been 
 in worse company. All seemed desperate, 
 when a messenger came from Lord Grey. 
 Lord Stanley went out, and in a few minutes 
 returned, when Lord Althorpe rose and inform- 
 ed the House that all was settled, and the Mi- 
 nisters retained their situations. Universal 
 joy spread through the Capital, and thence to 
 every part of the country. It crossed the 
 ocean, and diffused content and hope tlu'ough- 
 out France, for our cause was theirs. Had 
 Wellington and Aberdeen succeeded to power, 
 there was too much reason to fear they woidd 
 have done all they dared, to promote the views 
 of the Holy Alliance. 
 
 Still, without a creation of Peers, it is now 
 sufficiently evident that when the question of 
 reform is at an end. Lord Grey may any day, 
 
197 
 
 be ouliiuinbered in the House ol" Commons ; 
 and it may then be less impossible for the 
 Duke of Wellington or Peel to form an Ad- 
 ministration. The Duke, therefore, to prevent 
 this creation, has consented to withdraw with 
 his friends from the House, and suffer the bill 
 to pass. Lord Harewood and others have sece- 
 ded, because they would not support the Duke 
 when they found his opposition was merely 
 factious, and that he was ready to carry a bill 
 on the same principles. There still remains a 
 body of uncompromising opponents, but too 
 weak to make any successful resistance. 
 
 It is now the opinion of those best informed, 
 that the Queen has been unjustly accused, and 
 that, in fact, she has never interfered in poli- 
 tics. The King is either himself hostile to his 
 present Ministers and their measures, or is 
 liable to be influenced against them by those 
 who surround him, amongst whom we appear 
 to have no friends. From the faction which 
 has so long misruled the country to its own 
 profit, we must expect every thing which rage, 
 vexation, and disappointment, can suggest. 
 But I think we may rely on the resolution of 
 an enlightened people, and in the support of a 
 reformed House of Commons, virtually repre- 
 senting them. 
 
198 
 
 The dismissal of Lord Howe, whom she 
 July, 183?. li^'^ never rej^laced, was unfortunate 
 though necessary ; for it made an o- 
 pen enemy of the Queen. The King appears 
 to have yielded to the unceasing attempts of 
 those around him to hias his mind. He is 
 now hostile to Ministers, and resents their ha- 
 ving persuaded him to be a reformer ; he was, 
 however, too far committed to defeat reform, 
 and reform will so far strengthen Ministers, 
 that they are safe till they commit some 
 great blunder, or stumble on some great diffi- 
 culty. The new House of Commons cannot 
 be inimical. In the Lords we may hope for a 
 few new Peers, and some favourable changes ; 
 and even without either, the danger cannot be 
 immediate, though they may do much mischief 
 by opposing important measures. 
 
 This year I have received a pair of kanga- 
 roos from New Holland, of a species rarely 
 seen here, — small and very dark. My black 
 swans, old as they are, this year produced two 
 broods for the first time, and reared four of each ; 
 the first hatched on Christmas-day last, but 
 the other about the middle of May. The Zoo- 
 logical Society have given me a male brown 
 Angola rabbit, (about two years ago, I destroyed 
 all my male white ones,) and the progeny has 
 
199 
 
 consisted of wliilc, black, brown, and light- 
 drab, or flesh-colour : all colours in the same 
 brood, but never two coloin*s in one rabbit, 
 which seems to be the peculiarity of this va- 
 riety. 
 
 The creation of Peers at the Coronation was 
 effected too hastily, it might have been more 
 numerous and l)etter chosen. The Duke of 
 Sussex recommended two. Lord Dunmore and 
 Hughes ; and asked for a third. Col. Tynte, 
 which was refused. Lord Anglesea obtained 
 a Peerage for his son in law, A. Chichester ; 
 and recommended Lord Cloncurry, which was 
 particularly offensive to the Irish Orangists. 
 Coke would accept nothing less than an Earl- 
 dom. Byng wanted a remainder to his ne- 
 phew ; the honor was offered to C. Dundas, 
 who declined it, because he could not ensui'e 
 a friend to Government to succeed him in 
 Berkshire. He afterwards weakly accepted it, 
 and an enemy was chosen. It was offered to 
 Burdett, who had no other objection to it than 
 that he thought he might be more useful to 
 them in the lower House ; the reason was highly 
 honourable, yet I thought a Peerage would not 
 have been a becoming conclusion to his politi- 
 cal life ; but this he did not feel. 
 
 Supposing none of the Peers wlio opposed 
 
200 
 
 Ministers on reform should now join lliem, the 
 majority against them woukl be increased 
 about sixteen since last year, by six coming of 
 age; all tories' deaths, all which create a 
 change, making it against us ; and the sending 
 out of friends and bringing home enemies from 
 Embassies and Governments. 
 
 Tliere will now^ probably be a small creation 
 on the approaching dissolution, but which can- 
 not much affect the disparity. At the time when 
 a numerous creation was in contem^^lation ; 
 the applications were innumerable, and many 
 of them so absurd, that, without good authority, 
 I could not have believed them. 
 
 Three weeks ago, an infant kangaroo was 
 found in the morninsf abandoned and nearly 
 dead. Tlie mother w^as caught, and the young 
 one put into her pouch; there it has com- 
 pletely recovered, but the tail is broken, 
 whether in catching, I know not. — Died soon 
 afterwards. My little kangaroos (k. enfume 
 of Cuvier) have produced a young female. 
 They are remarkably gentle, tame, and fearless. 
 
 The elections of the Commoners have pro- 
 
 1833. ceeded admirably; the people have 
 
 shew^n as little inclination to choose 
 
 radicals as conservatives. Hunt is thrown out, 
 
 but he was more odious and troublesome to 
 
201 
 
 the Members, than mischievous to the country : 
 so small ^vas the estimation in which he was 
 held. By way of exchange, Cobbet is chosen ; 
 my expectation is, that he will fall flat, but it 
 may turn out otherwise ; and should he have 
 Hunt's impudence, he may still be more 
 annoying. 
 
 This morning, I found a large white gold 
 April 20. fish in great distress. A male toad 
 had fastened himself upon the head 
 and shoulders of the fish, but neither of the 
 paws touched the eye ; on destroying the toad, 
 the fish swam away apparently unhurt. About 
 one hundred toads have been killed in this 
 pond in the last month. 
 
 I have never been able to persuade the Zoo- 
 logical Society to exclude strangers from the 
 farm at Kingston ; the consequence is, it is 
 useless as a breeding place ; and as economy 
 is become necessary, from the falling off of our 
 finances, our garden receipt having diminished 
 £2400. last year, we have determined to give 
 up the farm. The Society have, therefore, en- 
 trusted to my care, a very fine pair of the crax 
 alector, in hopes I may obtain a brood from 
 them. 
 
 Guinea pigs have always been understood to 
 be very diflficult to preserve during the Winter. 
 
202 
 
 Perhaps tliej do not like confinement. In the 
 Autumn, I turned six loose into the menagerie, 
 and in the middle of the Winter, finding them 
 do well, I turned the rest, about a dozen, to 
 them : thej have all been well and lively. 
 
 The storm of August 30, destroyed four out 
 September ^f uiuo of the guiuea pigs. My 
 
 ^' new kangaroos (kangaroo enfume of 
 Cuvier) have produced one, and promise ano- 
 ther young one ; they appear perfectly healthy, 
 are very tame, inoffensive, and fearless. My 
 emus, this Winter, produced eleven and reared 
 ten young ones in one brood. The common 
 kangaroo is become scarce and dear from be- 
 ing, in general, very unhealthy in England. 
 My flock is reduced to one male, two females, 
 of which one is much emaciated, one young 
 one, and the promise of two more. The crax 
 alector laid four eggs, three were bad, and it 
 was so long before we could find a turkey to 
 sit upon them, that the fourth was spoiled. 
 The Zoological Society gave me last year a 
 pair of the cereopsis novae hollandite, bred in 
 England ; and Lord Milton, this year, pro- 
 cured for me, from the Isle of Wight, a pair of 
 young cormorants. 
 
 Rabbits are in the habit of covering up, with 
 earth, the holes in which they have deposited 
 
203 
 
 their young ; and of leaving tlieni in that state 
 for a week or ten days. One of my Angola 
 rabbits lately covered a hole which her young 
 had left ; I dug it open, but it was empty. 
 
 The hrst reformed Parliament is, I think, a 
 very honest, but a very ignorant and a most 
 disagreeable one. The Members are almost all 
 seized with the rage for speaking, and persevere 
 in making all sorts of motions, — many very 
 absurd — to the interruption of the most im- 
 portant measures, which are at last proceeded 
 with, often almost imperceptibly at late hours, 
 Cobbet wants not assurance, but his total dis- 
 regard of truth and decency, makes him a 
 cypher in influence ; but though his speeches 
 are short, they are so incessant that he is a 
 great and disgraceful nuisance. At lirst, the 
 leaders of the conservatives seemed to have 
 some understanding with him ; but they found 
 him too contemptible. O Connel seems still 
 to lean to him. Peel is gradually become al- 
 most friendly to Ministers ; and, probably, the 
 time is not distant when he will join them. 
 As, however, he will not like to be second in 
 the House of Conmions, it may be deferred 
 till the death of Lord Spencer has removed 
 Lord Althorpe, who, with all his honesty, has 
 not sufficient talents or vigour for his situation. 
 
204 
 
 G. Lamb, the under secretary, told me they 
 had refused permission to two persons who 
 wished to change their names ; one was C. 
 Tenyson, who desired the name of D'Eyncourt, 
 or something hke it ; the other, the Duke of 
 Beaufort, who aims at being a Plantagenet. 
 Such a refusal is rather new, but their rule is 
 not to grant it without a sufficient reason. 
 
 The new system of elections has not yet 
 produced any man of distinguished talents. 
 The Opposition, headed by the Dukes of Cum- 
 berland and Wellington, seconded by old Eldon 
 and Lyndhurst, have, during the whole Session, 
 had the means in their hands of defeating the 
 present Administration, by their great majority 
 in the House of Lords ; that they have not 
 availed themselves of it, is to be ascribed to 
 the impossibility under which they labored 
 of forming an Administration that could be 
 permanent. Once, indeed, when the Irish 
 Church bill w^as sent up to their House, they 
 appeared resolved on this perilous step ; but 
 the refusal of Peel to concur with them, left 
 them without support in the lower House. I 
 was going to the Assizes at Lincoln when I re- 
 ceived earnest solicitations to go immediately 
 to town, to be ready for the crisis ; but some 
 how or another I thought it would not take 
 
205 
 
 place. When I reached Lincohi, Mill, the Bar- 
 rister, who had that iiionient arrived from 
 London, informed me that Ministers were 
 resolved to resign whether they were beaten 
 in the Lords or not ; and that the Chancellor 
 had assured him it would take place at latest 
 on the Saturday. Tt "^vas, I believe, the Chan- 
 cellor's wish to do so, that they might return, 
 with ampler powers ; but he failed to persuade 
 his colleagues of the prudence of such a mea- 
 sure. They preferred yielding something to 
 conciliate the least violent of theii' opponents ; 
 and 1 think they acted wisely. It is by such 
 conduct that they have effected much good for 
 the coiuitry, and may still accomplish more. 
 They had, indeed, before given up the clause 
 which declared the Church property available 
 for national j^urposes ; and on that occasion 
 I voted against them. 
 
 Immediately after that vote I left town. My 
 wife was in a helpless state from the fracture 
 of her right arm. I was still occasionally suf- 
 fering from the effects of having been run over 
 by a carriage three years before ; and I saw 
 that the vast majority of Ministers, increasing 
 towards the close of the Session, made an in- 
 dividual vote of little consequence in the 
 House of Commons. 
 
206 
 
 Some one, I forget who, being asked by 
 ^ Crockford for a motto, gave him, "He filleth 
 
 the hungry with good things, and the rich he 
 sendeth empty away." 
 
 The late Sir W. Manners (Lord Hunting- 
 tower) sold three seats in Parliament to the 
 Prince of Wales, then pretending to be a whig : 
 the three returned for Ilchester and Grantham, 
 were Sheridan, John W, Ward, and Robert 
 Smith, for this. Sir Wm. had the written pro- 
 mise of a Peerage. When the Prince became 
 Regent, the promise was claimed ; the Regent 
 informed Sir Wm., that his Ministers would 
 not consent to the Peerage, but that any sum 
 of money, he would name should be paid him. 
 Lord Huntingtower said, " He could not put 
 a pecuniary value upon the honor of a King." 
 
 It seems now pretty clear, that the King, 
 surrounded as he always has been by tories, 
 has yielded so far to their influence, that he 
 would dismiss the present Administration if he 
 could form one on opposite principles ; our 
 security is, that it is impossible. Our Minis- 
 ters do not entirely agree on public principle, 
 promise something more than they can per- 
 form, are embarrassed by the House of Lords, 
 and dissatisfy the country ; yet, on the whole, 
 they are popular from a just opinion of their 
 honesty and good intentions. 
 
207 
 
 1 iear that the Enghsli Clergy bill will I'all 
 iiir short of expectation. My coiistitueiits 
 have been inclined to be dissatisfied with some 
 of my votes, particularly that on Hervey's 
 motion respecting pensions. I have adopted 
 the plan of writing candidly to them in expla- 
 nation ; and they have treated my letters with 
 great indulgence. In fact, that motion was 
 merely ad captandum ; both Ilervey and Ilnme 
 acknowledged that nothing could be done ; and, 
 perhaps, the best way of treating the subject 
 would have been, to have given them their 
 committee. 
 
 When Lord Durham resigned his place, 
 about this time last year, Stephenson, his au- 
 ditor and manager of his affairs, said, in a large 
 company at dinner, "That Lord Durham would 
 return to the Cabinet before the end of June, 
 in a place of greater importance, though oi" 
 inferior precedence." This could not be said 
 without design. It has not been realized. 
 Lord Durham has since quarrelled with Lord 
 Grey, and that not only politically. He has, 
 in his speeches in the North, gone very far to 
 please the radicals ; he has shewn inordinate 
 ambition. Fortunately, he is on bad terms 
 with Lord Brougham : if iniited with him, the 
 consequences might be very disastrous. 
 
208 
 
 It was a great omission in the reform bill, 
 ^„^^gt^ that provision was not made, that 
 i«^i- Members of the House of Com- 
 mons should not vacate their seats bj taking, 
 office. Such a check upon appointments was 
 no longer necessary ; and, indeed, when it 
 might have been of some utility, it was con- 
 stantly evaded, as the principal Ministers 
 scarcely ever sat for populous places or coun- 
 ties. Since the passing of the reform bill, it 
 cannot be evaded ; and operates greatly to the 
 prejudice of the public in restricting the choice 
 of persons to fill important offices, and often 
 23reventing those most fit from accepting, from 
 the fear of an expensive and uncertain re- 
 election. To remedy this evil, T moved for 
 leave to bring in a bill. I was attacked by 
 Dr. Lushington, in a violent speech, for his 
 constituents. Althorpe was frightened. Not 
 so Stanley,* who would have probably given 
 a very favourable turn to the debate. In the 
 mean time, however, the sense of a very thin 
 House being against us, I comj^lied Avith the 
 wish of the other Ministers, and withdi-ew 
 the motion. I proposed bringing it forward 
 again next Session, with a clause for shortening 
 Parliaments to five years. I think the latter 
 
 * He did not enter the House till the motion wns witlHliiiwn. 
 
209 
 
 will be popular, will do little liarni, and is ra- 
 ther agreeable to justice. I had also intended 
 to bring forward a measure for preventing 
 the Bishops sitting in the House of Lords ; but 
 in this I was anticipated. It w^as not brought 
 forward quite in the tone of moderation which 
 I should have adopted. 
 
 Tlie principal business of the Session was 
 the poor law amendment bill, from which I 
 expect results of the greatest benefit to the 
 country. During this Session, the Cabinet 
 Ministers seem to have had serious differences 
 amongst each other ; at length, becoming pub- 
 lic, w^e lost the services of Sir J. Graham and 
 Lord Ripon, who could both be spared ; of the 
 Duke of Richmond, who, I trust, will still 
 support his late colleagues ; and of Stanley, 
 whose very superior talents cannot but be 
 greatly regretted, and unhappily he has already 
 shewn a disposition to join the hostile ranks. 
 The loss of Lord Grey can hardly be attributed 
 to a schism, as, in fact, it principally arose from 
 his increasing deske of retnement and quiet ; 
 and just as is the concern felt by the public, 
 for the loss of a man surpassed by none in 
 abihty, integrity, and honor ; the admhable 
 choice of Lord Melbourne to succeed him, will 
 operate as far as possible to mitigate the loss. 
 
210 
 
 His temper and discretion are particularly cal- 
 culated to cement together the different, and 
 not always accordant, parts of the Adminis- 
 tration. In the mean time, the turn which 
 affairs have taken in Spain and Portugal, has 
 heen equally fortunate for the British Ministers, 
 and for the support and improvement of the 
 liherties of Europe. 
 
 Anxious as I always was for reform of Par- 
 liament, and convinced as I am of its utility 
 and necessity, it must he owned that if it has 
 improved the honesty of the House of Com- 
 mons, it certainly has made it a very disagree- 
 able one to sit in. The time which ought to 
 be occupied by public business of the highest 
 importance, is eternally wasted in the most 
 futile and idle manner. Numbers of the 
 Members push forward their own crude and 
 useless motions, in which days after days are 
 wasted, besides the endless hours that are con- 
 sumed in desultory conversations upon peti- 
 tions ; and Ministers have no other resource, 
 than to pass the necessary measures l)etweeii 
 one and three in the morning. In the Lords, 
 an immense majority continues ready to turn 
 out Ministers whenever the lories dare attempt 
 to succeed them. Long may this remain a 
 theory. AVould it be believed, that Brougham 
 
211 
 
 j)roposod the Privy Seal to Lord Grey alter 
 his resignation ? Yet it is true. 
 
 On the second oi" tliis month, Mrs. Arlnith- y 
 not, who had heen tlioiight recovered from a 
 short illness, suddenly ex])ired, and left her 
 iamily in the dee})est aflhction. She was the 
 delight and pride of them all, and the kindness 
 of her heart rendered her often essentially 
 usclul to them, as well as to all her friends. 
 Dying at 40, she had not survived her heauty : 
 highly accomj^lished, admirahly well informed, 
 particularly in all that could he learned from 
 the hest company, utterly without affectation, 
 her manners were fascinating and her conver- 
 sation most agreeahle. She was highly esteem- 
 ed hy the first Statesmen of the tory party, 
 and as she was naturally pleased with their 
 attentions and society, and encouraged hy her 
 hushand, with whom she always lived in the 
 most affectionate union in conscious innocence, 
 she rather imprudently despised the malice of 
 puhlic opinion. This was increased hy her 
 having a considerable pension. On this sub- 
 ject there was a great misconception in the 
 public mind. I had undertaken to explain it 
 in the House of Commons, but when IIar\'ey 
 brought forward his motion on pensions, her's 
 was not named ; and as she had particularly 
 
 p 
 
212 
 
 desired she might not be unnecessarily brought 
 before the public, 1 reluctantly remained silent ; 
 reluctantly, because I thought an explanation 
 might liave done much good. 
 
 The sudden dismissal of Lord Melbourne's 
 stubton, Administration seems to me likely to 
 Feb. i83y. ]jg^yg bccu a fortuuatc circumstance. 
 It was, probably, a mistake of the King's, 
 suggested by those immediately about him ; 
 by no means wislied by Peel ; and, perhaps, 
 as little by the Duke of Wellington. Had 
 they waited another Session, the late Admi- 
 nistration must have become much divided, 
 and, prolmbly, very unpopular. Their dismissal 
 has rendered them, in general, popular ; the 
 radicals make common cause with them against 
 the tories, and Stanley and his little party 
 sliow no inclination to ilivor the latter. The 
 new House of Commons, judging from the 
 way in which men have formerly voted, would 
 oifer a majority of 160. Of these, some have 
 already gone over, some will stay away ; but 
 as I cannot fear any great defection against 
 pul)lic opinion, I look forward to the speedy 
 defeat of the present Government. In the 
 mean time, we have received a lesson. Whig 
 Ministers must see the mischief of being too 
 tenacious of their own opinions; and on points 
 
213 
 
 not of vital importance to tlic country nnisl 
 yield to the majority oitlic Cabinet. 
 
 The general election lias proved tliat llie 
 reform oi" Parliament is not complete ; and 
 that many Boroughs (the number, too, has a 
 tendency to increase) may still be carried by 
 bribery and treating. In fact, the Ministerial 
 party spared no exertions of treating, bribing, 
 and intimidation. In the House, there has 
 been a general impression of the partiality of 
 connnittees ; and as om- friends attended very 
 ill, the most important ones have been hitherto 
 composed of a majority of conservatives. 1 
 had doubts of again coming into Parliament, 
 chiefly for financial reasons ; but besides, that 
 of all Parliaments I should most have regi'etted 
 my absence h'om this, Lord Fitzwilliam's 
 second son not being of age, and a storm threat- 
 ened at Peterborough, I thought I could not 
 honorably desert my friends. We had a foolish 
 opposition, which was directed principally a- 
 gainst me, but my friends carried me safely 
 through : I finished my speech with " War to 
 tories and their principles." I have kept my 
 word and voted against tliem on every ques- 
 tion, until the 4th instant, when it being evi- 
 dent that Peel was only waiting for opportunity 
 to resign, I paired off till the holidays, and 
 
214 
 
 came down into the country. Here I found 
 hole and corner addresses to Peel jn'eparing hi 
 all the towns ; none of them daring to call 
 meetincfs, and all now too late. It was said 
 the King was furious, hut that is not in his 
 nature. i\.fter having heen long assailed hy 
 had advice and misinformation, he at last dis- 
 missed Lord Melhourne without consultingj 
 any one, and boasted of its being his own 
 work. He is, probably, not now quite so 
 proud of it. To the Queen he said, ** Ma'am I 
 have dismissed my Ministers, and appointed 
 the Duke of Wellington." "Yes, sir, to the 
 joy and satisfaction of all your subjects." ''That 
 remains to be proved, ma'am. " Probably the 
 only condition he will be able to make will be 
 to exclude Brougham. 
 
 Sir R. Gresly failed to attend an election 
 connnittee, for which lie made an excuse in 
 the House, which nobody believed, and at 
 which every body laughed. The truth is said 
 to be, that he was sitting for his picture at 
 Dulwich, in the character of the Saviour. 
 On beino told this, I was astonished at the 
 remarkable similarity of his features to those 
 iiiven to the Saviour. Nothing, however, can 
 be more different than the eye and character 
 of the aiinitenance. 
 
215 
 
 The first question on the meeting of Purlia- 
 ment was the clioice of the SpealaT. T liad 
 not an idea of the possibihty of ejecting Man- 
 ners Sntton. lie had l)een a very popular 
 vSpeaker, though with slender abilities ; but lat- 
 terly he had become very partial, and his vanity 
 in fancying lie could govern tlie country as 
 Prime Minister, an oflice wliich it was l)elieved 
 he was ready to imdertake, disgusted man v. 
 Never before was tlierc sucli an attendance, 
 the people having enlisted in the cause ; I be- 
 lieve there were only twenty-eight Meml)ers 
 absent. In the course of this Session, I was 
 chairman of the Carlow committee, — more 
 gross partiality on both sides I never saw. The 
 partiality of election committees is rapidly in- 
 creasing, and the system must be altered : it 
 disgraces the House of Commons. Men on 
 both sides talk of the necessity of supporting 
 their political friends on committees, yet they 
 take an oath to be impartial. I have sat on 
 ten election committees, of whicli I liave been 
 nominee on two, and chairman, I think, on 
 seven, so that I am a tolerably good judge. 
 
 Early in June, panting for home, and not 
 thinking the Parliament would sit much longer, 
 I paired off for the season, and came down 
 into the country. I afterwards rc^pented my 
 
 / 
 
216 
 
 precipitation, but my constituents treated me 
 better than I deserved. Next came on the 
 contest with the House of Lords on the 
 nnmicipal bill. It is generally thought Lord 
 Lyndhurst outwitted himself, and suffered the 
 bill to pass the Lords, thinking he had suffi- 
 ciently altered it to cause its being rejected by 
 the Commons. I doubt, however, whether he 
 could have prevailed on a majority to reject it 
 altogether against the avowed opinion of Peel 
 and Wellington : certainly it came far better 
 out of their hands than we expected. Minis- 
 ters very wisely accepted the amendments ; 
 and such as it is, it gives a severe blow to tory 
 interests. The Irish Church bill they did re- 
 ject, and in a manner that will make it very 
 difficult for them to retract. What is then to 
 be done ? I hope they will not drive the peo- 
 ple to demand a change in the constitution 
 of the House of Lords. Such a change 
 would be radical indeed. The Lords much 
 oftener have aflbrded a salutary than a baneful 
 clieck ; and every good measure, in spite of 
 their opposition, had hitherto been successfully 
 carried. At last, the only case in which their 
 obstinacy has been very prejudicial, has been 
 Catholic emanci])ation ; for as to reform of 
 rarliament, the great difficulty AAas 1o get a 
 
217 
 
 House of Coinnioiis lliat would reloriu itsell"; 
 aud 1 know not when this could have liap- 
 pened had we not had a King, who, from some 
 sudden and momentary fancy, took into his 
 head to he a reformer himself. Of this he has 
 since heartily repented. 
 
 In the Summer, a part of Burdett's family 
 came here on their road Northwards ; with 
 them a Dr. Moratt, an intelhgent Physician, 
 wlio had heen a volunteer at the Battle of 
 Waterloo. He told me, that from want of ade- 
 quate means, the last convoy of the wounded 
 (of course the last were enemies) could not be 
 hrought off the field till the 26th. Many had 
 heen ten, all eight days without food or care on 
 the held of battle ; and these, he said, were 
 most easily cured. I do not for a moment 
 doubt his accuracy ; but the field must have 
 been frequently visited, and many might have 
 occasionally received some food, or at least 
 water, from the charitable ; some little assist- 
 ance, too, they might obtain from each other. 
 AVith all allowance, the fact is still remarkable. 
 My original male black swan died this 
 October, spring, but left a brood of four young 
 ^®^^' ones, not two months old. This pair 
 had hatched in all forty-four, and reared forty. 
 He was about sixteen years old. If biscuit is 
 
 / 
 
218 
 
 given to the crax alector, the male breaks it, 
 and, taking the pieces in his mouth, offers 
 them to his mate, who takes them as her right, 
 together with as much as she can pick uj) be- 
 sides ; this is not the case with Indian corn, 
 which being in plenty is eaten freely by both, — 
 a most polite husband. We have lately reared 
 the young ones easily. 
 
 An old wliite terrier followed me home from 
 Grantham ; the next time 1 went she returned 
 with me, both times perfectly happy. The 
 interval was three weeks. I then found she 
 was the property of the Rev. Mr. Otley, who 
 sat with me on both occasions as a Magistrate. 
 She was a great favorite with all the family, 
 and he was much distressed at the loss. He 
 and I were both mounted on chesnut long- 
 tailed ponies ; and the dog had evidently mis- 
 taken the two, — a want of sagacity which 
 appears to me very remarkable. 
 
 The delight of his friends, the idol of his 
 family, from whom he was never separated ; 
 liappy in his union with a most amiable and 
 affectionate wife ; unassuming in society, yet 
 witli talents found equal to every situation in 
 which lie has been placed ; amongst the hopes 
 oi the rising generation, and with the most 
 brilliant prospects before liini. Lord Milton is 
 taken from us, at the age of twentv-three. 
 
219 
 
 There is something so extraordinary in Bur- 
 
 stubt.Hi, (lett's reeent conduct, that, helievinp; 
 
 Jan. i«;u;. 1^.^^^ ^^ 1^^ honest, and indeed it would 
 
 be diflicult to assign any dislionest motive for 
 his cliange, I can only account for it hj the 
 recollection that his judgment was never very 
 sound ; and that from want of confidence in 
 his own opinion, he has always been governed 
 by others. His excuse for becomiuir a tory, 
 is fear of O'Connel ; yet, O'Connel was hardly 
 less dangerous two years ago, when Burdett 
 cordially joined with me, or I ought rather to 
 say, that I cooperated with him, in endeavour- 
 ing to persuade Lord Grey to satisfy him, 
 which we had then reason to know might be 
 done on very reasonable terms. Lord Grey 
 always refused to trust him ; and it was in 
 vain that we urged that no danger could ensue, 
 as once united to Administration, he would be 
 jiowerless if he revolted. 
 
 It appears that Burdett is now influenced 
 by Sir G. Sinclau% who, to speak the most fa- 
 vorably of him, is a very weak man, with a most 
 powerful memory. Sinclair has publicly denied 
 his influence, but E. B. Clive and I were last 
 year witnesses to a strong and singular proof 
 of its existence. It is a melancholy close of 
 Burdett's public life ; it only remains for Sin- 
 
220 
 
 clair to convert him into a bigot. He may, 
 however, live long ; and if lie can be happy in 
 a private life, may find ample resources in the 
 affection of many amiable daughters. 
 
 There have been lately four vacancies in the 
 representation, two from the death of tories, 
 two of whigs : in all we have failed, — in Nor- 
 thamptonshire, by a very great majority. 
 What is the cause that Northamptonshire is a 
 tory county and can never be won but in a 
 moment of great public excitement ; and that 
 this state of things is much increased by the 
 false measure of giving votes to tenants at will ? 
 The tories were so much elated by this success, 
 that they began to talk of reaction, and of a 
 change of Ministers. At this moment, our 
 spirits were restored by the first effects of the 
 municipal reform, which has just come into 
 operation. The fiiends of the present Govern- 
 ment have so universally succeeded, that un- 
 less some untoward event should occur, thev 
 appear to me more secure than they have been 
 since the dissolution of Lord Grey's Cabinet. 
 Still, there are great difficulties to encounter in 
 the approaching Session ; particularly from the 
 insane violence of the majority of the House 
 of Lords. How this is to be got over, I am at 
 a loss to conjecture. 
 
221 
 
 It was not got over. The Session was re- 
 markable for the increased violence of the Lords, 
 led on by the able but unprincipled L} ndhurst. 
 Had they shown as nnich courage five years 
 ago, the reform bill nuist either ha\^e been lost, 
 or carried b}' a revolution. They have thrown 
 out many most important bills, particularly 
 the Irish municipal bill, though ahnost spoiled 
 in the House of Commons to concihate them. 
 1 believe Lord Lyndhurst, and many others, 
 were ready for a change of Ministers, but were 
 prevented by the discretion of Peel and the 
 Duke of Wellington ; indeed, it would have 
 been madness to have again tried the experi- 
 ment of a dissolution of Parliament ; nor do I 
 see any danger to the present Government, 
 unless they should be deserted by the ultra 
 radicals ; or by some act of their own, or from 
 the misrepresentations of their opponents, lose 
 their popularity. Lord Stanley, and his few 
 remaining friends, have unequivocally joined 
 Peel, and now vote against every principle of 
 their former political hfe. The most melan- 
 choly reflection arises from the conduct of Lord 
 Grey, who has never given a cordial support 
 to Lord Melbourne ; yet, no man has asked 
 and received from him so many favors for 
 his family. 
 
222 
 
 The prospect abroad is rather lowering. 1 lie 
 wretched conduct of the Spanish Government 
 has enabled Don Carlos, not only to maintain 
 his ground, but even to endanger the kingdom ; 
 and, unless we do something etTectual to pre- 
 vent, or render unavailing the supplies he 
 receives from the different friends of absolutism, 
 liberal Spain may be lost. If, on the other 
 hand, we interfere directly, we may bring on 
 a continental w^ar. It is unfortunate France 
 was not permitted to settle the question, when 
 inclined to do so ; probably now the Bourbon 
 Louis Phillipe is more inclined to support the 
 other side, and less afraid to do so, or at least 
 to refuse the promised aid to the Queen. The 
 remaining hope is in the Cortes now just as- 
 sembled. 
 
 What is to be done in our Cortes when 
 again assembled ; is reform to be advanced ? 
 I could wish indeed for our first bill for reform 
 of Parliament, but that is now impossible ; 
 and I should be perfectly satisfied with what I 
 never expect to obtain, — the ejection of the 
 freemen and tenants at will. For any organic 
 change of the House of Lords, I do not think 
 I can ever vote. To bring that House to a 
 conformity with the House of Commons, 
 would be to establish a democracv ; and, idti- 
 
223 
 
 niately, to abalisli the nioiiarcliy, which would 
 become an cxpeiisi\o and useless pageant. Far 
 better to wait with patience till the Lords find 
 themselves obliged to yield every beneficial 
 measure, one after another, to the declared 
 sense of the people, exhibited by a greater ma- 
 jority of the House of Commons, 
 
 In the mean time, one measure of immense 
 domestic importance has been given us by the 
 wisdom of those now in power ; supported, on 
 this occasion only, by all parties. The new 
 poor law every day shows more and more its 
 excellent effects ; no other measure could have 
 arrested the frightful progress of the demorali- 
 zation of the labouring class. The former poor 
 rates were exj^ended in the purchase of idleness, 
 poverty, and vice ; everywhere the change pro- 
 duced is most satisfactory. I had at first to 
 combat a foolish but violent jealousy in Newark, 
 against the old union of Claypole, now united 
 to them ; but firmness and impartiality have 
 put an end to all that was inconvenient in this, 
 and with a board of well disposed Guardians, 
 in which are many intelligent men, the busi- 
 ness is conducted with perfect harmony and 
 advantage. 
 
 Last year, I gave Lord Derby a pair of my 
 Wallabvs, or bush kangaroos, which had in- 
 
224 
 
 creased to nine. I received from him a pair 
 of Sandwich Island geese, a pair of Carohna 
 teal, and a pair of Brazil whistling dncks, all 
 bred at Knowsley. I have also acquired some 
 Maryland partridges, or quails ; they came 
 late in the Summer ; one of them, however, 
 laid eggs, from which we reared five young 
 ones, which I helieve w^ould have done well, 
 had they not destroyed each other by picking 
 their toes, probably from our omitting to give 
 them gravel. Tlie male Balearic crane is 
 lord of the menagerie, but does not use his 
 power offensively. An emu had laid the female 
 crane on her back and would presently have 
 demolished her, but hearing her cries, the male 
 ran to her assistance, and di'ove off the emu. 
 The kangaroos resist the emus with success, 
 but the black swans, when they have young 
 ones, fight an equal and dangerous battle with 
 them. 
 
 A pan* of very large pigeons, called the 
 chequered starlings, were sent by Lord Derby, 
 The female came ill and died in about six 
 wrecks : a fortnight before her death, she laid 
 two eggs, but being too ill to sit, that opera- 
 tion was persevei'ingly performed by the male, 
 with her full consent, as she frequently sat by 
 him. At her death, he abandoned the eggs. 
 
225 
 
 I have had hares lioiii Ireland, and VVaKer 
 Camphell sent me six very tame ones from 
 the West of Scotland ; hut, whether from want 
 of space or of salt m the menagerie, a diflcrence 
 of soil, or want of variety of herhage, all have 
 died. Of six choughs, also, from Scotland, 
 hut exactly resemhling the Cornish choughs, 
 four soon died ; hut the remaining pair* seem 
 (piite reconciled, Hying often for food to the 
 adjoining fields, hut always soon returning. 
 
 It is a proof of the high reputation of Lord 
 Melbourne, that he has never been charged 
 with apostacy ; yet, he was brought in for 
 Peterborough, by the late Lord P'itzwilliam, to 
 oppose reform, and did oppose it manfully. At 
 that very time, however, in conversation with 
 me, he justified his future change : he told me, 
 that he thought reform of the House of Com- 
 mons was unnecessary ; and that the people 
 did not wish it. " If," he added, " the people 
 should ever become seriously and perseveringly 
 desirous of it, I should think it my duty to 
 support it." Here is an honorable principle 
 with which a man may or may not honestly con- 
 cur. I believe the people never wished for Ca- 
 tholic emancipation, though they became less 
 
 * The male died soon after; the female had made a nest in the adjoining field, 
 
 and was killed by vennin. 
 
226 
 
 and less violent against it; and, at length, left it 
 to the wisdom of Parliament. Yet, had the 
 whole nation remained opposed to it, I w^ould 
 at all times have supported what appeared to 
 me called for, on every principle of justice. On 
 the other hand, I am hy no means convinced, 
 that the experiment of hallot will he productive 
 of good ; yet, it is that sort of question which 
 I think ought to he yielded to the wishes of 
 the people ; and, hesides, reform has hitherto 
 so utterly failed of putting an end to corrup- 
 tion at elections, that on that account, also, I 
 am hecome more willing to try the hallot. 
 
 The people seem to me hecoming more de- 
 sirous of a reform of the House of Lords. On 
 this I cannot, without still stronger and much 
 stronger experience of the evils arising from 
 the ahsurd violence of the Lords, concur with 
 them. W'lio would abandon the gi'eatest in- 
 centive to public virtue, and illustrious public 
 services ? Would they have rewarded a Wel- 
 lington, or a Nelson, with money only ? Who 
 would resign the hope of elevating his family 
 1)y his own merits ? Again, Have they re- 
 flected how the change is to be obtained ? Not 
 by an act of parliament, to which the Peers 
 will never consent. Is it then to be carried 
 by revolutionary force ? Tliat, indeed, applies 
 
227 
 
 chiefly to a change amounting to ahohtion, 
 hut to tliat any organic change must, in my 
 opinion, arrive. 
 
 At the last assizes, in the jail calendar no- 
 tice was taken of those prisoners who could 
 read and write. The practice, 1 think, was 
 new, and I know not h}^ what authority. 
 Judge Vaughan took occasion, in his charge, 
 to remark with malicious sarcasm, that all 
 those charged with capital crimes were ahle to 
 read or write ; the fact is, it would he difficult 
 to find many incapahle of both. 
 
 It is very difficult to fix the boundary be- 
 tween instinct and reason ; it cannot be denied 
 that many animals exhibit judgment in the 
 exercise of their instinct. Brougham in his 
 Natural Theology, has given us all that can be 
 said on this subject, yet he believes in the bird 
 filling the well with stones to raise the water 
 till within his reach ; and in the eagle dropping 
 the tortoise on a stone to obtain the flesh. Nei- 
 ther is he happy in proving the independence 
 of the soul of the infirmities of the body. 
 Where does the soul acquire its ideas but from 
 the senses ? What is the mind in childhood ? 
 Sometimes, indeed, it is vigorous when the body 
 is diseased, bu| frequently also it shares in the 
 degradation. He thinks that dreams take place 
 
 Q 
 
228 
 
 only in the moments of commencing sleep and 
 awaking. 1 am convinced that the mind is ac- 
 tively employed during the whole of sleep, hut his 
 theory of dreams would only tend to prove still 
 more the dependence of the soul upon the hody. 
 It must he acknowledged, that neither our 
 intellectual powers, nor the experience of the 
 world, are sufficient, nor do I helieve they 
 ever can he sufficient, to enahle us to compre- 
 hend these suhjects ; yet, on some points, we 
 have the means of forming a tolerably clear 
 judgment. It appears to me that no particle 
 of matter can either he added or annihilated. 
 Creation and destruction are changes in the 
 comhination of matter. I conclude from this, 
 that the life, the mind, the soul, or by what- 
 ever name we choose to call it, is equally of 
 necessary existence ; though I think Brough- 
 am entii^ely fails to prove, that we are more 
 sure of its existence than of that of the body. 
 Space and time must be unlimited, for fix 
 what bounds you please, both must go beyond 
 them. What is immortal, must always have 
 been immortal, for an eternity with one end 
 seems impossible ; hut our understanding is not 
 cajmble of comprehending eternity, still less 
 an eternity composed of limitations ; for no- 
 thing but the Supreme Being, as far as we 
 
229 
 
 know, can have anv but a limited existence 
 in any state of wliicli it appears to be capable ; 
 and it must be, by continual changes, that exis- 
 tence can be multiplied. AVhat then becomes 
 of the soul ? Tell me what I was before my 
 birth, and I can form some guess what I shall 
 be after my death. The mystery of concep- 
 tion by which a body with a soid is brought 
 gradually into existence, is utterly incapable 
 of human explanation. But it is evident, that 
 the globe we inhabit, has suffered many revo- 
 lutions by which its nature has been entirely 
 changed, and in which it has been fit for the 
 residence of animals totally different from each 
 other. Tn all these stages it has been provided 
 with inhabitants perfectly suited to it; and 
 those to whom it no longer afforded a liveli- 
 hood have perished. Whence then came their 
 successors ? By chance ? Impossible. They 
 must then have been placed here by a Supreme 
 Being, whose mode of operation is hidden 
 from us ; and we may fairly suppose, that the 
 same or similar wonderful circumstances have 
 attended, and will for ever attend, the multi- 
 tude of worlds which, probably, extend beyond 
 time and space ; and are themselves liable to 
 dissolution, to new and different organization. 
 Bishop Phillpots, in a charge, asserts that 
 
230 
 
 tlie Clergy of the Church of England have 
 derived from the Apostles the power of ahsolu- 
 tion ; that is, that the Supreme Being has 
 abandoned to every Clergyman, virtuous or 
 profligate, the power of determining the future 
 ha2)piness or misery of a sinner in his parish ; 
 yet, this Bishoj) is neither a fool nor a bigot. 
 What is he then ? The Priesthood, in all 
 ages and in most countries, have represented 
 the Supreme Being as a partisan and a secta- 
 rian ; and the laws they have given out in his 
 name, have been more in aid of their dogmas, 
 and then* power, than in support of morality. 
 
 I have often said, that Burdett has no con- 
 fidence in his own opinion ; yet, it is unfor- 
 tunate, that he should now be governed by a 
 man more feeble than himself. Sir G. Sinclair 
 has one quality particularly likely to gain Biu'- 
 dett, — a memory which seems to retain every 
 thing he has ever heard or read. Burdett is 
 always wanting to refer to books and papers, 
 and he finds Sinclau' a living and universal 
 dictionary. The ruling passion of Burdett I 
 take to be vanity. Lord Grey, who had a 
 mean opinion of him, still thought him worth 
 considerable attention : from the present Mi- 
 nisters he has received little, and, I believe, 
 feels some resentment. I know not how else 
 
231 
 
 to account for his total abandoiimeiit ol o\ cry 
 political opinion and sacrifice, of" every political 
 friendsliip, lie had ever formed. Many }'ears 
 ago, lie often talked to me of the immense and 
 disagreeable sacrifice he made by voting in op- 
 position, and a little irritation has led him to 
 act upon this feeling. A party in Westmin- 
 ster iQ'ged him to resign a seat which he held 
 without the confidence of his constituents : 
 this they little expected he would do, and when 
 he did resign, because they could not name 
 then- own candidate, they would not take ad- 
 vantage of their own act, and they gave him 
 a triumph. At the general election, he could 
 not have been returned for Westminster; and 
 accepted a requisition fi'om Wiltshire, where, 
 unfortunately, he has succeeded. In the elec- 
 tions in England and Wales, we have been 
 routed more than could have been anticipated 
 by either j^arty. Church in danger, has done 
 something ; but bribery, the £50. voters, 
 and our neglect of the registers, have done 
 more. With the money, the gentry, the 
 Church, all against us, it is very difficult for us 
 to succeed without some immediate cause for 
 excitement ; yet, with the young Queen giving 
 her entire confidence to Lord Melbourne, I 
 expected a better result. Had it not been for 
 
232 
 
 Ireland we should have heen in a minority ; 
 as it is, Ministers have still a small majority. 
 On Church questions, they must expect to he 
 heaten : I hope on no others. If they are 
 firm, I still expect to see many refuse to oppose 
 the Government of a young and interesting 
 Queen. I do not even despair of the House 
 of Lords, as every new Bishop and new^ Peer 
 will be a liberal. It is something too to have 
 gotten rid of the Duke of Cumberland ; and 
 still more, that he has shewn himself in his 
 true colours by attempting to set aside the 
 constitution (not a very free one) of Hanover. 
 I hope he will find this somewhat a more diffi- 
 cult task than he anticipated. 
 
 At the election at Sleaford, there was a very 
 large assemblage of people. No gentry, but 
 those who went to support Handley. The 
 majority of the crowd were certainly brought 
 by Heathcote ; yet I, who had occasion to treat 
 his parliamentary conduct with great severity, 
 was heard as well as every one else, with per- 
 fect attention. This proved gTeat good humour 
 and little political feeling ; in fact, I know no 
 county where there is less. In the towns, too, 
 (and I may include Newark) the interest taken 
 at an election is all personal and local, in a 
 very shght degree patriotic. 
 
233 
 
 When I once hinted to Brougham that 
 December, tliough I was 110 atlvocate for hallot, 
 annual pailiam exits, or universal suff- 
 rage ; jet, I thought thej ought to he opposed 
 by arguinent, as there was nothing in thein 
 which deserved contempt ; he treated mv re- 
 mark with great severity, and threatened to he 
 doicn upon me. He is now a convert to hallot, 
 a change which I have no right to blame, as I 
 have myself undergone it ; and, probably, lioni 
 the same exertion of reason oj^erating on new 
 circumstances. 
 
 This has been personally to me an unfortu- 
 nate year. In the Spring, I had a slight con- 
 cussion of the brain, from a fall on the North 
 Road. The excessive heat at the time of tlie 
 general election, brought on the shingles, 
 which seemed to awake a nerve near the heart, 
 injured some years before by cupping, which, 
 however, probably sa\'ed my life. The pain 
 for five nights was intolerable, and in the day, 
 I had frequent palpitations and intermissions 
 of pulse, W'hicli caused some apprehension but 
 no pain. When scarcely recovered, and with 
 a bad cold and cough, I went to the meeting 
 of Parliament, which turned out little neces- 
 sary ; but the attendance of more than six 
 hunch'ed Members proved such expectation. 
 
2.34 
 
 I have returned to resume a course of medi- 
 cine, under Brodie ; and have paked off with 
 my old ally, Burdett. He has leave to speak 
 on the Irish question, on which we expect him 
 to do lis more good than harm. 
 
 Last week, died in London, my valuable 
 Mend and most excellent agent, W. E. Tal- 
 lents. His parents were honest and respecta- 
 ble persons in their stations : his Father was for 
 many years Clerk to my Father, acting as a 
 Magistrate at Newark. He himself was the 
 author of his own fortunes. Great abilities 
 and indefatigable industry raised him to the 
 first rank and reputation as a country Solicitor. 
 He w^as the agent of almost all the nobility 
 and principal gentry in a far extended circle 
 round Newark ; and though of adverse politi- 
 cal opinions, was employed by the reforming 
 Administration in several important and con- 
 fidential commissions. His integrity, liberal 
 sentiments, and unassuming manners, were 
 such, that even during life his superiority was 
 pardoned, and his prosperity created little envy. 
 He was constant in his affectionate acknow- 
 ledgments to me for my early friendship, and 
 for services of wliich he had conferred more 
 than he received. 
 
 At length, this Session has been brought to 
 
235 
 
 a conclusion ; if it luis disappointed tlic coun- 
 try, it is not tlie fault of Ministers. There 
 was a hope that the tories had relented with 
 regard to Ireland, and that the opposition of 
 the Lords would he mitigated ; unfortunately 
 when they hcgan to act, the counsels of the 
 most violent prevailed. The Irish tithe hill 
 has heen passed, hut so mutilated, that it 
 affords us no cause of triumph. The Irish 
 Church and municipal hills were so changed 
 hy the Lords, that it hecame necessary to re- 
 ject them. A poor law hill has passed for 
 Ireland. This is no political measure ; I voted 
 against it, whether rightly or not, time alone 
 can shew. It seemed to me a dangerous ex- 
 periment, hut as it is popular amongst the 
 Irish gentry, it is to he hoped it may he well 
 administered and prove successful. Tlie 
 speeches of Brougham and Wellington give 
 hopes of getting rid, in the next Session, of 
 those infectious nurseries of vice and crime, 
 the heer-shops. 
 
 On the Irish Church hill. Ministers were in 
 great danger from their giving up the appro- 
 priation clause. They w^ere saved, as has 
 happened hefore, hy the precipitancy of Peel : 
 he hrought forward the subject and made it 
 a party question, which reunited our scattered 
 
236 
 
 liost. I believe lie afterwards saw his error 
 wdth vexation. I was very little in the House, 
 being long ill. I w^as generally paired off, and 
 remained at home. My worthy constituents, 
 who are never unreasonable, were perfectly 
 satisfied ; particularly as I voted for ballot. 
 I voted indeed against their favorite measure 
 of immediate emancipation to the West India 
 Negroes : a portion of my friends there were at 
 first angry, but I gave them my reasons, and 
 the arguments wdiich biassed my mind ; and, 
 though by no means converted, they acknow- 
 ledged my right to decide for myself. The 
 next Session w ill be awful, the Irish must be 
 satisfied or outrageous. 
 
 As the coronation approached, Croker wa^ote 
 a most malicious article in the Quarterly Re- 
 view against Soult, evidently for the purpose 
 of preparing a hostile reception for him in this 
 country. The Duke of Wellington entreated 
 its suppression, but in vain ; it appeared in all 
 its bad taste and viciousness. The good feel- 
 ing and good sense of the nation defeated it ; 
 never was any stranger received with such 
 enthusiastic applause as the venerable Marshal. 
 The Queen concurred in the opinion of her 
 people ; all the honors at court w^ere for him, 
 to the great annoyance of some of the otlier 
 
237 
 
 Ambassadors and i)arlicularly the Russian. 
 Sucli a circumstance may not a little contribute 
 to improve the harmony which subsists between 
 the two nations. 
 
 At the coronation, the superannuated Bi- 
 shop of Bath turned over two or three leaves 
 instead of one, and by that means omitted 
 almost all the Catholic renunciations which 
 the Queen was to make. The Subdean of 
 Westminster, acting for the Dean, went up to 
 the Queen to inform her ; and is supposed to 
 have added, that it probably was of no conse- 
 quence. The Queen thought otherwise, and 
 insisted on recommencing. A party use might 
 have been made of the omission. 
 
 A war threatened in India appears to have 
 December, i^s oHgiu in Russiau iutrigucs. They 
 began with urging the Shah of Persia 
 to obtain possession of Herat, which would 
 have approached them to India, but in this 
 they have been foiled by our diplomacy, and 
 probably our Indian army wdll have little to 
 do ; or if any of the native powers rise against 
 ns, the effect, most probably, will only be to 
 increase our unwieldy empire in that quarter, 
 as well as our still more unwieldy debt. Still I 
 cannot help wishing to see a war with Russia 
 before it has quite annihilated the Poles and 
 
238 
 
 Circassians, and seized on the Turkish provin- 
 ces. It is so vuhierahle in the Baltic and 
 Black Sea, that I cannot feel much anxiety as 
 to the result. When we consider how near the 
 Poles were to success, in their last great strug- 
 gle, how deeply w^e must lament the feebleness 
 of Lord Grey at that moment for decision. 
 A demonstration in the Baltic would, it always 
 appeared to me, have been sufficient ; and if 
 w^e could only have neutralized Prussia, Poland 
 would have been saved. But Lord Grey had 
 unfortunately declared non-interference to be 
 the fundamental principles of his Administra- 
 tion ; thus, we ceased to interfere, when we 
 could have done it with most justice and 
 honour. 
 
 I think it was before the inauguration din- 
 ner at Edinburgh, in honour of Brougham, that 
 the latter said something so offensive to the 
 Duke of Hamilton, that he sent an excuse and 
 returned home. Brougham, very angry, said 
 " ril unduke liim." At one of the last sittings 
 of the committee of privileges on the claims 
 to the Earldom of Annandale, Brougham, 
 then Chancellor, declared his opinion that 
 Hope Johnston had made good his claim ; 
 and it was expected that the committee would 
 so have reported to the House next day. The 
 
239 
 
 claim was, however, rejected on the ground 
 ol' llie custom, Ijefore the union, of Scotch 
 Peers surrendering their titles to the King, and 
 receiving them hack with the original dates 
 and new limitations. 
 
 The reason that Brougham gave up the 
 opinion he had declared in the committee of 
 privileges, hi iiivor of the claim of Hope John- 
 ston to the Earldom of Annandale, was, that 
 he had received a letter from Cranston, the 
 learned Scotch Judge, in which he gave him a 
 long list of the Scotch Peers who would he de- 
 prived of their titles hj such a judgment. 
 Hope Johnston was then offered an English 
 Peerage, which he refused. 
 
 Had Brougham's declaration prevailed, the 
 dukedom of Hamilton heing in the same pre- 
 dicament, would have j^assed to the Earl of 
 Derhj ; hut the Dukedom of Brandon would 
 have remained with the Duke of Hamilton. 
 
 An insurrection in Canada threatened a war 
 jauuary, ^^ ^'^I'J incouvcnient expense ; and 
 ^^^'^^ which, hj involving us with the 
 American States, might even prove unsuccess- 
 ful. The American Government acted a 
 friendly part towards us, hut it might have had 
 less power, and even possihlj less inclination 
 to control its suhjects, if the insurgents had 
 
240 
 
 shewn themselves in a more respectahle posi- 
 tion ; fortunately for us, they exhibited neither 
 conduct nor courage, and have been easily sup- 
 pressed. The benevolent Lord Gosford, sent 
 over at the beginning of the troubles, was une- 
 qual to the task : his successor, Lord Durham, 
 was proceeding with vigour and success ; but, 
 being insulted by the factious Opposition at 
 home, and, perhaps, not sufficiently supported 
 and defended by Ministers, he has thrown up 
 his appointment and returned home. Ought 
 he to have returned without first obtaining tlie 
 Queen's permission 1 Is he justified in sacri- 
 ficing the interests of his country to personal 
 feelings ? We shall soon hear his defence. 
 
 Russia appears to be pushing the Persians 
 Eastwards, no doubt with a view to follow 
 them towards our Indian possessions. The 
 decisive conduct of the East India Company 
 has foiled then' intrigues. I can hardly rejoice 
 at it. War with Russia cannot very long be 
 evaded, and I had rather it should take place 
 before the Poles and Circassians are annihilated. 
 The favorable termination of these dangers 
 places Ministers, as far as can be well foreseen, 
 in a stronger situation than last Session. Bal- 
 lot they ought no longer to oppose as a Govern- 
 ment. Corn is becoming scarce and dear, and 
 
241 
 
 neither America nor the European continent 
 are in circumstances to aid us. This will 
 greatly strengthen the opposition to the present 
 corn laws. I liave always thought them had, 
 and wished for a permanent duty ; and I 
 should now he satisfied with a mucli less duty 
 than T formerly thought necessary. My 
 change of opinion in this resj^ect arises from 
 seeing the increasing disposition ahroad to 
 impede our commerce and rival our manufac- 
 tures, unless we consent to receive their corn 
 on reasonahle terms ; and I very much douht 
 whether even the agriculturists will suffer hy 
 the change, as the manufacturers, hecoming 
 more prosperous, will become better customers 
 to them. 
 
 I spent the last days of August at Knowsley. 
 Lord Derby was in good spirits, but evidently 
 unwell. I had scarcely left him when he 
 was afflicted with a terrible paralytic stroke. 
 Lord Stanley hastened to him : the father and 
 son, totally differing in politics and tastes, live 
 together on the most affectionate terms. Lord 
 Derby is one of the most benevolent of men, 
 and bears his evils with exemplary patience. 
 His son is beloved in private life ; his bad 
 temper appears no where but in the House of 
 Commons. In my zoological transactions 
 
242 
 
 with Lord Derby, I received, this year, two 
 weasel-headed armadillas, two coypus, a pair of 
 corak, and a pair of Zedak pigeons, and a se- 
 cond pair of Summer ducks. 
 
 Louis XVL was a well meaning man, hut 
 deficient in talents, in firmness, and in since- 
 rity. Louis XVI IL was more ahle, hut 
 worthless. Charles X. was the most sincere 
 of the family : he had a lively wit in conver- 
 sation, which imposed upon the French ; hut 
 he was without courage and without ability, 
 profligate in early life, a bigot in its more ad- 
 vanced stage. He might, probably, have con - 
 tinned to reign from the impossibility of finding 
 a Minister weak enough to adopt his despotic 
 and criminal objects ; but such a one he un- 
 fortunately for himself, fortunately for France, 
 found in Polignac, a man resembling him in 
 bigotry and in folly. There is every reason 
 to suppose him to be his son, as Charles was 
 always believed to have intrigued with the 
 mother. Never was a revolution attempted 
 with so little preparation, or with such total 
 want of consideration ; had energetic and pru- 
 dent measures been adopted, they must have 
 suceeded for the time ; and who knows how 
 soon the continental powers would have in- 
 terfered to make resistance vain. As it was. 
 
243 
 
 its eflect was deeply felt in this country, for 
 the popular revolution which it occasioned, gave 
 us reform of Parliament, — till then, a hope- 
 less speculation. Louis Pliillipe, the present 
 King and niJer of France, is, as far as he dare 
 avow himself, a perfect Bourhon ; he is now 
 committed with his peojDle, and it will require 
 all his ahilities to bring his present policy to a 
 successful issue. 
 
 On the death of Lord Zetland, the seat at 
 Richmond, vacated by his son and successor, 
 was to have been filled by George Fitzwilliam, 
 lately come of age ; but an opponent offering 
 himself, the present Lord Zetland's friends 
 persuaded him, that one of his own family was 
 necessary as a candidate. It appears, however, 
 that G. Fitzwilliam would have been chosen 
 without difficultv. Under these circumstan- 
 ces, I could not avoid offering my seat for him. 
 Lord Fitzwilliam was inclined to accept the 
 offer, being desirous that his son should be in 
 Parliament ; but meeting witli my old friend 
 Sir Ronald Ferguson, he extracted from him, 
 that, being recovered from my long indisposi- 
 tion, I had, in fact, no wish to abdicate ; after 
 this he would no longer hear of it. I am not 
 quite satisfied that I ought not to have put an 
 end to the dilemma, by at once resigning ; and, 
 
 R 
 
244 
 
 certainly, I should have clone so, had I not 
 thought the resignation ought rather to have 
 come from my colleague, the least popular of 
 the two. 
 
 The Lords, hy a small majority, have voted 
 an enquiry into the conduct of Lord Norman- 
 hy, in Ireland ; and it was painful to see the 
 Duke of Wellington lend himself to so factious 
 a measure, and still more so to read his asser- 
 tion, that the vote was not in hostility to Mi- 
 nisters ; yet, notwithstanding all the credit he 
 has gained for some degree of candour and 
 fairness, when has he hesitated on any mea- 
 sure likely to injure the present Government ? 
 After this. Lord John Russell could not hut 
 call upon the House of Commons to declare 
 whether they will sanction or disapprove the 
 principles of toleration and impartiality on 
 which they have governed Ireland. On the 
 15th their fate is to he decided. If the ques- 
 tion rest simply on the motion to he made hy 
 Lord John, the issue cannot, I think, he douht- 
 ful; hut should it he converted hy some amend- 
 ment into a vote of confidence on general 
 grounds, the radicals, now in rather a rahid 
 state, may join the tories, and either form a 
 majority, or approach so near to it, as to ohlige 
 Ministers to resign. Yet I do not expect this 
 
245 
 
 result ; for it is ev idcnt that liad the tories 
 wished to assume the government, they would 
 have hrought forward at an earlier period some 
 question on which they could have the con- 
 currence of the radicals ; but they must be 
 sensible that until the Irish question is settled, 
 they would find themselves in a very difficult 
 and dangerous position, if in power. 
 
 The aspect of affairs is somewhat tlu'eaten- 
 ing both in North America and the East In- 
 dies ; but I confess the good understanding 
 between our Government and that of America 
 leaves me but little apprehension in that quarter. 
 In the East Indies, every native power must 
 wish our destruction ; but union amongst 
 them is difficult, and even if obtained, they are 
 weak and we are strong. Russia may threaten 
 but will not act. 
 
 I used to live much with Burdett, and I 
 had no desire to estrange myself from him on 
 account of his political apostacy ; nor has he 
 shown any want of kindness towards me, but 
 confidence was destroyed, and at his table I 
 knew not what company I might have met. 
 Once before I left Town, he made a party of 
 some of his former friends ; he was ill, but in 
 good humour, and we passed the day agreeably. 
 
24G 
 
 Died nij hostile Bishop of Peterhorough. 
 
 May^ Herbert Marsh had a great deal of 
 Greek, Hebrew, and Divinity, but 
 in all other respects was one of the most fool- 
 ish men I ever knew. His violence in politics, 
 very unbecoming a Bishop, was ])robably in- 
 creased by the influence of his wife and sons. 
 His insolent conduct and indecent language, 
 respecting the late Lord Fitzwilham, can only 
 be recollected with disgust and contempt. 
 
 The Morning Post, containing outrageous 
 abuse of Lord Melbourne, fell into the Queen's 
 hands : she tore it in pieces, and desired the 
 paper might never again enter the Palace. In 
 the unfortunate affair of Lady Flora Hastings, 
 no one seems to have been guilty of more 
 than imprudence, except Sir James Clark. 
 Had his charge been just, he probably ought 
 to have been silent; but to have made it, 
 without having previously ascertained its truth, 
 was abominable ; he ought to have been in- 
 stantly dismissed, but he had had the care of 
 the Queen's health during her whole life. 
 Who then could propose to her to part with 
 
 him ? 
 
 Our brilhant successes in India, the failure 
 of Russian intriL>;ues, the ruin of Don 
 
 January, ~ 
 
 ^^^^- Carlos, in Spain, and the vigour and 
 
247 
 
 jiulicious conduct ol" suppressing the oiithreak 
 ()(" tlie chartists, nnist operate favorahly to Mi- 
 nisters ; and 1 hope the Queen's marriage, 
 shouhl it })roduce an exchision to the King of" 
 Hanover, will increase their strength. The 
 tories are rabid, and hesitate at no means by 
 which thej can annoy the Government ; but 
 their means are exerted to a degree which ra- 
 ther injures than promotes their cause; and 
 they are so divided, and difler so much in 
 princij^le, that Peel will \m\c a very difficult 
 part to act. 
 
 The Summer has been productive of more 
 rain than I ever remember ; it has continued 
 throughout the Autumn, and though the 
 crops have been plentiful, much hay has been 
 destroyed, and a great portion of the corn 
 damaged : the country now is very unhealthy. 
 
 In my menagerie, a Balearic ci'ane escaping 
 was shot, and its mate died of grief. The 
 female emu being introduced too soon to the 
 male, who was taking charge of two young 
 ones, was immediately killed by him. The 
 porcupines bred and reared two fine young 
 ones. 
 
 History of W. Emmonds, chiefly from his 
 own incidental confessions. 
 
 W. Emmonds was a pleasing, handsome 
 
/ 
 
 248 
 
 young man, a]:)prentice to a carpenter at Clay- 
 pole, his native place. He was industrious, 
 attentive, and steady, and became an excellent 
 carj^enter. He worked for some years in my 
 carpenter's yard, and conducted himself well. 
 He had married a fine woman hut of most 
 vicious character, to whom he was exceedingly 
 attached : to her he gave all his earnings, but 
 she used to say to him, " Make haste, finish 
 your supper and go out. Do not imagine I 
 can live on eighteen shillings a week." He 
 formed a gang of thieves at Claypole ; one of 
 them rented a few acres of" land, with a small 
 barn ; this enabled them to sell their corn at 
 Newark without being there suspected, and to 
 effect their robberies which were principally of 
 corn. They might easily have been detected 
 but for the extreme timidity of the Claypole 
 farmers. At length, breaking open a barn of 
 mine, they were instantly apprehended and 
 convicted. Emmonds and four others were 
 transported to New Holland. Three of them 
 had murdered an old woman of Claypole, who 
 had interrupted them. They stabbed her in 
 the pope's eye, then burned her in the yard, 
 and set her in her own chair before the fire, 
 that it might be thought she had been burned 
 by accident ; neither the chair, however, nor 
 
249 
 
 the cushion were even singed. I'roni the 
 stiii:)iditj of the coroner and the people of the 
 house, no sufficient evidence of tliis nuu'der 
 was ohtained till it ^vas related hj one of the 
 party, after he had heen sentenced ibr the roh- 
 beries. I was at the time in London. They 
 had determined upon three other murders, 
 which were to have been perpetrated the week 
 after they were secured. W. Emmonds and 
 his wife had murdered a soldier at Nottingham 
 long before this. 
 
 About two years and a half ago, after two 
 years only of his sentence had expired, Em- 
 monds escaped from Sidney by swimming : he 
 was fired at and thought to have been killed. 
 He landed again in the country, and was hospi- 
 tably received by two different settlers, with 
 the last of whom he forcibly exchanged cloth- 
 ing. He then by some means found his way 
 to a foreign shij). What became of him for 
 two years is unknown, but six months ago he 
 suddenly visited his family, at eleven at night, 
 at Claypole feast. He gave his wife between 
 thirty and forty guineas, (gold is not now 
 jDaid in wages,) and a repeating watch and 
 rings. He was in possession of much money, 
 and showed watches and rings ; after this, he 
 was in frequent comnumication with his fami- 
 
250 
 
 Ij, but with so much precaution that he could 
 not be apprehended. In his absence his wife 
 had formed a connection with a young laborer 
 of bad character and conduct. Emmonds, at 
 last, went to reside under a feigned name at 
 Liverpool, where he was earning twenty-four 
 shillings a week. He sent for his wife and 
 children determined to go to America. She 
 could not convey her family and property to 
 Liverpool without assistance, and therefore 
 trusted her lover Somers with the secret. After 
 two or three days' separation, crying bitterly, 
 he said he could not live without her, and 
 came and gave the information to me. I 
 could not trust him, but sent two able-bodied 
 men with him, who aj^prehended Emmonds 
 without resistance : he was at dinner with his 
 family. At Clay pole, the indignation against 
 the wife has created a favorable sentiment to- 
 wards him, in which I should, perhaps, to a 
 certain degree have concurred, where it not for 
 the following diabolical act, related with appa- 
 rent satisfaction by himself. "I stabbed a 
 man near Nottingham, having pulled him off 
 his horse. I took what he had : I would not 
 murder him myself, so I fixed his foot in the 
 stirrup and then started his horse." The horse 
 stopped U) graze and the man escaped. 
 
251 
 
 Tliis cxlraordiiiaiy man was convicted at 
 Liverpool of returning from transportation. 
 His more extraordinary wife is now in the 
 worlvliouse at Clajpole, with her family, ap- 
 parently contented, clieerliilly performing all 
 the hard work imposed upon her, hehaving 
 well, and making herself very useful. She has 
 since left the workhouse, and kept a discredita- 
 hle house near Nottingham. 
 
 A hoy in the workhouse having conducted 
 himself well, and exhihited talents and indus- 
 try, I promised him an apprenticesliip. He 
 preferred one of a very uninviting sort, (I forget 
 what,) hut no opportunity offering, he was 
 received as servant to a respectable solicitor, in 
 London, with promise of a clerkship. He 
 appeared much pleased w^ith his place, gave 
 gi'eat satisfaction, no fear but that of being 
 sj)oiled, when suddenly he packed up his 
 clothes, ran away, and has not since been 
 heard of. So much for our future chancelloi'. 
 
 He returned to the workhouse, having been 
 ill used in his place by servants : he is now an 
 apprentice. 
 
 1 spent an agreeable week in the last month 
 with my friends at Wentworth, and was ne- 
 ver in better health. Soon after my return, 
 having caught a bad cold, I had daily attacks 
 
252 
 
 of the palpitations and intermission of pulse, 
 from which I have been completely relieved by 
 Dr. Jeafferson, of Grantham. 
 
 Sackville, Earl of Thanet, last but one, was 
 a man of a strong natural understanding, but, 
 unfortunately, devoted to deep play. Games 
 of skill, in which he excelled, did not afford 
 sufficient excitement to his mind, and he wast- 
 ed his nights at faro and hazard, and near- 
 ly ruined a very fine estate. He married a 
 foreigner, who proved to be a very superior 
 w^oman, and exercised an unbounded influence 
 over him. She so entirely reformed him, that, 
 by a strict economy, he discharged all the 
 debts with which he had burthened his pro- 
 perty. On her death, he relapsed into his 
 former reckless course of life, and died nearly 
 ruined. His two brothers and successors have 
 restored the fortunes of the family by their 
 penurious habits. 
 
 The last Session ended with no very cheer- 
 full prospect for our Ministers. It was evi- 
 dent that Peel, if he wished it, could have 
 ousted them ; but, aw are of his own difficulties, 
 he probably found as much manoeuvring 
 necessary to avoid being Minister, without 
 offending his own party, as others would have 
 employed to obtain the object. How long is 
 
253 
 
 such a state of" tilings to continue ? Tlie birth 
 of an heir to the crown, and the veiy Lrihiant 
 successes which liave been acconiphslied by 
 the poUcj of Lord Pahncrston, ought to give 
 new strength to the Queen's Administration ; 
 but of this I hnYii httle liope, a few^ weeks will 
 show^ wdiat we have to expect. 
 
 We have had six w eeks of very severe wea- 
 jan. 1841. tlicr. Tlic themiometer sometimes 
 below zero. My kangaroos (macropus 
 benettii) had, hitherto, been always healthy, 
 and had greatly multiplied ; but during the 
 present year, besides the old female, I have 
 lost five ; and amongst them, the three young 
 ones of this year : there remain only one male 
 and tw^o females. 
 
 During the frost, a vast number of the gold 
 fish, probably about one hundred, have died. 
 They have never before suffered from cold. 
 In the course of the year, my menagerie has 
 been increased by a secretary given me by a 
 friend, by the purchase of two cassowaries from 
 Java, tw^o Balearic cranes, and a beautiful 
 water tortoise, brought me from Canada by H. 
 Ainslie. Lord Derby's manager has also pur- 
 chased for me, at Liverpool, two caryamas, and 
 two rheas ; the female of the latter unfortu- 
 nately died, the other three birds remain at 
 Knowsley till the Spring. 
 
254 
 
 At Clajpole, the wells were supplied only by 
 socage from rains, or from the rain, excepting 
 two, which at no great depth produced excel- 
 lent spring water. I accordingly deepened a 
 well on a farm of my own, and the one at the 
 workhouse. Mine produces water too salt to 
 be used, that at the workhouse supplies two 
 pumps ; one delivers excellent water filtered 
 through the soil from the river, the other, 
 which has a pipe nine yards longer, affords salt 
 water similar to that in the well just described; 
 thus it appears that the river water lies upon 
 the salt water without mixing with it. No 
 salt water was known before at Claypole. 
 ^ On my complimenting Moore on his impar- 
 
 tiality in the life of Sheridan, he told me he 
 regretted having suppressed many facts, and 
 represented his character much too favorably. 
 
 It is a strange proof the Cambridge Clergy 
 have given of then* regard to morals, by choos- 
 ing for their high steward a man who subsisted 
 for some years by the prostitution of his wife. 
 
 This year, I have begun largely to pay one 
 of the taxes of long life. Having never been 
 at a public school, I had few early friends, and 
 they have all long been gone. Of those I ob- 
 tained at Cambridge, I have this year lost 
 almost the only remaining one, whom, indeed, 
 
255 
 
 I seldom saw, Charlton Bvam WoUaston : 
 and nearly at the same time, I have heen de- 
 prived of my worthy friends John Ilarcourt 
 Powel, and Rohert Ferguson, of Raith, with 
 both of whom I li\ed nuich in London. 
 
 Died one of my oldest remaining and most 
 
 April. valued friends, General Sir Ronald 
 Ferguson, a brave and distinguished 
 officer, most affectionate in private life, of 
 honor and integrity unimpeached, an nncom- 
 promising patriot ; he will be regretted by the 
 ■\\'orld for a fortnight, and by a few faithful 
 friends to the remainder of our lives. 
 
 Eyre, the Surgeon, called upon his friend 
 and neighbour Lord Lyndhurst, soon after he 
 had ratted. " I find," said he, " your Lordship 
 has changed your politics." " Yes," said Lady 
 Lyndhurst, " and is ready to change them 
 again, if you will make it worth his while." 
 The Queen says her next child must be like 
 Sii- Robert Peel, as she can think of nothing 
 else night or day. 
 
 It was no longer possible for Ministers to 
 carry on the Government, and the only consi- 
 deration was, in what manner to close the 
 scene. They determined to bring forward a 
 budget, founded on free trade and a reform of 
 the corn laws ; on this they were sure to be 
 
256 
 
 beaten, but they tboiigbt it a good question on 
 wbicb to appeal to the people ; and, besides, 
 it was the only rational ^v^ay to relieve the 
 country from its financial difficulties and 
 commercial distress. They reckoned upon a 
 debate which might enlighten the constituency, 
 and create an excitement in their favor ; but 
 Peel anticipated and defeated their object by 
 a vote of want of confidence, which he car- 
 ried by a majority of one. Parliament was 
 then dissolved. 
 
 In the counties, an immense outcry was 
 raised by the landed gentry, who trembled for 
 their rents. The yeomanry were equally 
 alarmed, and the commercial part of the com- 
 munity were not sufficiently convinced of the 
 sincerity of Ministers to give them the cordial 
 suj^port which might have been expected ; 
 add to this, the enormous sums lavished on the 
 elections by the tories. I believe Lord Mel- 
 bourne had, at one time, hoped for a majority. 
 
 Never was a more decisive defeat ; and the 
 majority of the tories is about eighty, to be 
 somewhat, but not essentially, diminished by 
 election committees. I have no doubt that 
 Lord John Russell, Lord Clarendon, and some 
 others of the Cabinet, had long wished to re- 
 alise the objects of the budget, but it was not 
 
257 
 
 till the Ministry was in danger they conld gain 
 a majority in the Cahinet. On the corn ques- 
 tion, Peel endeavoured to avoid committing 
 himself, and I was very sorry he was so much 
 pressed upon. It might he hotter for the par- 
 ty, hut it seemed to me far worse for the coun- 
 try, that he should he made to declare himself 
 against measures which he prohahly approves ; 
 as, however, he does not ^ alue himself much 
 on his sincerity, he will prohahly find preten- 
 ces, or rather good grounds, for evading his 
 professions ; in fact, reason must prevail, and 
 the fate of the monopolists will he much has- 
 tened, if the harvest should prove had through- 
 out the greater part of Europe, as there appears 
 every reason to expect. 
 
 Peel will have hut an uneasy seat. He 
 will soon disgust the tories, who, even now, 
 have little confidence in him, and support 
 him only hecause they have no choice hut be- 
 tween him and the wliigs. In Ireland, he 
 will have difficulties almost insurmountable ; 
 his opponents will fairly recover then' popula- 
 rity, and whenever there is an available re-ac- 
 tion in the country, he cannot, like Pitt, rely 
 on the support of a friendly Court. 
 
 Some of the elections were foolishly lost. 
 Had not Handley left his post, I have no 
 
258 
 
 doubt he miglit have remamecl our represen- 
 tative as well as Heathcote, but how the latter 
 would have voted it would be difficult to guess. 
 By the liberal conduct of Lord Fitzwilham, 
 carried to a degree which did not distinguish 
 between friends and enemies, and the error of 
 not renewing a very important church lease, 
 I had a more severe battle to fight at Peterbo- 
 rough than I could have expected ; and, in- 
 deed, it w^as thought any other might have 
 been beaten. I had, however, the advantage 
 of an excellent colleague in G. Fitzwilliam, 
 and was seated for the ninth time by a majority 
 of eleven. I believe measures are now taking 
 which will improve the interest for the future. 
 John Dundas being about to retire from York, 
 Lord Zetland consulted me about a successor, 
 and I introduced my friend Yorke to him. 
 
 Yorke is the son of the famous Redhead 
 Yorke. He was tutor to my ward. Sir John 
 Thorold, and conducted himself in a manner 
 to command my esteem and gratitude. He 
 has since inherited considerable property,* and 
 married a most amiable and delightful woman, 
 daughter to the last Lord Brandon. He was 
 very anxious to come into Parliament, spoke 
 well in addressmg his constituents, and was 
 
 * This was not true though asserted by him. 
 
2.59 
 
 successful. It remains to be seen whether liis 
 powers of oratory will succeed in the House 
 of Connnons. 
 
 Tlie most severe and unexpected l>low we 
 received at this general election, was the defeat 
 of Lord Morpeth and Lord INIilton in the ^V^est 
 Riding of Yorkshire, hy a great majority. The 
 panic caused by the attack upon the corn mo- 
 nopoly, in the feeble minds of the squirearchy, 
 was the principal cause. Amongst others, 
 Sii' W. Coke, who had alwavs been a zealous 
 and firm supporter, turned against them. 1 
 Avent up and voted on the address, and then 
 immediatelv returned. 
 
 Before I left London, Lord Charlemont 
 talked to me about Lady Charlemont's situa- 
 tion, which we both inclined to think she 
 ought to resign, but that she could not do it 
 without consulting the Queen. The Queen 
 said there was no necessitv whatever for her 
 resicfnation, and this was confirmed bv Lord 
 Melbourne, which was decisive. I immediately 
 communicated these circumstances to Lord 
 Barham. Lady Barliam was abroad. I was 
 fortunate to stop her resignation, which Lord 
 Barham had determined to have sent next dav. 
 Sir J. Astley accidently told me, that for two 
 years, the Attorney General had constantly 
 
 s 
 
260 
 
 postponed the very little that was necessary on 
 his part, to determine the harony of Hastings 
 in his favor. It had heen agreed betwixt him 
 and the other claimant, L'E strange, I suppose 
 on some consideration of expense, that it 
 should he left to him, whose friends happened 
 to he in power, and there was then only one 
 day left, on which the committee of privileges 
 would meet during that Session. I according- 
 ly made Lord Melbourne acquainted with this, 
 and Sir J. Astley became Lord Hastings. I 
 never could understand why the Attorney 
 General insisted on being Chancellor of Ire- 
 land, to the great discontent of Plunket, when 
 he knew he could not hold the seals six weeks, 
 and was obliged to engage not to take the pen- 
 sion ; nor do I cpiite see why Lord Melbourne 
 should have consented to so unpopular a mea- 
 sure. Wilde endeavoured to explain it to me, 
 but totally failed. 
 
 When the last batch of Peers was created. 
 Lord Oranmore had an assurance of being 
 recommended by Lord Morpeth, but was told 
 that none could then be made, but those who 
 had received absolute promises. To have 
 made more, w^ould, I think, have been highly 
 im2)roper. 
 
 Lord Fitzwilliam had asked me to meet 
 
201 
 
 Lord Melbourne, at Wentwortli, wliicli would 
 have given me great pleasure, but lie did not 
 go there, and I postponed my visit till I can 
 see them at Milton, in my way to the meeting 
 of Parliament. 
 
 In the islands of my menagerie are wigwams 
 stiibton, of earth roofed with weeds. At the 
 usual time in January or February 
 last, a black swan made her nest, not in the 
 wigwam, but in the door- way. In about a 
 w^eek, there came a rain which trickled from 
 the roof upon the centre of the nest. The 
 swan, without quitting her nest, with the assist- 
 ance of her mate, who assiduously brought 
 her the materials, lengthened the nest about 
 eighteen inches from the door-way, and, at 
 night, constantly moved the eggs to the new 
 centre. The operation, which I watched my- 
 self, occupied about ten days ; the eggs, four 
 in number, were all successfully hatched. 
 From three different quarters, I obtained one 
 male and two female rheas ; unfortunately, I 
 could not obtain the females till rather late in 
 the year. They laid eleven eggs, and as they 
 showed no inchnation to sit, I put eight of the 
 eggs under four turkeys. Three of the eggs 
 w^ere bad. The three turkeys who succeed- 
 ed in hatching, all attacked the young ones 
 
262 
 
 as monsters as soon as they appeared. One 
 was killed and another wounded before they 
 could be taken from them ; on the rest being 
 successively put under them the next night, 
 they uniformly took the greatest maternal care 
 of them. Two, which died in about a fort- 
 night, were found to have been killed by vege- 
 table matter, which had formed into balls, in 
 the stomach. The two remaining ones were 
 then turned out into the menagerie, and em- 
 ployed their whole time in running after insects. 
 This seemed the more remarkable, as the old 
 ones exist entirely on vegetable food : the two 
 lived five or six weeks. With this experience 
 Ave hope to be more successful this year. 
 
 Miss Edwards was a Scotch heiress of large 
 fortune. The old Duchess of Hamilton advi- 
 sed her son, Lord Anne, to pay his addresses 
 to her ; he was not repulsed, and the birth of 
 a son ensued. Lord Anne then pressed her 
 to marry him, but she said she wanted an heir, 
 but not a master. He told her he should take 
 home his son, and educate him himself. On 
 this, she sent for the coachman. "John, whose 
 son is this?" "Mine, Ma'm." Thus ended 
 his claim. Tlie son was Mr. Edwards, father 
 to the late Sir Gerard Noel, and grandflither 
 to the present Earl of Gainsborough. He was 
 
203 
 
 rather more imul than his mother, hut heiiig 
 married to tlie eldest sister of the last ol" the 
 Noels, Ladj Jane, a woman of strong character, 
 as well as excellent disposition, he passed 
 tolerahly well through life. 
 
 Though I cannot afhrm, I fully helieve the 
 following story. Peel went to the Queen to 
 propose a hatch of Peers. She asked him his 
 ohject : he said to do honor to the hirth of the 
 Prince of Wales. She replied, that liad he 
 wished it to strengthen his administration, she 
 could not have ol)jected ; hut she did not de- 
 sire any compliments on the occasion. Peel, 
 however, must create Peers, or it will he thought 
 he has not the j^ower to do so. 
 
 The Marquess of Hertford is dead at last. 
 I douht whether he has left a worse man he- 
 hind him. He was in the Ijahit of attending 
 Newgate hefbre executions, not to endeavour 
 to rescue innocence, or discover what might 
 2)alliate crime, and justify pardon, hut to watch 
 the agony of the last hour. At Verdun, heing 
 congi'atulated on winning at play, he said it 
 gave him little satisfaction ; his pleasure was 
 to win a j^oor man's last stahe, then he enjoyed 
 his own triumph, and his opponent's misery. 
 
 This year, died my old tutor, Rohert De- 
 verel, formerly Pedley. He wrote Avorl^s 
 
 / 
 
264 
 
 wliich decidedly proved insanity, and his 
 conduct was also, sometimes, sucli as to ad- 
 mit of no other excuse ; yet, he was the best 
 tutor I could have had ; for with a private 
 education, without companions of any ability, 
 I was in need of his strange and active imagi- 
 nation, to excite my reasoning faculties. 
 
 The history of the Beckfords, with whom 
 he was, in some degxee, connected, is curious. 
 Beckford, an opulent West India Merchant, 
 member for London, and long its chief leader, 
 obtained credit for being an exalted patriot, 
 and many of his fellow citizens left him guar- 
 dian to their children. Some of these he 
 appears, by means more easily accomplished in 
 those days than at present, to have robbed ; 
 and it is partly by the recovering of their estates 
 that his son Beckford, of Fonthill, has been 
 reduced to very diminished circumstances. 
 But other causes have operated : the three 
 Wildmans, sons, I have been informed, of a 
 blacksmith at Fonthill, obtained the manage- 
 ment of his estate, as agent, lawyer, and mer- 
 chant consignee. In no very long period, they 
 obtained from it sufficient wealth for the pur- 
 chase of Newstead Abbey and Chilham Castle. 
 Pedley, brother of Deverel, having been ad- 
 mitted into then' office, in Jamaica, contrived 
 
265 
 
 to undcrniiiie tlieir influence, and to succeed 
 tliem in the management of the West India 
 estates. In this, I iear I was, unintentionally, 
 an accomplice ; as I lent Deverel the money 
 which fitted out his hrother. Pcdley is lately 
 dead, and has left hehind him an estate, of at 
 least £10,000 per annum, inherited hy a niece. 
 The election petitions have gone much against 
 us. Brihery, to a shocking extent, was prac- 
 tised hy hotli parties ; hut it seems the tories 
 understood corruption hetter than our friends, 
 and were not so easily detected. By an act 
 of Lord John Russell, more power was given 
 to committees, and many were unseated for 
 hrihery ; many, also, were saved hy compromi- 
 ses, which, at last, attracted the attention of 
 the House of Commons. The elections since 
 the [general election have increased Peel's ma- 
 jority, now irresistihle. The tories dislike 
 him, hut they will not the less support him, 
 as it is their only means of retaining power. 
 This man, a solitary hoy at school, without 
 personal friends, or associates in power ; sole 
 Minister, and seeking neither to disguise his 
 despotism, nor to conciliate his su])porters ; 
 has now in his hands the continuation of our 
 distress, or the means hy which we may hope 
 for the return of prosperity. There is much 
 
266 
 
 reason to suppose, that if Lord Melbourne's 
 Administration had not announced a reform of 
 the corn laws, Peel would have adopted that 
 measure ; and the manner in which he avoided 
 to commit himself on that subject, affords the 
 hope that he may do so in the next Session. 
 Much mischief has already occurred from that 
 j^ernicious monopoly, by converting the A- 
 mericans and Germans into manufacturers ; 
 every further delay must add to our misfor- 
 tunes and our danger ; and Peel can hardly be 
 blind to the absolute necessity of a wiser course. 
 The chartists have endeavoured to take advan- 
 tage of the starving condition of the manufac- 
 turers, to give a democratic and factious direc- 
 tion to their discontent, but in this they have 
 signally failed. In the mean time, O'Connell 
 is renewino- a^^itation in Ireland, with the most 
 mischievous propositions — not only repeal and 
 universal suffrage — but fixity of rents ; that is, 
 as explained to me, that every tenant is to 
 have an hereditary right in the land at his pre- 
 sent rent. 
 
 Peel's increasing arrogance renders him lia- 
 ble to frequent distiu'bance of temper, and 
 there is nuicli reason to doubt the continuation 
 of his health. He is by no means on good 
 terms with Lord Stanley, who may not long 
 submit to the subserviences required of him. 
 
267 
 
 I have been to Bvixloii for llie cure oi" liiiii- 
 october, ^^ig'f>» -which, ihough not very biul, 1 
 
 ^^^'' wished to check before it became so. 
 The place was disagreeable, the company unu- 
 sually bad, partly from the alarm of" riots, felt 
 with little reason. I was not well there, and 
 derived no benefit in a week, during which 1 
 remained there. In my way home, 1 passed 
 three days at Chatsworth, where were the 
 Fitzwilliams, and a very agreeable party. The 
 principal object of admiration in that magnifi- 
 cent establishment, is the conservatory, covering 
 more than three quarters of an acre, built and 
 laid out with the gTeatest taste and judgment. 
 The whole is the work of Paxton, planned 
 by liis own genius and courage, contrary to 
 the opinion of the eminent architects consulted, 
 but no^v allowed by them to have been most 
 successfully executed. Paxton is, probably, 
 the ablest gardener in Europe, and has raised 
 himself to eminence by native genius, unceas- 
 ing activity, and unblemished character. This 
 is much to say of a man yet alive, but I do 
 not expect to have ever to retract it. 
 
 It is at Chatsworth alone, the Duke of De- 
 vonshu'e's character can be fully ap2)reciated. 
 There, are seen and felt his generous hospita- 
 lity, his unaffected friendly attentions, and a 
 
268 
 
 benevolence extending to every class, which I 
 have never known surpassed. 
 
 I afterwards spent a week at Wentworth, 
 where was a large party to meet the American 
 Ambassador, a well-informed, agTceable man. 
 Talking with Lord Denman on the strange 
 insult offered by Peel to the late Chancellor, 
 when he proposed to make him an inferior 
 Vice Chancellor in his oAvn court, Lord Den- 
 man told me the measure was prompted by 
 Brougham ; who, however, he said, had the 
 merit of first suggesting Lord Cottenham, as 
 a fit man for the office of Chancellor, when he 
 found he could not return to it himself. 
 
 A mawkish exaggerated humanity, of which 
 1843. the felon has the principal benefit, is 
 now prevailing in this country. Ro- 
 milly, who first made a persevering, and, at 
 last successful opposition to our bloody code of 
 laws, woidd, I cannot doubt, have equally 
 opposed the absurd length to which his princi- 
 ple is now carried. How can any reasonable 
 man approve the abolition of the punishment 
 of death for arson ? Murder may have had 
 such provocation as to be capable of palliation, 
 but a wilful incendiary can have had none but 
 the most diabolical motives. I much doubt 
 whether forgery has not been increased since 
 
2()<) 
 
 the punishment of death was withdrawn from it. 
 It is true, that in some cases the punishment 
 of transportation may he rendered worse than 
 death ; hut then it is hahle to gi'eat irregularity 
 and partiahty, and \ liave never yet heard of 
 its worst horrors being imposed upon any 
 weahhy, or well connected person. 
 
 Two parties, equally intolerant, are labour- 
 ing to increase the power of the church, (their 
 church,) defeating the objects and comforts of 
 life, by carrying to excess the formal ceremo- 
 nies of religion, which the puseyites and evan- 
 geUcals mistake for religion itself. They are 
 powerfully aided by many who have no other 
 object than to be thought to possess much 
 religious zeal ; and by a still greater number, 
 who are influenced by fear, the greatest sup- 
 porter of bigotry. This mischief must increase, 
 till it has so far disgusted the population, that 
 a reaction brings back the profligacy of the age 
 of Charles II. 
 
 In alliance with these, is the missionary 
 system. When the Europeans discover an 
 island with a numerous and contented popu- 
 lation, they impose upon the chiefs, perhaps 
 make them drunk, and purchase their territory. 
 In a short time, they are supplied with all our 
 vices and diseases ; their numbers are nearly 
 
270 
 
 annihilated, but the remainder are baptized ; 
 and though leading the wretched lives of monks 
 and slaves, are consoled bj the certainty of 
 going to heaven. One of the best of the mis- 
 sionaries, Williams, sent over from Tahiti, a 
 subscription of nearly £1000 to the British 
 Missionary Society, and boasted that it was 
 nearly all the money in the island ; thus ack- 
 nowledging that he had robbed them of every 
 means of real improvement, and provision for 
 defence, for an object utterly foreign to their 
 interests. 
 
 Of several rheas which I obtained by pur- 
 chase or exchange, one male only remained. 
 Lord Fitzwilliam having a solitary young fe- 
 male, gave it me in the year 1841. Some 
 eggs were hatched by turkeys, but could not 
 be reared ; neither of the rheas would sit. 
 During the last year, forty-four eggs were laid, 
 and the male most perseveringly sat on tlu'ee 
 broods. Nine were hatched, of which we 
 could only rear three ; of these, I gave a pair 
 to Lord Fitzwilliam. Lord Derby has reared 
 four, and I believe there have been no others 
 brought up in England. 
 
 The large kangaroos first brought over are 
 nearly extinct. Lord Derby has attempted 
 to revive the breed, and has sent me the first 
 
271 
 
 2)air lie liad to spare ; he tl links there are now 
 only two males in England. My female is 
 with young. My lesser sort, m. hennettii, 
 have multiplied to eight, hesides four in the 
 pouch. 
 
 Lord Fitzwilliam has hred several llamas, of 
 which he has given me a ])air. My female is 
 with young. 
 
 Two magnificent cassowaries haveheen here 
 three years. They are ^ery furious and very 
 powerful. We have introduced them to each 
 other, hut, hitherto, they only fight. 
 
 An awful meeting of Parliament approaches. 
 The distress of the country is dreadful ; and 
 if, as seems generally expected. Peel adhere 
 to his corn law of last year, I dare not antici- 
 pate the consequence. 
 
 Was the war in Affghanistan necessary ? I 
 think it was rendered necessary hy the gi'asp- 
 ing amhition of Russia, and their evidently 
 tampering with the native powers. We have 
 now given to the latter such proof of our irre- 
 sistible power, that they will not be tempted 
 lightly to contend against it. Yet, why should 
 we insult them, and create hostile feelings by 
 unnecessary violence, by destroying their towns 
 and villages, when there was no longer any 
 resistance ? Thus it is we create enmity. We 
 
272 
 
 chose to be the goalers of Bonaparte, and ex- 
 ercised the office with vulgar insult. It was 
 our soldiers who carried off the w^orks of art 
 from Paris ; it was oiii' army that occupied 
 France after the peace ; and ice destroyed the 
 public buildings in America. 
 
 Surely no man can doubt the necessity of 
 the Chinese w^ar. We had too long submitted 
 to the injustice and insults of that nation, and 
 the event has shown that to resist was to suc- 
 ceed. The treaty must give great advantages 
 to this country. It is true, the Chinese go- 
 vernment is perfidious enough to disavow all 
 their engagements ; but then it is evident they 
 have no army to employ against us, the whole 
 being hardly sufficient to keep down their 
 discontented population, who detest the Tartar 
 dynasty now reigning ; and another w^ar would 
 probably increase this discontent into open 
 insurrection. 
 
 On the 22nd November last, my w^ife, in 
 reading a letter, set her clothes on fire. She 
 rang the bell violently, and saved herself by 
 her presence of mind. I heard the screams of 
 the servants, but the library where I sat is so 
 far from her dressing room, that my arrival 
 would have been too late. Assistance was 
 prompt, but her neck and throat were so much 
 
273 
 
 Luriictl, that now, on tlic 7tli of FeLruaiy, tlio 
 wounds are still unhealed, and she has endu- 
 red much pain from the necessary treatment. 
 
 It is the general opinion, that Peel does not 
 intend to persevere in his corn laws. He ask- 
 ed the Duke of Cleveland to move the address. 
 He was willing if Peel woidd pledge himself 
 to support the corn laws. Peel refused. It 
 seems he is determined to support Lord Ellen- 
 horough, which apjiears to me more hold than 
 wise. 
 
 Died Lord Cathcart. This martinet of the 
 j^jjg school of Mack, was thought an ahle 
 ^^^^' General. He was entrusted with 
 the expedition to Copenhagen. As that expe- 
 dition was covered hy the ostensible object of 
 defending Stralsund, the clerk, not in the 
 secret, di'ew up the commission for the Conti- 
 nent of Europe. A man of judgment and 
 decision would have done his duty and depend- 
 ed on the certainty of parliamentary indem- 
 nity ; not so Lord Cathcart, avIio, though he 
 fought battles would not punish offences ; the 
 army therefore, fell into such complete disor- 
 ganization, that the Princess Frederica being 
 at dinner within our lines, where she resided 
 under British honor, the sergeant aj^pointed 
 for her guard marched with his men into her 
 
274 
 
 room, and robbed her of the plate upon her 
 table. 
 
 The army had first debarked at Stralsimd, 
 and then, to maintain the delusion, they 
 bought one thousand horses of the Prince of 
 Putbus, at twenty pounds per horse. \Vlien 
 they came away, they wished to take the 
 horses with them, but they were wild in a 
 park in the Isle of Rugen ; so horses and mo- 
 ney were left, probably for the French. The 
 fleet was commanded by Gambier, wdio was 
 likewise the negotiator. His bigotry led him 
 to refuse to negotiate on a Sunday, and on 
 that day a battle was fought, in which the lives 
 of many hundreds of the ])easantry w^ere thus 
 uselessly sacrificed. For these services, they 
 both received peerages. Gambier afterwards 
 had a quarrel with iVdmiral Sir Eliab Hervey, 
 who called him a canting son of a b — ; for 
 which, being brought to a court martial, he 
 was necessarily broke, but restored next day 
 by the King. 
 
 The manufacturing of fraudulent or fictiti- 
 ous votes, had been practised largely in Rut- 
 land, and in the smaller counties of Wales ; 
 but in Scotland it had been carried to such 
 excess, as to outnumber the legitimate voters ; 
 who, in several counties, found themselves 
 
275 
 
 swamped by men \\\u) had no connection with 
 tlie district, except by nominal cpiahfications, 
 which they had never seen, and for which they 
 had never paid. It appeared to me, that the 
 only remedy for the evil was to enact, that, at 
 a general election no man should vote for more 
 than one place. Accordingly I drew up a 
 bill for that object, and in the last Session gave 
 notice of a motion for leave to bring it in ; but 
 so little interest could such a subject at that 
 time excite, that, after consulting Horseman, 
 who had taken much pains on the subject, 
 and other friends, I unwillingly postponed it, 
 and shall, probably, do the same, in the ap- 
 proaching Session. 
 
 A railroad having been projected from Peter- 
 borough to Blisworth, my constituents became 
 exceedingly anxious to promote it, and called 
 upon me to exert myself in its favor. It was 
 princij^ally opposed by Lord Fitzwilliam, with 
 great eagerness. The committee, after a long- 
 examination of evidence, reported in its favor. 
 In the House of Commons it was carried by a 
 small majority, chiefly by the Irish Members, 
 who, having no interest in it, kindly remember- 
 ed that I had always been desirous of promoting 
 the prosperity of their country, and supported 
 my view of the subject. As the Session affbrd- 
 
 T 
 
276 
 
 ed no hope of any aclv antage to the country, 
 and Lady Heron was suffering from her un- 
 fortunate accident, I was very httle in London. 
 
 In the Autumn, I went to Sir H. Wihiiot's, 
 to attend the great national agricultural meet- 
 ing : there I heard many speeches, good and 
 had ; saw a quantity of greatly imj^roved ma- 
 chinery ; and an immense quantity of cattle, 
 fattened to a useless and ridiculous degree of 
 perfection. I was afterwards called upon to 
 preside at an agricultural meeting at Peterho- 
 rough. There, after dinner, I took occasion 
 to comhat, successfully, the strong animosity 
 which Lord Fitzwilliam had excited, hy oj^po- 
 sing the railroad ; for which I received no 
 thanks from his Lordship, who cannot beHeve 
 he had become unpopular. Had there been 
 an election this year, he would have found it 
 out. I hope now it will die away. 
 
 Brougham is continually asking why he was 
 not Lord Melbourne's Chancellor. Pie knows 
 well enough that Lord Melbourne had told 
 him, most confidentially, a most important 
 secret ; no other person was present except 
 the late Lord Sefton, and the next morning 
 it was in Lord Brougham's paper. The secret 
 was the intended dissolution of Parliament. 
 
277 
 
 Tlie Session approaches. Peel is a power- 
 December, fill debater, displaying niucli ability, 
 much cunning, and little sincerity. 
 For government, he appears to me to have no 
 talents ; with all his pomp and arrogance he 
 wants even decision and courage. In Ireland, 
 he was passive when vigor might have been 
 salutary ; now he is over vigorous when it is 
 useless. I do not think there was ever the 
 slightest danger of a collision ; yet, he pours in 
 an enormous army to insult and provoke them ; 
 but, O'Connell, who seeks only power and 
 money, turns all his measures against him ; 
 and O'Connell's known want of courage in- 
 creases the security from civil war. Of the 
 repeal I have as little fear ; yet, how is Peel to 
 deal with them ? The only important election, 
 that of London, he has lost. No one believes 
 in his honesty ; by the greater part of the tories 
 he is detested ; this, however, will not hurt 
 him, for their own interest will always lead 
 them to prefer his government to that of the 
 liberals. Should a w^ar break out, there must 
 be a new shuffling of parties, wliich might 
 bring him to us. 
 
 My cassowaries having killed a kangaroo, 
 wounded a man, and frightened every body, I 
 sold them to the Zoological Society for forty 
 
278 
 
 pounds. I bought a pair of beautiful little jer- 
 boasofE. Cross; they are tame and doing 
 well. My female rhea died, probal)ly, from 
 laying the enormous quantity of eighty-eight 
 eggs in two years. She has left me a fine pair 
 of young ones. The llamas have produced a 
 young female, and the great kangaroos a young 
 male. 
 
 The cassowaries were both females, having 
 both laid eggs. I begin to doubt whether there 
 ever was a male in England. 
 
 Thebettongia pencillatahave produced young 
 ones. The macro2)us major, or great kanga- 
 roo, is rapidly diminishing in its native coun- 
 try, being hunted down by the dogs, which 
 have become wild and greatly multiplied. 
 They also became nearly extinct in this coun- 
 try. It is now believed there are only three 
 males in England ; Lord Derby and I are 
 trying to recover the breed, with what success 
 time only can show ; at present, after mutual 
 exchanges, we have each one male and two 
 females. 
 
 During the present month, I have sold to 
 Atkins, of Liverpool, the elder of the young 
 llamas, and the three young emus, for £35 ; 
 and bought of him a pair of sjJendid crown 
 pigeons, from Batavia ; a pair of spotted dasy- 
 
279 
 
 urus, from New Holland ; a pair of marmotes, 
 from Canada, and a pair of small nondescript 
 doves, from Brazil, for £20 10. The betton- 
 gias have produced another young one. 
 
 When our divines were obliged to acknow- 
 ledge the truth of the discoveries of Cuvier, 
 that this globe had had several series of inha- 
 bitants, of which, man was probably the last, 
 finding that those facts could not be brought 
 to agree with the received opinions founded 
 on the Mosaic account of the creation, they 
 made a new interpretation of that account, and 
 gave out, that what were before understood to 
 be days are, in truth, periods. What then be- 
 comes of the seventh day. Is that a day, or 
 a period ? 
 
 Death of Lord Abinger. A more unprinci- / 
 March, Y>le(\. man I have rarely kno^vn ; nor 
 did he appear to me a man of ability. 
 He certainly had a talent for imposing upon a 
 jury, but, in conversation, he was a heavy 
 egotist. He failed as a speaker in both Houses 
 of Parliament, made a bad figure at an elec- 
 tion, and was considered a bad judge. 
 
 My old friend, Clive, in February, became 
 so ill, that neither physicians, nor his family, 
 entertained the slightest hopes of his recovery. 
 To the delight of his friends, he is recovered,. 
 
280 
 
 and I hope will live at least as long as myself, 
 being two years younger. In London, died 
 of a most painful complaint, the Rev. Mr. 
 Church, a highly valued though newly acqui- 
 red fiiend, and the best Magistrate on our 
 bench. My wife had not entirely recovered 
 from the accident by fire, which occurred six- 
 teen months past, when, last week, she fell in 
 getting out of her carriage, and slightly fractu- 
 red the hip bone. I shall, therefore, be little in 
 Parliament during the remainder of the Ses- 
 sion. 
 
 The great want of employment for the la- 
 bouring class, increasing the burthen of the j^oor 
 rates, makes the new poor law unpopular with 
 those who little consider how infinitely greater 
 would have been the grievance under the old 
 system. For the last two years, my board had 
 got worse and worse ; but this year, when I 
 expected a continued progress in the same 
 direction, I find the most violent and trouble- 
 some guardians removed ; many respectable 
 men sent by their parishes ; and the board al- 
 together such as I could have wished. 
 
 Fear is the chief support of bigotry and cre- 
 dulity. I have heard sensible men urge, that 
 if we believe erroneously no mischief can come, 
 but if we disbelieve, and are w rong, how great 
 
281 
 
 may be oiir danger. What a libel upon the 
 supreme Being, to suppose him capable of pu- 
 nishing his creature, for the honest and disinte- 
 rested use of his reason. 
 
 AVent to see my old friend Lord Derby : 
 August, found him cheerful, but not so well 
 as I had hoped ; very anxious about 
 his menagerie which he had greatly increased ; 
 it contains, perhaps, the largest collection in 
 the world. Mine, too, is much enlarged, 
 though bearing no proportion to his. I have 
 been, probably, more fortunate in breeding than 
 he. Amongst other articles of increase, I 
 have bred and reared a pair of jerboas. I have 
 never heard of any others produced in Europe. 
 
 Parliament is, at length, on the point of 
 adjourning. Ministers have been little dis- 
 turbed by opposition, and we have more reason 
 to be satisfied with their measures than the 
 tories. Peel has promised to bring forward, 
 next Session, measures in favor of the cath- 
 olics in Ireland, such as Lord Melbourne 
 w^ould never have been suffered to propose. 
 It was scarcely noticed by the tories, who, 
 probably, reserve their unavailing indignation 
 for the time of action. I was put on the Gil- 
 bert act poor law committee, but finding the 
 opponents determined to waste time, and pre- 
 
282 
 
 vent a report, 1 left London, and, at length, 
 the members ceased to attend. 
 
 The cncumstances attending the death of 
 the Duke of Bom'bon, have not been generally 
 known ; probably owing to the interest Louis 
 Phillippe had in preventing, as far as was in 
 his power, their being publicly exposed. There 
 were several Englishmen in the house at the 
 time, and amongst them a friend of mine, of 
 the most unimpeachable veracity, from whom 
 I received the following statement. The Duke 
 was on the eve of following Charles X to 
 England, from a feeling of dutiful submission 
 to the head of his family, but by no means 
 concurring with him in his political conduct. 
 On the morning of his death he had quarrelled 
 with his mistress, Madame Feuchieres, and 
 received a black eye, with which he appeared 
 at dinner. In the mean time, it was known 
 that he had sent for his confidential lawyer, 
 who resided about forty miles off, to alter his 
 will, and the lawyer was expected next day. 
 He had two valets de chambre, one of them 
 greatly in his confidence ; the other in the 
 interest of Madame F. He said to his favorite, 
 " You must sleep to night in my ante-chamber." 
 " No," said the valet, " It is Monsieur . . . 
 turn, and it would create an uproar." *' Then," 
 
283 
 
 said the Duke, " They will murder me in the 
 night." In the morning, he was found dead, 
 hanging to the rod of a curtain, which could 
 not have hccn done hj himself, as he had 
 scarcely the use of his arms. The King had 
 intrigued with Madame F., hy means of which, 
 he had succeeded in ohtaining half the proper- 
 ty of the Duke for his family ; and, to a^ oid 
 the puhlication of his correspondence with her, 
 he found means to procure her acquittal. 
 
 In the British Gallery, are the two chef d' 
 oeuvres of Claude Lorraine, formerly in the 
 gallery of the Prince Doria. Day, a collector 
 of pictures for some of our nohility, went to 
 the Prince and told him, that as Bonaparte 
 was approaching, he Avould certainly insist on 
 the possession of those pictures. " Then," said 
 the Prince, " What is to be done ?" " You 
 must sell them nominally to me," said Day, 
 ** and they will then he safe." Safe enough they 
 were, for Day sold them for £7000, to the 
 British Gallery. This anecdote w as told me 
 by Lord Mounteagle, one of the managers. I 
 must say, it is little to the credit of my country 
 that they have not been restored to the Prince ; 
 neither appears to me much more honorable, 
 the retention of the King of Spain's pictures, 
 taken in the baggage of King Joseph. I have 
 
284 
 
 heard it said, thej were offered to him ; if true, 
 I do not think an offer was sufficient. 
 
 When Lord Grey resigned his office, I he- 
 heve he fully relied on heing solicited by his 
 colleagues, to return with greater influence. 
 Disap23ointed in this, he has never given them 
 support, and has gradually abandoned the prin- 
 ciples on which his great name was founded. 
 
 The Session of Parliament has ended with 
 little satisfaction to any party. Peel has pro- 
 mised great boons to the catholics, which will, 
 probably, greatly disgust the bigots of his party. 
 The next Session must be an exciting one ; 
 Peel will not find it an easy task to defend 
 the conduct of Lord Ellenborougli, though 
 he may, perhaps, be glad to make that his 
 principal field of battle, to avoid still more dif- 
 ficult subjects. As the Duke of Wellington 
 can no longer rely either upon his temper, or 
 his memory. Lord Stanley is called to the 
 House of Lords, to manage the debates there ; 
 and Peel, I suspect, will not at all regret his 
 absence from the lower House. 
 
 There was a very general opinion, that 
 O'Connell and his associates had not had a fair 
 trial. The crown lawyers certainly showed 
 a violent party zeal ; and after the illegal for- 
 mation of the jury was discovered, (even if 
 
285 
 
 accidental,) disinterested men thought the trial 
 ought not to have proceeded. An appeal was 
 made to the House of Lords. The Chancellor 
 put the question, " That the sentence he con- 
 firmed," and a large majority said, '* Content." 
 Lord Wharncliffe then advised, that all the 
 Lords, except the law Lords, should retire. 
 The question was again put ; the sentence was 
 reversed hy three to two. I cannot imagine 
 that this hold course was pursued hy the friend 
 of Peel, otherwise than in concurrence with 
 his wish, to get out of the very awkward pre- 
 dicament in which the trial had left him. It 
 is, however, attended with this inconvenience, 
 that it seems to leave all legal husiness for the 
 future in the hands of the law Lords, and ren- 
 ders an appeal to the Peers nugatory ; or, 
 which is most likely, the Peers will, in future, 
 refuse to ahide hy the precedent. 
 
 Admhal Fleming was intimately acquainted 
 with a relation of the Duke of Medina Celi, 
 settled in South America. He told me, that 
 on leaving that Court, he asked this person if 
 he had any commands for Spain, then under 
 the power of Napoleon. "Yes," said his friend, 
 " I helieve my relations are in much need of 
 assistance." He accordingly entrusted him 
 with two hoxes, which, besides curiosities, were 
 found to contain about £30,000. 
 
286 
 
 The Duke of Norfolk, last but one, told me, 
 tliat tlie man of most ancient, noble birth, in 
 this country, was Sir G. Mannock, who could 
 prove his descent from a Danish Nobleman 
 before the time of Canute. Sir G. Mannock 
 was, I believe, the last of his family : he was a 
 Jesuit priest, and killed about thirty years ago, 
 on the Dover road, by being overturned in a 
 stage coach. 
 
 In the Autumn, I paid a visit of a week 
 January, ^^cli to uij old fricuds, Lord Derby 
 and E. B. Clive ; and had the satisfac- 
 tion to find both in as good health as I could 
 expect, and tlie time passed most agreeably. 
 
 I purchased last year, of Mr. Cooke, of 
 Yorkshire, three alpacas. As I learned after- 
 wards that he had lost two, and these looked 
 very ill, I feared it must prove a bad specula- 
 tion ; they, however, completely recovered, and 
 have, in the Autumn, produced a pan' of young 
 ones. 
 
 Lord Palmerston, just before he resigned, 
 placed Lady Heron's nephew, H. Mann, in 
 the Foreign Office. He has given so much 
 satisfaction, that Lord Aberdeen has appointed 
 him third attache to the Persian Embassy. 
 He goes out with the most ample recommen- 
 dation and advice, particularly from Sir PTar- 
 
287 
 
 ford Jones Bridges, and Mr. Malion. Shell, 
 also, has strongly reconnnended him to his 
 brother, the Ambassador. Yet, it required 
 all mv influence to prevent his family from 
 inducing him to reject all this uncommon good 
 fortune. I'hey talked of the sacrifice, as if 
 every soldier and sailor did iu)t make greater 
 every day ; and other nonsense, too foolish to 
 be quoted. 
 
 Death of Earl Grey. He ought to have 
 died ten years ago ; history would then have 
 recorded him as an illustrious and consistent 
 patriot. 
 
 The Session verges to a close. Peel has 
 seen the necessity of yielding some tardy and 
 insufficient justice to the catholics of Ireland, 
 which will, probably, be followed by greater 
 sacrifices. It has, apparently, given little satis- 
 faction to the catholics, and has greatly alien- 
 ated his bigoted friends. He has, himself, 
 openly declared in Parliament, that he has 
 lost the confidence of one party, without gain- 
 ing that of their opponents. What are his 
 views i Many think he is heartily tired of 
 his situation, and ^^ ill retire from it the first 
 opportunity. 1 can hardly believe in his vo- 
 luntary resignation of power, and he may safe- 
 ly rely on the support of the tories, for their 
 
288 
 
 own sakes, however loudly they may proclaim 
 their dislike of him, and of his liberal measures. 
 
 I have lost the last of my cotemporaries, 
 my old and valued friend, E. B. Clive. Be- 
 tween us there was always a great agreement 
 in opinions, moral, political, and religious. 
 Already broken in constitution, he could not 
 recover the death of his son, who devoted 
 himself to the comfort of his father. It is a 
 source of consolation to me, that I passed some 
 time with him last Autumn, in Herefordshire, 
 and that he was gratified by my visit. 
 
 I passed the last week with an old but not 
 quite so ancient a friend. Lord Derby, and 
 found him in health ; and in the enjoyment 
 of, probably, the most extensive menagerie in 
 the world. By a severe paralytic attack, some 
 years ago, he has irretrievably lost the use of 
 his legs ; but his perfect temper preserves all 
 else entire. 
 
 The Session is at last concluded : it has en- 
 tertained 217 projects of railways; and 118 
 have received the royal assent. 
 
 I think the two most consistent patriots in 
 the P'rench revolution, were La Fayette and 
 Carnot : the last, perhaps, next to Napoleon, 
 the most able ; the first, far tlie most amiable. 
 He would have preserved the life and liberty 
 
289 
 
 of the King had the Queen confulcd in him, 
 but she bore him an inveterate hatred ; for this 
 there was no apparent reason, unless his deter- 
 mined opposition to despotism. 
 
 Considering that I have completed my 80th 
 Dec. 1845. J^ar, I luivo as little cause of com- 
 plaint as most men of that age, still 
 enjoying much of health, activity, and comfort. 
 My infancy ^vas almost hopelessly feeble. My 
 mother, a most superior woman, deeply belo- 
 ved by all the family, and adored by my father, 
 died in childbed when I was one year old. 
 When I was about three or four, Mary Paske 
 came to my father, as housekeeper. She was 
 a kind hearted and sensible ^voman, and was 
 to me all but a mother. On my father's se- 
 cond marriage, she was dismissed, not very 
 generously : she lived to a great age, and it is 
 a source of gi'eat consolation to me, that I was 
 able to make her comfortably at ease during 
 the latter part of her life. At eight years old, 
 I w^as sent for education to the Rev. John 
 Skynner's, near Stamford. Mr. Skynner was 
 not a man of deep erudition, but had a talent for 
 composing elegantly in latin. When the Mi- 
 nister, Newcastle, was installed as Chancellor 
 of Cambridge, Skynner, tlien public orator, 
 pleased him so mucli, that he was thought on 
 
290 
 
 the point of attaining a mitre ; when, unfortu- 
 nately, he signed a petition against the Thirty- 
 nine Articles, and lost all chance of prefer- 
 ment. He then went as tutor to some of the 
 Noels, and in that amiahle family acquired, if 
 he did not possess them hefore, the manners of 
 a perfect gentleman. Either from a sense of 
 honor, or not heing smitten with the lady, he 
 informed the Earl of Gainshorough that his 
 daughter Elizabeth had fallen in love with him ; 
 and he was obliged to quit a situation, in which 
 he was highly esteemed. He was honorable 
 and good natured in intention, but peevish 
 and 2)artial, and by no means expert in com- 
 municating knowledge. His sentiments were 
 liberal till latterly, when he became timid both 
 in politics and religion. I was unfortunate in 
 my companions, Chaplin, Lord St. John, and 
 his brother St. Anch'ew, being much older, 
 and the Thorolds much younger, than myself 
 With all these, however, I jireserved tjn-ough 
 their lives a great intimacy. Having little to 
 do but to read, I laid in a stock of desultory 
 knowledge, which has been, by the help of a 
 good memory, highly useful to me through life. 
 At eighteen, I went to St. John's College, 
 Cambridge. At that time, nothing was thought 
 of at the Universities but drinking. I never 
 
291 
 
 was fond of tliis, but being fond of society, I 
 necessiirilj fell into it. The fellow conniioners 
 were by no means a good set ^^lien I went 
 there, but soon greatly inlpro^'ed ; amongst 
 otliers came Lord INIountstuart, liitlier of 
 tlie present Lord Bute ; with hhn I formed a 
 great intimacy. He had good abilities, good 
 judgment, and great prospects, ^vith nnicli 
 assiduity ; and he could not have failed attain- 
 ing an eminent situation, but he died at an 
 early age by a fall from his horse. I had 
 agreed to go abroad with the second Marquess 
 of Bath, but my father hearing that he was 
 somewhat addicted to drinking, would not let 
 me go. Sir Richard Heron consulted the 
 present Lord Harrowby, who had just left 
 Cambridge, for a tutor for me. He could not 
 entirely recommend any, but, on the whole, 
 preferred Mr. Pedley, afterwards Deverel. 
 He had some learning and much ignorance, 
 but being a little mad, his strange ideas taught 
 me to think for myself. We spent two Sum- 
 mers together in France, Germany, and Hol- 
 land. I then came home, and not having an 
 opportunity of getting into Parliament, was 
 conscious of my life being, at that time, mise- 
 rably wasted. 
 
 The present House of Commons may, pos- 
 
 u 
 
292 
 
 sibly, be more honest, but it is, certainly, far 
 more vulgar ; and tlie " sacra fames fandi" 
 makes it almost impossible for any man to 
 obtain a hearing, without nuicli assurance, or 
 an imposing authority. At the end of my first 
 long parliament, I offered myself for my coun- 
 ty ; but, with a decided majority, was beaten 
 by our own bad management, and the foolish 
 idea that we could succeed without paid agents. 
 Immediately afterwards, I was offered a seat 
 for Peterborough, which I have ever since oc- 
 cupied : not without rej^eated contests, but in 
 perfect harmony with my constituents. This, 
 however, is my last parliament, as it would be 
 absurd to offer myself at my present age to 
 any electors. 
 
 I asked a Physician to dine at Stubton : he 
 declined. He said, the only time he had slept 
 out he lost a fee. I thought this the vulgarist 
 expression I ever heard. *' I disappointed a 
 patient," would have been synonymous and 
 gentleman -like. 
 
 Sir F. Flood, in the House of Commons, 
 said, " You ought to be good to Ireland, you 
 are sister islands, you swim in the same sea." 
 He might have said, " Be kind to Ireland, and 
 the sea which now divides, will then unite the 
 islands." 
 
293 
 
 When I was Sheriff, a sermon was preached 
 before the Judges, which made considerable 
 sensation. The Dean, Gordon, a violent 
 politician, with little learning or judgment, 
 told his friends, in the reading room, that the 
 Chaplain, E. Fane, had given his principal a 
 pretty severe lecture on his infernal politics. 
 The sermon was mine. 
 
 Lady Elizabeth Luttrel resided with her sis- 
 ter, tlie Duchess of Cumberland, played high, 
 and cheated much. She was commonly called, 
 the Princess Elizabeth. On the death of her 
 sister, she was tliro^^Ti into goal. There she 
 gave a hairdresser £50. to marry her : her 
 debts then becoming his, she w^as discharged. 
 She went abroad, where she descended lower 
 and lower ; till, being convicted of picking 
 pockets at Augsburgh, she was condemned to 
 clean the streets, chained to a wheelbarrow : 
 in that miserable situation she terminated her 
 existence by poison. 
 
 At the end of tlie year, we were surprised 
 
 1846. ^J the resignation of Ministers. The 
 Queen sent for Lord John Russell, 
 and it appears to me rather unfortunate that 
 he undertook to form an Administration, which, 
 I think, could not have survived the dissolution 
 to which he must speedily have resorted. 
 
294 
 
 When Lord Grey refused to concur in Lord 
 Palmerston being Secretary for the foreign de- 
 partment, that difficulty, added to so many 
 others, was considered fatal ; and it is, there- 
 fore, announced to the public, that the whigs 
 are incapable of forming an Administration. 
 I beheve the ultra suj^porters of corn protec- 
 tion would have attempted to govern the coun- 
 try, if they could have found any man whom 
 they could have believed capable of leading 
 the House of Commons. Peel knew this was 
 impossible, and, probably, resigned, to convince 
 the country it could only be governed by liim- 
 self. So far he has succeeded, but his task 
 may not be easy. He will carry his corn ques- 
 tion by our assistance ; but that carried, the 
 bond by which he held the agTiculturists is 
 dissolved. I do not think he has the courage 
 necessary to govern Ireland, where he has 
 ah'eady wavered. In the mean time, he has 
 placed his devoted followers in an awkward 
 situation. Many of them will forfeit tlieir 
 strong pledges to their constituents, by voting 
 with him for the repeal of the corn laws ; and 
 no small number will, probably, lose their 
 seats, whenever Parliament is dissolved. All 
 this is now speculation ; the approaching Ses- 
 sion will be most interesting. Peel, like Pitt, 
 
295 
 
 delights in feeble colleagues ; but with this 
 diflerence, Vansittart, as Chancellor of the Ex- 
 chequer, by his ignorance and presumption, 
 did inhnite mischief to the country. Goul- 
 bourn, not a whit more able, is perfectly in- 
 offensi\e, because not entrusted with any 
 functions ; Peel, who certainly understands 
 finance, executing the office himself; yet, in 
 thirty-two years of peace, not an attempt has 
 been made to diminish the enormous debt, 
 which paralyses our domestic exertions, and 
 our foreign policy We have often been near 
 a war, and cannot hope always to remain at 
 peace ; yet, no rational man can believe, that 
 after a serious war we can attempt to maintain 
 what is called our fidelity to our creditors. 
 Still, money is lavished on every occasion, 
 whether to abolish slavery, which might have 
 been done at a far less expense, or to feed the 
 Irish, both those who want and those who want 
 not. 
 
 Hitherto we had heard of nothing but the 
 immense gains of those who had speculated 
 on railroads. The reaction has now begun, 
 and many have been ruined. I am one of" 
 the few Members of Parliament who have 
 never had a single share in them ; I shall, 
 therefore, incur no risk. But, if the London 
 
296 
 
 and York should be carried, I shall derive con- 
 siderable pecuniary advantage, in the great 
 reduction of the price of mj coals, and increase 
 of the rent of my great Claypole water mill, 
 now of little value. 
 
 It seems that Peel is now sincere, and per- 
 severes in his free-trade measures with courage 
 and determination. For success, however, he 
 relies on us, his opponents ; yet, it is true, 
 that Lord Melbourne could never have suc- 
 ceeded ; for even if Peel had honestly sup- 
 ported him, he could not have prevailed with 
 his followers, until they saw that he had pledged 
 his power to its success. The agricultural 
 population still oppose these measures with 
 fanatical bigotry. In Nottinghamshire, Lord 
 Lincoln, appointed Secretary for Ireland, loses 
 his re-election by an immense majority. Con- 
 sidering the corn laws as the only principle at 
 issue, at this election, I voted for Lord Lincoln. 
 In other counties, men who had pledged them- 
 selves to suj)port the corn laws, thought them- 
 selves bound to appeal to the opinions of their 
 constituents ; particularly as a general election 
 appeared near ; and were every where ejected. 
 Rous, Member for Westminster, made a Lord 
 of the Treasury, was beaten by a liberal. 
 There he and Peel expected a triumph. 
 
297 
 
 The free coiistitulion ol' tliis oouiilry owes 
 nothing to the people. Many of our wovsi 
 tyrants were popular with them. George 111., 
 with the aid of his apostate Minister, seemed 
 at one time likely to succeed in his aspirations 
 after despotism ; hut, fortunately, he was him- 
 self without ahilities, and was encountered hy 
 many who possessed splendid talents. The 
 French re\olution created great alarm in this 
 country, and reform with us seemed hopeless ; 
 when, from some unaccountahle state of the 
 puhlic mind, an immense effect was produced 
 upon it hy a cause apparently inadequate, — 
 the revolution which dethroned Charles X. of 
 France ; and from that moment, reform of 
 Parliament was certain. To us old fashioned 
 gentlemen, reform has made the House of 
 Commons far less agi-eeahle, hy introducing 
 into it a numher of men of inferior caste ; 
 many of them ill-informed, hut eternal and 
 tedious chatterers. Still, reform has heen a 
 great victory to the puhlic. The people are 
 really represented, and their House is far more 
 honest than hefore ; unfortunately, hrihery 
 still prevails : I think it might he checked hy 
 the hallot. Another inconvenience may here- 
 after he felt. The House of Connnons is 
 become so much more powerful since reform. 
 
298 
 
 that on any question popular with the pubHc, 
 it might be found impossible for the King and 
 Lords together, to offer more than a temporary 
 veto ; yet, still by delay giving time for re- 
 consideration, and for a factitious cry to fall 
 away. But it cannot be denied, that the 
 virtual appointment of Ministers, and the 
 complexion of their Administration, depends 
 now on the House of Commons ; and the 
 only mode of checking democracy must be, 
 for the aristocracy to obtain a reasonable share 
 of the seats, — a remedy which seems never 
 likely to be wanting. 
 
 Peel, apparently tired of ruling by the cle- 
 Augast, mency of his opponents, persevered 
 in his Irish coercion bill, was beaten 
 by a large majority, and resigned. His speech, 
 on resigning, unlike the simple announcement 
 of the Duke of Wellington, in the House of 
 Lords, lasted an hour and ten minutes, and 
 seemed in part to be suggested at the moment ; 
 was delivered with some hesitation ; charged 
 with selfishness and upbraidings of his former 
 supporters ; offered, as I thought, the expecta- 
 tion of his being the bitter opponent of any suc- 
 cessor ; and finished with an eulogy ridicu- 
 lously exaggerated of Cobden, whom he had 
 formerly as violently abused. 
 
299 
 
 Lord Joliii Russell has formed a good Cabi- 
 net, and it is not his liiult il it is an exclusive 
 one ; but, I think, many former opponents, 
 tired of the constant changes, and no longer 
 reposing confidence in Peel, are inclined to 
 give him support. If he dissolve Parliament 
 this Autumn, I think he will obtain a good 
 one ; but if he delay another year, I shall fear 
 the return of the greater part of the tories and 
 protectionists, for their own interests, to Peel. 
 One thing is clear, in this most intolerant 
 country ; any Minister, who attempts perfect 
 justice to the Irish and their religion, will be 
 defeated. It will be, therefore, unwise for 
 Lord John to attempt what can have no other 
 result, than the ruin of his Administration. 
 
 In going up to assist in the death of Peel, 
 I nearly accomplished my own. I had a most 
 painful and dangerous attack of retention, 
 which was aggravated by leaving London too 
 soon, contrary to the advice of Brodie. After 
 three weeks suffering, the complaint is now 
 subdued. My first attack of this kind was in 
 the year 1794, in consequence of catching 
 cold with the mumps, for which I had taken 
 James' powder. From the ignorance of the 
 Kentish members of the faculty, I nearly lost 
 my life ; and was several years in recovering. 
 
300 
 
 I had no return till 1844, when I was hnme- 
 diatelj and effectually relieved hy Brodie. My 
 wife was very unwilling to leave me, hut I 
 thought it necessary for her health she should 
 go to the sea ; hesides, I was recovering, and 
 many kind friends offering to come to me, in 
 succession, I was in no danger of solitude. 
 
 In consequence of my illness, I was unahle 
 to return to London ; and have, therefore, 
 paired off for the rest of the Session. Except- 
 ing the sugar duties, I have lost no question 
 of importance ; indeed, the Session is on the 
 eve of its close : it will long he rememhered 
 for the great henefits it has conferred upon the 
 country hy the rej^eal of the corn laws, and 
 the new tariff, constructed on the principles 
 of free- trade. 
 
 On the 10th March, this year, there was a 
 sudden frost. The thermometer ten degi'ees 
 (fahrenheit) helow the freezing point. The con- 
 sequence was, the loss of almost all the wall 
 fruit, a circumstance which has never occurred 
 to me hefore. A more serious evil is, the ex- 
 traordinary disease amongst the potatoes, which 
 commenced last year, and is much increased 
 during the present. It is universal, and ex- 
 tends even to America, their original locality. 
 It is impossible to account for it. 
 
301 
 
 On the 13tli oltliis month, a most ailccUoii- 
 December. '^^G unlon, of fiftj-five jcai's, was 
 terminated by my having the mis- 
 fortune to survive my wife. She had had 
 severe attacks of cholera, but it became im- 
 possible to save her from the debility which it 
 left behind. She bore a month of suffering 
 with calmness, resignation, and, when without 
 pain, with cheerfulness. She was sensible to 
 the last, and thought of every thing and every 
 body with anxious benevolence. She com- 
 municated all her wishes to me, and expired 
 without a sti'uggle. 1 could not follow the 
 fiuieral, but was present in the church, and at 
 the grave. The exertion was very severe, but 
 somewhat mitigated by the respectful silence, 
 the perfect propriety, and evidently intense 
 feeling of all assembled. I am further grati- 
 fied by the great and just testimony I receive 
 from all quarters, of her unsulHed vu'tues and 
 most amiable qualities. 
 
 I was at one time terrified lest her very bad 
 health, and the spasms, to wdiicli she was 
 occasionally subject, sliould impaii' her faculties ; 
 certainly they did affect her memory, which 
 she very much assisted l)y taking notes, but 
 they never injured her understanding, or di- 
 minished her perfect good temper. Her judg- 
 
302 
 
 ment, always good, was improved latterly by 
 justly increased confidence in herself. 
 
 It is a consolation to me to execute all her 
 Jan. 24, wishcs ; and I will not omit that of 
 exerting myself to make the best of 
 my melancholy situation. In this, I am as- 
 sisted by my friends, who seldom leave me 
 alone. I have begun to resume my attendance 
 at the Petty Sessions and Board of Guardians ; 
 and, in a few days, shall endeavour to find 
 relief in the business of Parliament. How 
 will the society of London suit me ? I know 
 not, but must try. 
 
 George Nevile is returned from Jamaica, 
 having hastened home on the news of the 
 alarming illness of my w ife. He w^as brought 
 up in this house, to which, and its inhabitants, 
 particularly the one he has lost, he appeared 
 deeply and sincerely attached. His wife, so 
 far, seems an agreeable and well disposed wo- 
 man. I have been pressed much to go to 
 London this week, to vote against Lord G. 
 Bentinck's motion, for expending twenty-four 
 millions on railroads, in Ireland ; but I cannot 
 anticipate danger of so foolish a proposition 
 being carried. I shall go on Monday, to sup- 
 port Roebuck's motion for imjiosing the income 
 tax on Ireland. I see no reason why thirteen 
 
303 
 
 millions of rent should not contribute to our 
 necessities, particularly now that we are con- 
 tributing such enormous sums to the starving 
 population of Ireland. Much of" this money 
 is shamefully squandered, and grossly misap- 
 plied ; this, however, could neither he foreseen 
 nor prevented by Ministers. If at all to blame, 
 it is for not foreseeing the misery which the 
 total failure of the potatoe crop must occasion. 
 When it occurred, and the Irish were dying 
 in heaps, there could be no hesitation or delay ; 
 and they could not anticipate the reckless 
 manner in which the Irish will 2)refer the 
 most wretched existence in idleness, to well 
 paid labor. In the mean time, England and 
 Scotland swarm with them ; in Liverpool, 
 alone, it is said, there are more than 30,000. 
 It is now proposed to bring in an Irish poor 
 law, nearly assimilated to that of England. 
 I believe the most important clauses will be 
 obstinately 02)posed by the Irish. I shall go 
 up on the 8th to support it. The object is, to 
 make the Irish support their own poor ; for 
 the system in which they are now maintained, 
 would ruin the empire. The great Agitator is 
 dying, and may already be considered as po- 
 litically dead : he w as once useful to Ireland, 
 but can now uell be spared. Ireland has ever 
 
304 
 
 ])een, and long will be, the great cause of em- 
 })arrassment to all Ministers. It is true, it has 
 never had justice ; but I doubt whether even 
 justice would have long procured tranquillity. 
 On this terrible affliction of famine, they have 
 more than justice. I am much disposed to 
 believe, that it would have been better, both 
 for England and Ireland, and even for the 
 destitute poor, to have left that country to sup- 
 port its own poor, had such a course been 
 possible ; but it certainly was not. No Mi- 
 nister could dare to try the experiment ; for, 
 as numbers would still have perished, their 
 deaths would have been ascribed to our cold 
 selfishness. I am not without hopes, that the 
 principal cause of the famine, the disease in 
 the potatoes, is at an end. I incline to think, 
 they perished from some extraordinary and 
 sudden state of the atmosj^here ; at least, I 
 have met with no other conjecture so well 
 supported. Many think we ought no longer 
 to rely on potatoes ; but, as you must go back 
 one hundred years for a similar failure in the 
 croj), it is, perhaps, as safe to trust that article 
 as any other. This would not be my opinion 
 if the disease should be found still to continue. 
 The country has suffered a great loss by the 
 death of Lord Besborough, Lord Lieutenant 
 
305 
 
 of Trclaiul : a most excellent man of business, 
 always exercising a sound judgment. Before 
 he went, lie said, he should try a new method 
 of dealing with D. O'Connell; accordingly he 
 gave good appointments to a son, a nephew, 
 and the Physician of O'Connell. iM^iy not 
 this partly account for the journey to Rome, 
 especially as the newspapers state that his 
 health is amending. 
 
 The state of the country is now alarming. 
 Corn and food of all kinds at a great and in- 
 creasing price, with danger of an utter failure 
 in quantity ; and the scarcity being universal 
 in Europe, there is no hope of relief till the 
 harvest, now distant. The Winter has been 
 long and severe ; but, though every thing is 
 unusually late, there is every prospect of future 
 abundance. In the mean time, the Irish, star- 
 ving at home, are pouring into this country, 
 and bringing with them contagious diseases : 
 add to all this, the disturbed state of the money 
 market, which appears to have affected com- 
 merce in all its branches. It is, no doubt, 
 caused by the immense sums sent abroad, in 
 exchange for corn ; added to the enormous 
 speculations in railways, which have been left 
 uncontrolled by all our Ministers. Mean- 
 while, the dissolution of Parliament approaches. 
 
306 
 
 I believe there will be few contests of im- 
 portance. The tories have no leader ; and 
 many objects of dispute being now at an end, 
 many of them will, probably, be found amongst 
 the supporters of the present Government. 
 In South Lincolnshire, we had a candidate 
 ready, but an important friend of mine was 
 alarmed at his not being a resident ; and, con- 
 trary to my opinion, he was advised to decline ; 
 and I know of no probable contest where I have 
 any interest. I expect the returns to be con- 
 siderably in favor of the present Government. 
 
 Brougham, in his Sketches of Statesmen, 
 and particularly in his treatise on parties, 
 immediately after his life of Romilly, seems 
 scarcely to believe in the sincere patriotism of 
 any public man. Probably he derives his 
 opinion from his own breast. 
 
 I do not think the exaggerated reputation of 
 Walter Scott, can be maintained with poste- 
 rity. His poems are certainly beautiful ; his 
 histories below contempt. His novels are 
 amusing, some of them well written, but on 
 a false principle : the mixture of history and 
 fiction is, in my opinion, unsatisfactory and 
 mischievous ; besides, I cannot imagine that 
 any Novel can be very highly estimated by a 
 future generation, unless, indeed, one written 
 
307 
 
 witli sTicli extraordinary Iriilli and patlios as 
 C. Dickens' Oliver Twist. 
 
 O'Connell is dead, abroad. I lis rent was 
 nearly dead before liini. lie was not merce- 
 nary, and I doubt not will be found to liaxe 
 died poor : he can have no successor. 
 
 Tn tlie last war with America, a regiment 
 of Slaves was raised and officered by Euro- 
 peans. Near the end of the war, they were 
 disbanded and located in our Islands, princi- 
 pally at Trinidad. At the ])eace, one of the 
 articles was, that they should be given up. A 
 ship of" ^A'ar was sent to collect them, they 
 were seized, and actually surrendered, to the 
 eternal infamy of the Government of that day ; 
 yet, it has never been mentioned in Parlia- 
 ment, and is scarcely known. This anecdote 
 was related to me by Admiral Codrington, 
 who w^as the officer employed to collect the 
 slaves. 
 
 The Parliament is dissolved. In my eighty- 
 Augiist, second year, I thought it became me 
 
 ^^^'' to retire, and I have done so. My 
 friends, however, seem to think I am never to 
 grow old ; and some of them are surprised at 
 my not remaining in the Senate. I announced 
 my intention when I was in great distress 
 from the illness of my wife, and was desirous 
 
 X 
 
308 
 
 of remaining at home with her. My successor 
 was selected, and I could no longer disturh the 
 arrangement, if so inclined. Lord Fitzwilliam, 
 however, asked me to take the seat at Malton, 
 (expected to be vacated by Childers, who stood 
 for East Retford) till his son Charles was 
 ready for it, probably, two Sessions. I could 
 not refuse what was evidently an accommoda- 
 tion to the family ; and, besides, was no longer 
 averse to the project,* as Lord Fitzwilliam, with 
 the most kind and friendly attention, liad taken 
 measures to save me the annoyance of the 
 canvass ; but Childers seems at last to have 
 preferred the quiet seat, to the battle at East 
 Retford. 
 
 My friend, G. H. Packe, was invited to 
 Newark. I did not advise his standing, but 
 they would have him, and I then made every 
 exertion in my power for him. The feeling 
 was all with us, promises abounded, but the 
 night before the election the enemy were very 
 busy, and some promises were broken, de- 
 claring they were waiting for money. We 
 refused to bribe, and w^ere beaten. The defeat, 
 however, was mainly to be ascribed to Packe's 
 indecision, — three days before the election, he 
 left Newark, refusing to be a candidate. 
 
 * In consequence of my now lonely condition. 
 
309 
 
 We arc losing many elections for want oi" 
 candidates ; perhaps our opponents are in the 
 same situation. In this county, Lord Bur- 
 leigh waited long hefore he ventured to. ofler 
 himself; and Sir J. Trollope would, prohably, 
 not have encountered a serious opposition. In 
 concert with Lord Fitzwilliam and Lord Car- 
 rington, I did all in my power to obtain a 
 candidate, but no fit man would come forward. 
 In Northamptonshire, it is nuich the same ; 
 still, the elections, so far, are going on favorably. 
 The cry of bigotry makes no impression, and 
 what is mis-named protection, seems to have 
 no effect in the towns, though much in the 
 counties : but the latter have been so much 
 against us, that almost every change must be 
 in our favor. 
 
 I consider toleration as the first of charities ; 
 the want of it, the arrogance of man ^vho says, 
 " I am right and all who difier from me are 
 wrong," has occasioned almost all the miseries 
 to which humanity has been subject from time 
 immemorial. In my opinion, in politics and / 
 religion, all who are sincere are right. 
 
 When Charles the Xth. and his Minister, 
 the Prince de Polignac, had resolved on the 
 famous coup d'etat of the 30th of July, 30,000 
 men were assembled in two divisions under 
 
310 
 
 Marmont, within two days' march of Paris. 
 When the ordinance was puhhshed, Marmont 
 attended the CounciL When asked what 
 troo2)s he had brought with him, he answered, 
 none, hut that with two days' notice he coukl 
 have brought his army, which was in readiness. 
 Pohgnac said he had had his orders. Mar- 
 mont declared he had received none. The 
 Prince, who was occasionally subject to ab- 
 sence of mind, afterwards found, in his own 
 pocket, the letter which contained the order. 
 On such an accident depended the fate of a 
 dynasty. 
 
 During this month, I went to Wentw^orth, 
 September, ^^ ^^J ^ay to Scotlaud. From some 
 
 ^^^^' j)i'6t^isposition, the raih'oad occasioned 
 a dizziness of the head and eyes, which came 
 upon me in the evening and lasted about an 
 hour. 1 had been six limes to London, in the 
 Session, by the same conveyance, without its 
 producing the same effect. I did not think it 
 prudent to proceed on a journey of two days, 
 and, after spending a week very agreeably 
 with my friends at Wentworth, I returned 
 home. 
 
 A new Pope has most unexpectedly, and 
 contrary to all precedent, shown himself the 
 friend of liberty and independence. He has 
 
311 
 
 given liberal institutions to his subjects. His 
 example has been followed bj the Sovereigns 
 of Sardinia and Tuscany : Lucca, in S2)ite of 
 its Sovereign, has dt)ne the same ; and Naples 
 is in insurrection. 
 
 Austria, indignant and terrified, took pos- 
 session of Ferrara, and appears to have relied 
 much on a conspiracy at Rome : she appears 
 now hesitating, and if England does her duty, 
 the independence of Italy may be secured. 
 Louis Phillippe would willingly support des- 
 potism, but though he will, probably, in case 
 of war, refuse his support to the Italians, I do 
 not think he will dare unite -with Austria a- 
 gainst them. 
 
 On this day last year, my wife appeared to 
 Nov. 27, have considerably recovered. She 
 
 ^^^'' was pleased with its being on my birth 
 day, and was very cheerful. We entertained 
 hopes of her recovery, and passed a happy 
 day — it was the last ; but the recollection of 
 it is the most pleasing that remains to me. 
 
 " Tis sweet to know there is an eje will mark 
 Our coming, and look brighter when we come." 
 
 Don Juan. 
 
 Such teas my enjoyment whenever I returned 
 home. 
 
 Eleven years have passed since the Oxford 
 
312 
 
 Clergy found some fault witli a passage in a 
 sermon or lecture of Dr. Hampden's, and 
 passed a censure upon him. In these eleven 
 years, he has preached and lectured as Regius 
 Professor of Divinity, heing a})2)ointed at the 
 head of those wlio examine for orders, and 
 apparently enjoyed universal respect. On 
 heing nominated to a Bishoprick, the whole ■ 
 rancour is revived, with wliat ajipears to be 
 the fury of envy; Bishop Phillpotts, of course, 
 taking part, wherever mischief is to he done. 
 I cannot hut rejoice at so much bigotry and 
 malice being exposed and defeated. 
 
 Some of the Bishops are now backing out ; 
 January, p^oplc wlll Say It Is bccause the Arch- 
 bishop of Canterbury is ill. Two of 
 them are quarrelling in the newspapers ; they 
 have gained little credit. 
 
 When I came to reside at Stubton, I found 
 the village of Claypole, in which I have the 
 principal property, containing between 600 
 and 700 inhabitants, perhaps rather above the 
 average in drunkenness and vice. In the 
 course of years it grew far worse ; a band of 
 rol^bers ^vas organised, which also committed 
 several murders, and had projected more, when 
 I succeeded in convicting and transporting five 
 of them. This, which occurred about eight 
 
313 
 
 years ago, has put a stop to these crimes, hut 
 the drunkenness still increases ; no less than 
 four of my tenants, in other respects respectahlc 
 men, actually losing their lives hy it. Two years 
 ago, I expostulated with a farmer who was in 
 a constant state of intoxication, and then gross- 
 ly illused his Umiily : he heing a good cultiva- 
 tor, I told him T was ahle to add to his farm, 
 hut said he nuist quit all unless he reformed. 
 He oflered to limit himself to moderation ; I 
 told him he could not do it, that he must 
 avoid all fermented liquor, or nothing could he 
 done : he liad firmness to hecome a water 
 drinlvcr, has persevered, and is now an excel- 
 lent and active farmer. I have persuaded 
 another man of weight in the parish to refrain 
 from excess, and the consequence has heen, a 
 ^'ery great apparent improvement in the parish. 
 Notwithstanding the virtue of the Pope, and 
 the patriotism of the Sovereigns of Piedmont 
 and Tuscany, which had roused the Neapolitan 
 and other states of Italy, to seek their liherties 
 in the field of hattle ; there was every appear- 
 ance that they must eventually have heen 
 crushed hy the overwhelming power of Austria, 
 when an event, little foreseen, hut pregnant 
 with consequences calculated to shake the 
 world, entirely changed tlieii' prospects. 
 
314 
 
 The citizen King of the French had never 
 wanted inchnation to hecome despotic, but he 
 had now lost much of his energy of mind, as 
 well as body. Some think he had been much 
 governed by the counsels of his sister Adelaide, 
 and that since her death, his conduct had been 
 more deficient of judgment : in the mean time, 
 the democratic party had increased in strength, 
 and wanted only an opportunity for action ; 
 that opportunity occurred in the King's refu- 
 sal to allow a reform banquet. Determined 
 to crush this party, he drew troops to Paris, 
 gave the command to Bugeau, and exulted in 
 the anticipation of success. It is generally 
 thought that success would have been obtained, 
 had he persevered with vigor ; but vacillating 
 in his resolution, he dismissed his Minister, 
 Guizot, and accepted the services of Odillon 
 Barrot, who stipulated that the troo2)s should 
 not act. The national guards, not suj)ported 
 by the troops, sided with the people, and the 
 soldiers soon followed them. The King's ?r«'r- 
 Jike sons showed no spuit whatever. Louis 
 Phillippe abdicated, and though in no personal 
 danger whatever, fled in disguise. His sons 
 followed him, leaving their wives and families 
 to shift for themselves. Half a dozen men 
 then declared themselves a provisional govern- 
 
315 
 
 merit, until a national assembly could be elect- 
 ed. The worst of these men, Ledru Rollin, 
 was resolved to be himself the sole elector, 
 backed by the lowest ])art of the populace of 
 Paris ; but the national guards and the popu- 
 lation of the country resist his mandates, and 
 there seems a hope that the assembly may be 
 the real representatives of France, though some 
 danger must arise from the necessity of their 
 meeting at Paris. Be it as it will, the French 
 understand so little of the principles of liberty, 
 or government, that long must be the time 
 before they can be settled into anything ration- 
 al. In the mean time, the provisional govern- 
 ment having little power to control the mob, 
 all establishments are destroyed, and the coun- 
 try, for the present, utterly ruined. I cannot 
 very much lament this event : the King and 
 his sons deserve little pity. We are safer than 
 before from war ; Louis Phillippe might have 
 wanted it as a safety valve, but now if France 
 wage war it cannot be with us, without ships 
 or money. The revolution has, I hope, saved 
 Italy. I have great reliance on the good sense 
 of the Germans, and despotism is annihilated 
 every where but in Russia. From the unfa- 
 vorable manner in which I have spoken of the 
 French royal family, I must exempt the Duke 
 
316 
 
 D'Aumale and the Prince de Joinville, who 
 were in Algeria, offered their services to France, 
 and behaved in a becoming manner. 
 
 From all this disturbance of almost all the 
 nations of Em'ope, om-s alone is, happily, 
 likely to be exem2)ted. The people of Eng- 
 land and Scotland ha\'e borne want of employ- 
 ment, and scarcity of food, with the greatest 
 patience ; there is no very serious discontent, 
 and those mischievous persons who have en- 
 deavored to create insurrection, have only 
 given occasion to exhibit the loyal zeal of all 
 ranks in defence of our institutions. How 
 different might have been our situation, had 
 parliamentary reform been rejected, and the 
 monopoly of corn maintained. 
 
 There are who think, that if a prosperous 
 repubhc should be established in France, a 
 great desire might be created in this country, 
 to imitate and adopt such a constitution. I 
 have no such fear. I do not think the condi- 
 tion possible, and even if it took place, there 
 is no sympathy for the French, or inclination 
 tow^ards democracy ; still less for the anarchy 
 through which we must pass to attain it. 
 This consideration necessarily brings before our 
 eyes, the only real danger to the country — the 
 state of our finances ; and, really, the reckless 
 
317 
 
 expenditure of all our Adininistratioiis, and its 
 sanction by all Houses of Commons, appears 
 to me alavminG: and unaccountable. We have 
 now been tliirty-tlnee years in the enjoyment 
 of peace, and have increased rather than di- 
 minished the debt. Does any man believe 
 that alter another serious war the interest 
 could be paid ? 
 
 Two red cheeked parocpiets from z\ustralia, 
 laid three eggs : they were put into the nest of 
 a linnet, who had not warmth enough to hatch 
 them ; one had a young within two days of 
 being hatched. 
 
 I have been rather successful in the mena- 
 gerie. In the Winter, from cold, I lost seve- 
 ral llamas and alpacas ; in future, by not shear- 
 ing them, (the wool being no object,) and 
 housing them in severe weather, I ha\'e no 
 doubt ^ve shall preserve them in health : I 
 have still one male and two females of each. 
 I have reared, during the Spring, the following 
 valuable animals ; t^\o nylghaus, two large kan- 
 garoos, four rheas, four cereopsis, three Orinoco 
 geese, and one Patterson partridge, with many 
 of less value. Last year, my nylghaus produ- 
 ced twins, males. 1 have also ac(pnred two 
 long-tailed lemurs, tlu'ee axis deer, three roe 
 deer, two hog deer, and many birds ; also four 
 Hying squirrels. 
 
318 
 
 Sir Richard Heron had lent £10,000 to 
 Simmon's estate in Grenada, at six per cent. 
 After a foreign occupation and a hurricane, he 
 was ohliged to abandon the principal for an an- 
 nuity of £400, for his life and mine, secured, 
 as he believed, on English estates,. The Gre- 
 nada estates are the joint property of the Han- 
 keys, Trevelyans, and St. Johns. This Sjning, 
 I was informed that the estate was no longer 
 productive, and the annuity could not be paid; 
 I learned at the same time, that my security 
 was a fiction, in fact, a fraud. Mr. Parkin- 
 son, the highly respectable solicitor of the pro- 
 prietors, with whom I had had much satisfac- 
 tory connection on Lord St. John's affairs, 
 represented to them the exact circumstances 
 of my claim upon them. They immediately 
 declared they could not refuse what was so 
 justly due, and the annuity continues to be 
 paid. The loss to me would have been incon- 
 venient. 
 
 In the last month, I paid a most agreeable 
 September, ^i^lt to my fricuds tlic Fcrgusous at 
 Raith, in Scotland. I remained there 
 a fortnight, and should have visited other 
 friends, but they had not returned home from 
 London. It was a singular novelty to me, on 
 returning, to breakfast at Raith and dine at 
 
319 
 
 home, on the same day, at half-past eleven at 
 night. 
 
 I was niucli pleased with the grandeur of tlie 
 Castle, at Edinhurgh, hut I saw notliing else 
 there to admire. Old dirty streets, with 
 houses eight stories high, and new streets 
 dull and uniform, like new streets elsewhere. 
 Holyrood house has no heauty, except the 
 remnant of the chapel, which ought to he re- 
 stored. There is a church-like huilding which 
 I was told was a monument to Walter Scott, 
 it had the appearance of heing fahricated hy a 
 confectioner, for the centre of a dessert. 
 
 The last Session of Parliament was, I he- 
 lieve, the longest on record, hut, certainly, not 
 the most satisfactory. Two or three men, e- 
 qually factious and ignorant, occupied the time 
 of the House of Commons with speeches of 
 unreasonahle length, and often on the least 
 important questions; creating eternal adjourn- 
 ments to the great ohstruction of the husiness 
 of the nation. The consequence was, that 
 many important measures were necessarily 
 ahandoned ; and others hurried through with- 
 out due consideration, in the last days. The 
 evil is felt to be most serious in its consequen- 
 ces, yet, it is found scarcely possible to apply 
 a remedy. 
 
320 
 
 The Caffre war and tlie famine in Ireland 
 created an excess of expenditure beyond in- 
 come, of, I believe, full three millions. For 
 this, the Chancellor of the Ex-chequer proposed 
 to provide, by increasing the income tax to 
 five per cent ; but finding a considerable oppo- 
 sition to it, he weakly gave it up, and suffered 
 the debt to be bv so much increased. What 
 will be done in the next Session ? Unless the 
 deficit be vigorously met, the consequences are 
 frightful to contemplate. 
 
 The coalition Administration proposed four 
 Dukes to the King — Derby, Bury — Guildford, 
 Kent — Hertford — and Stafford ; they were 
 all refused. Peel, in his last Administration, 
 set a good example, creating no Peers, except- 
 ing two for military services, and Lord Elles- 
 mere. It would be well if Lord John Russell 
 had followed his example. 
 
 I see no reason why I should retain tenants, 
 who neither cultivate their land jn-operly, nor 
 give sufficient emj^loyment to our laborers. I 
 have accordingly dismissed four, and having 
 many applications, hope to be able to select 
 good successors. A number of poor cottages 
 belonging to the parish are a receptacle of \'\ce, 
 fdth, and misery ; several generations heai)cd 
 into a single room ; and the children, Avho 
 
321 
 
 miglit be redecnicd, li\ing with llio wortliless, 
 in the most indecent state of society. I propo- 
 sed to purchase the houses ; this the parish 
 dechnes, hut agrees to act according to my 
 views, wliich will fully answer my ohjcct. 
 Tlie system of vagrancy had become a serious 
 evil, it was a fraudulent trade. Follo^ving the 
 example of the Sleaford and Grantham unions, 
 T proposed to refer all vagrants to the chief of 
 police, at Newark ; this is adopted, and I have 
 reason to believe it will entirely remedy the 
 nuisance : they cannot bear being searched, 
 still less cleaned. 
 
 The country has lost two valuable servants. 
 
 December. C. Bullcr eXCCUtcd llis officC judi- 
 
 ciously and satisfactorily. Lord Auck- 
 land had three qualities, very desirable in the 
 first Lord of the Admiralty, honesty, industry, 
 and impartiality. 
 
 The duration of Parliaments was increased 
 by the Legislature from three to seven years, 
 to prevent the danger of a Jacobite House of 
 Commons being returned by the people, at the 
 then ensuing general election. The prevalent 
 fear of such an event shews, that a great majori- 
 ty of the people w^ere desirous of it ; the measure, 
 therefore, was, abstractedly considered, unjust 
 and revolutionary. The House of Connnons 
 
322 
 
 could have no right to prolong the power which 
 had heen delegated to them for a limited period ; 
 hut it was ahsolutelj necessary to prevent, hy 
 a revolutionary measure, the mischief which 
 might have resulted from the temporary mad- 
 ness of the people : the inj ustice consisted in 
 going beyond the necessity ; the remedy, like 
 the danger, ought to have heen only temporary. 
 Now, however, that septennial elections have 
 been so long acquiesced in, and the people have 
 gained so much additional power by the reform 
 of the House of Commons, I do not see any 
 advantage in shortening their duration. 
 
 In my first visit to Knowsley, I met George 
 February, Hcrou, tlic SOU of a distiuguislied 
 
 ^^^^' General ; himself highly respected. 
 I was attracted by his agreeable manners, we 
 became mutually attached to each other, and 
 his friendship and society have contributed 
 greatly to my comfort. 
 
 It is impossible to speculate, with any pro- 
 bable accuracy, on the political conduct of the 
 French nation ; they seem, in fact, to have 
 no political principle. A few months ago, 
 they proclaimed their determination to support 
 all revolutions ; noAV they are themselves be- 
 come monarchial, and will not even assist 
 Italian independence. The empire of Austria, 
 
323 
 
 which, a short time ago, was in the greatest 
 danger, is now reconquering all her insurgent 
 provinces. From the information wliich has 
 reached me, I helieve the following to he the 
 history of what has lately occurred. The late 
 Emperor, a weak man, had given his consent 
 to the liheral institutions in Italy and Hunga- 
 ry, which destroyed his power. When cir- 
 cumstances becan to wear a more favorahle 
 appearance towards the royal j^ower, the family 
 and go\ ernment wished to get rid of these in- 
 convenient concessions ; hut, as Ferdinand 
 was remarkable for never forfeiting his word, 
 the only resource was to induce him to abdi- 
 cate ; this done, the work is rapidly progressing 
 under a vigorous Emperor, and two very able 
 Generals. 
 
 My school at Claypole proving very ineffec- 
 tive, I determined to institute one there for 
 my four parishes, on a plan of my own, and 
 to S2)are no expense in procuring the best 
 teachers. I did not desire any pecuniary as- 
 sistance, but could not refuse the liberal sub- 
 scription of £30 per annum from the Rector ; 
 and I have the cordial personal assistance of 
 the excellent resident Curate, Mr. Ward. I 
 had some difficulty, however, with the Rector, 
 who wished to make the school ultra religious ; 
 
 Y 
 
324 
 
 and as I had, rather unwisely, taken a master 
 at the recommendation of him and the Curate, 
 he was wilhng to adopt their system. In this, 
 I could not concur, hut the Rector has the 
 good sense to see, that much good may he done 
 even without acting entirely on his principles : 
 and, as the master appears a very respectahle 
 man, I hope all will go on amicahly and well 
 on mine. 
 
 Long as my life has heen, there are few in 
 which so many important events have taken 
 place, and so many revolutions heen effected ; 
 and whilst almost all other countries have suf- 
 fered under terrors and disorders, hy no means 
 yet terminated, ours has remained compara- 
 tively happy and contented. Two circum- 
 stances have principally contrihuted to this ; 
 the passing of the reform hill, and the putting 
 an end to the mono]}oly of corn. The first 
 measure could hardly have heen peaceahly 
 carried, had not an advantage heen taken of 
 a foolish King, who happened, for one Session, 
 to fancy himself a reformer, wliich he soon re- 
 pented. The measure w as certainly a revolu- 
 tion, as it entirely changed the constitution, 
 and placed almost all power in the House of 
 Connnons ; for it must he evident, that now^ 
 neither the King nor the Peers can persevere 
 
325 
 
 in resisting any measure in wliicli llie House 
 of Connnons is supported by the people : but 
 tbe marcb of public opinion, and the events 
 abroad, made tlie measure absolutely necessary ; 
 and as the aristocracy have great influence in 
 the elections, the result is by no means denio- 
 cratical. It is curious to consider the changes 
 which have taken place in the opinions and 
 conduct of individuals. In the davs of George 
 III., and his Minister, Pitt, the greater part of 
 the country gentlemen, and a still larger portion 
 of the clergy, were violent tories ; intolerant to 
 the utmost degree, and rating ^ery low the 
 lovalty, and even relioion, of those who were 
 opposed to them. They carried their politics 
 into their courts of justice, where great partiali- 
 ty very frequentlj" prevailed. How have these 
 evils been abated ? In some measure, un- 
 doubtedly, by a great diminution of political 
 rancour ; but, I tliink, far more by the salutary 
 influence of the public press. 
 
 In my immediate neighbourhood, and still 
 more in many other parts of the kingdom, 
 there are many laborers without employment : 
 this is, unfortunately, an increasing evil, be- 
 cause the population advances in numbers far 
 beyond any advantageous means of supporting 
 them. What can be the remedy ? — what the 
 
326 
 
 consequences ? Emigration, whether at the 
 pubhc charge, or by individual exertion, is ut- 
 terly inadequate. This must soon become a 
 great political problem. 
 
 Walking in the neighbourhood of Tours, I 
 asked my way of a peasant. " Ou allez vous, 
 Monsieiu' ?" *'Je m'en vais a Tours." An I 
 J'y vais.'' This was a known phrase, and the 
 only remnant of the English language in that 
 country. 
 
 I was thought foolish by some, for planting, 
 at the age of thirty, trees, wdiich I could never 
 live to see in perfection. I have continued 
 planting all my life ; and now, at the age of 
 eighty-three, am planting the newly discovered 
 trees from China and Japan. Many that I 
 have planted are now well grown, and hand- 
 some ; and have afforded me much pleasure 
 even in their mfancy. The soil, so well adapt- 
 ed to trees, has greatly encouraged me. A 
 grove of cedars of Lebanon is much admired. 
 With my present experience, 1 could have se- 
 lected a spot on the river where I might have 
 formed a beautiful domain, w ith half the ex- 
 pence which this has cost me ; true, I should 
 have had every tree to plant, but that has also 
 been the case here ; however, I have made a 
 convenient home, and must be satisfied with it. 
 
327 
 
 The bra\'e Hungarians, claiming only the 
 August, enjoyment of the constitution and 
 ^^^'^' liberties, which, till now, had been 
 always respected, successfully opposed the in- 
 vasion of Austria, but were obliged to yield to 
 the intervention of Russia. Abandoned as 
 they were by Prussia and Germany, it is well 
 they have reserved themselves for better times ; 
 for, surely, despotism cannot always be pre- 
 dominant over Europe. 
 
 Timothy Brecknock was the representative 
 of an ancient family allied to mine. He in- 
 herited a competent estate, which he very soon 
 dissi2)ated : he practised at the bar, exhibited 
 some cleverness, and much more profligacy. 
 A man being tried for a highway robbery, the 
 prosecutor declared that he thoroughly recog- 
 nised his features, having been robbed by him 
 on a moonlight night. Almanacks instantly 
 a2)peared in court, proving that on the night 
 in question there was no moon. The man was 
 acquitted, and it was immediately afterwards 
 discovered that the Almanacks were false : 
 they had been printed by Brecknock's means. 
 Fitzgerald, of Clare, imprisoned his father, and 
 stood a siege in which a soldier was killed. 
 He advertised for a Lawyer who could get 
 him out of the scrape : Brecknock undertook 
 
328 
 
 the task, and succeeded ; by what means, I 
 know not. After this, the pah' w^ere insepara- 
 ble. Fitzgerahl stood candidate for his county : 
 his only chance of success was by removing his 
 opponent ; accordingly he had him apprehend- 
 ed by a warrant, ordering those who conveyed 
 him to put him to death if a rescue were at- 
 tempted. Another party of Fitzgerald's made 
 a shew of a rescue, and the prisoner was killed. 
 For this atrocity, Fitzgerald and Brecknock 
 were condemned and executed. At the gallows, 
 Fitzgerald showed signs of fear ; Brecknock 
 called to him to behave hke a man, and died 
 himself at the age of ninety-four, having first 
 repeated the Lord's Prayer in Greek. 
 
 My father, and his brother, Su' Richard, had 
 offered to bring up their only child, but the pa- 
 rents could not consent to the only condition, 
 that they should never see him more. After- 
 wards, when probably pressed by poverty, they 
 offered to give up the boy, but it was too late, 
 he was supposed to be then contaminated by 
 tlieir contact : they left him at the door of my 
 *tJncle, in Grosvenor Square, with a note say- 
 ing he would be lost if they rejected him, as 
 he could not know what was become of them. 
 The boy was frightened by a black porter, 
 dropped the note, and ran away to his parents, 
 
329 
 
 Ijcliiiul the nearest corner. Brecknock, iit one 
 time, pretended to be a quaker, at another, a 
 jew. We ha^e never heard ^vhat became of 
 the boy. 
 
 My menagerie has been, lately, greatly in- 
 creased, and I am believed to be more siiccess- 
 lul in rearing animals than others ; in iact, I 
 know of no other considerable private collec- 
 tions, except Lord Derby's and Lord Fitzwil- 
 liam's. I possess at present llamas, alpacas, 
 njlghaus, guonacos, hidian antelopes, Virgi- 
 nian deer, long-tailed lemurs, agoutis, common 
 porcupines, hog deer, jerboas, and kangaroos, 
 (macropus major) macropus bennettii, bettongia 
 pencillata, armadillos, Angora rabbits, and 
 capybaras. 
 
 Lord Clive had a large serpent which li^Td 
 on the most friendly terms with his family. 
 Not liking the noise of the siege of Madras, 
 it passed through the camp of the besiegers in 
 the night, and reached the forests. When the 
 siege was raised, it most unexpectedly returned 
 to Lord Clive's house. He brought it home 
 to England, with a large stock of poultry, &c., 
 for its subsistence on the voyage, but it could 
 not bear our climate, and died the first winter. 
 
 Geological discoveries inform us, that there 
 was a period when the gi'eater part of the quad- 
 
330 
 
 riipeds were niarsiipias. Of those that possess 
 that pecuharity there are now very few in the 
 old world ; hut in Australia nearly all are so : 
 this, at first, would suggest the idea that Aus- 
 tralia alone had not recovered from a former 
 condition ; yet, the atmosphere is the same 
 with that of the rest of the world, and must 
 have always heen so ; nor does it appear that 
 the animals there, in other respects, hear a 
 nearer relation to the extinct species than those 
 of the other parts of the glohe. 
 
 George Foster is gone to India, a very great 
 loss to my society as he spent much of his time 
 with'me ; his amiable character, good sense, and 
 good spirits, made him an universal favorite 
 with all ranks. 
 
 My friend Sir Henry Chamberlain, natural 
 son of Henry Fane, married early without the 
 knowledge of his father, and was in narrow 
 circumstances : a well-dressed man offered 
 him £1000 for his new born son — it was refu- 
 sed. Precisely at that time. Lady Dudley 
 and Ward just become a widow, and not very 
 young, had declared herself pregnant ; appa- 
 rently disappointed of obtaining a child in 
 England, she prepared to go abroad, but the 
 successor obtained a writ "ne exeat regno." 
 She soon after declared she was not pregnant. 
 
331 
 
 Wol^b^vell, wlio perambulates tlic country 
 with a large collection ol" exotic animals, had a 
 niece, very handsome, of modest and graceful 
 demeanour, such as to attract the favorable no- 
 tice of the Queen. She was very fond of tlie 
 animals, and l have seen her, apparently, on 
 the best terms with them. One day, entering 
 a den in whicli w^ere a lion and a tiger, she 
 either excited the jealousy of the tiger, or un- 
 knowingly offended him ; he flew at her, and 
 mortally wounded her. 
 
 The agricultural interest is making great 
 efforts to obtain protection, which, as far as it 
 goes is monopoly : their exertions are not likely 
 to be successful. It is true, the unrestricted 
 importation of foreign corn may have the 
 effect of considerably lo^vering the rents of land. 
 This, inconvenient to many, would be ruin- 
 ous to those whose estates are deeply mortga- 
 ged ; but they must be content to suffer the 
 evils their imprudence, or that of their fami- 
 lies, has occasioned. Parliament cannot arrest 
 the progress of improvement to save them. 
 Though opposed to the principle of protection, 
 I should be glad to see a duty of five shillings 
 on foreign corn, which I think would be a 
 reasonable object of revenue, whilst it would 
 indirectly afford some relief to agricuUure. 
 
332 
 
 Tlie price of wheat continues, at j^resent, to 
 fall, partly, perhaps, from alarm, partly from 
 unusually productive crops throughout the 
 world : it is too soon to calculate on what will 
 he the ultimate average price. 
 
 We frequently hear of men with illustrious 
 or respectable names, without any known 
 connexion with the families to which those 
 names belong. I believe these sometimes 
 come from the foundling hospital. Many 
 years ago 1 happened to know, that three 
 children were there named in the same day, 
 Thomas Mowbray, Samuel Whitbread, and 
 Robert Heron : had Thomas Mowbray, or a 
 son of his, risen to gi'eat eminence, his descent 
 would then have probably been traced from 
 the family of the Duke of Norfolk. 
 
 Two or three years ago, the then Curate of 
 Claypole, supported by the Rector, refused to 
 baptize children born in the w^orkhouse, and 
 not provided with sponsors : on my appealing 
 to the Bishop, he agreed with them and appro- 
 ved their refusal. I then remonstrated, urging 
 that the appointment of sponsors was, probab- 
 ly, necessary, in the early stages of Christiani- 
 ty ; but that now it was an unnecessary 
 though respectable form ; and that I had 
 never heard of an instance of any sponsor 
 
333 
 
 iiiterforiiiu, witli tlio educalioii ol" tlie child. 
 The Bishop, (Dr. Kaje,) had tlie hhcrahty to 
 acknowledge the justice of this arginnent, and 
 I was informed that no further ohjection woidd 
 be made. 
 
 The low price of \vheat has created gi'eat 
 excitement, and the farmers appear to think 
 that it must he permanent ; contrary, in my 
 opinion, to what we may expect from our 
 experience : the price of corn must always 
 depend upon the harvests at home and abroad, 
 though the average will be somewhat lower 
 from the abolition of the duties. In my Union, 
 a resolution was passed by a great majority to 
 lower the salaries of our officers, fifteen per 
 cent. As they were by no means overpaid, 
 the Connnissioners negatived the resolution, 
 and some of the Guardians attributed this to 
 my influence ; the consequence was, that at 
 the election of officers, some of the most fac- 
 tious intrigued to oust me from the chair ; 
 but finding this impracticable, they satisfied 
 themselves with rejecting one of the vice-chair- 
 men, and electing one of their own party : 
 this is of little consequence as I am rarely 
 absent. 
 
 In this month, I determined to make a visit 
 
 M^y^ to Paris. G. Fitzwilliam and G. 
 
 ^*^^'^" Heron went with me : we remained 
 
334 
 
 there eight days, receiv^ed the utmost kindness 
 from our Ambassador and the Pescatores, and 
 the greatest civilty from every body. We 
 passed our time very agreeably in visiting the 
 assembly, the theatres, the palaces, and all 
 that was worth seeing. I was rather surprised 
 to find Versailles and all the other palaces in 
 the highest order and preservation. As it was 
 fifty-nine years since I had been there, I found 
 much that was new, particularly the triumphal 
 arch, the column of Napoleon, and the beau- 
 tiful Rue de Rivoli. At my age, the expedi- 
 tion was thought by some rather remarkable, 
 and certainly it began under bad auspices, for 
 in leaving the passport oflice, at London bridge, 
 my foot slipped, and I fell headlong down the 
 stone staircase ; but to the surjmse of G. Fitz- 
 william and many spectators, I arose without 
 the slightest injury. If my health continue, 
 I shall go again in October. 
 
 Our Queen has now been long enough on the 
 throne to prove that she is an excellent consti- 
 tutional Sovereign ; and her marriage is suffici- 
 ently productive to exclude for ever the dynasty 
 of the Guelphs. That family furnished us 
 with five Monarchs, the two first were stupid 
 and ^ulgar. George III. pleased the people 
 by his intolerant bigotry, and tliey did not 
 
335 
 
 resent bis uncoiiiproiinsiiig and cruel persecu- 
 tion of all free principles. His successor was 
 a selfish and extravagant profligate ; but tbe 
 last of tbe race, by far tbe best, was a weak 
 well meaning man ; fortunately, bowever, tlie 
 developement of public opinion, and tbe estab- 
 lisbment of free institutions, its natural conse- 
 quence, lias rendered tbe personal qualities of 
 our Kings of far less inq)ortance tban in former 
 times. A bad King would now create little 
 sensation, because be would bave no power ; 
 be would fiiul no Minister to obey bis orders ; 
 or, if be succeeded in obtaining one, tbat Mi- 
 nister would be very soon ejected. 
 
 Tbe people of England are eminently aris- 
 tocratical, and therefore conservative ; I do not 
 mean in the party use of the word, but as 
 opposed to any organic change : in fact, they 
 have never instigated any of our revolutions, 
 or even claimed their own rights, but have 
 condescended to accept the exercise of them 
 from the exertions of the hidier orders. Du- 
 ring all the late agitations of Europe, they have 
 shown no excitement : they are in opinion 
 intolerant, and I believe the majority, if ap- 
 pealed to, would never have voted Catliolic 
 emancipation ; still, their intolerance must 
 have greatly abated, as they submitted to the 
 
336 
 
 measure without much opposition. They have 
 a great respect for the nobihty and their fami- 
 Hes, which is shown in the eagerness with 
 which all the Peerages annually published are 
 purchased. This is not the case in any other 
 country ; but neither are the nobility of any 
 other country to be compared with ours, in 
 character or in consequence ; a circumstance 
 in great measure to be ascribed to their politi- 
 cal situation, held up, as they are, to public 
 view. The worst feature in the present view 
 of our situation, is our finances ; but it is to 
 be hoped, that may, at length, be remedied 
 without a struggle. 
 
 The state of Europe is by no means satis- 
 factory. In Russia stands aloft the demon of 
 despotism, ready, as far as his power extends, 
 to extinguish every spark of freedom, wherever 
 he can find it : the inability of Austria to sub- 
 due the rising liberties of Hungary without 
 his assistance, has made her subservient to 
 Russia ; Gemiany is divided ; France, in her 
 present state, cannot be relied upon ; and 
 Prussia, though well disposed, Avill not dare 
 anything alone. But a day may change this 
 precarious situation of affairs : one act of vigor 
 in France would reverse it. My reliance is 
 on Lord Palmerston, whom I consider as the 
 ablest foreign Minister we ever had. 
 
337 
 
 The Pope lias been so ill advised as lo pub- 
 lish a very foolish bull, 'riiinldng that a Pope 
 mioht be allowed to talk nonsense, like other 
 people, I was of opinion, at first, it would be 
 best to treat it with silence and contempt ; but 
 considering; the formal manner in which it was 
 sent iorth, I believe the reception it has met 
 with was proper and necessary. It has pro- 
 duced a letter from Lord John Russell, written 
 with his usual ability and good sense ; and a 
 good speech from Lord Fitzwilliam. 1 refused 
 to sign the address from this county on the 
 subject for two reasons : first, because I will 
 never be concerned in an address which does 
 not emanate from a public meeting ; and se- 
 condly, because it contained what appeared to 
 me untrue, — that it tended to endanger the 
 Queen's dominion. 
 
 Went to Paris with my old friend, G. Fitz- 
 october. William, and my new^ one, James 
 Wilde. London cannot compare with 
 Paris. The architecture of the palaces there, 
 though far from perfect, is much superior to 
 ours, and the internal decorations are superb 
 and in the best taste. In pictures only, they 
 fail ; in the revolutions and the wars they lost 
 the greater part of those by the old masters, and 
 their places are supplied by wretched daubs. 
 
338 
 
 We have nothing in London to compare with 
 the Place cle la Concorde, or the Rue de Ri- 
 Yoli. I saw Madain Rachell hoth at Paris and 
 in London ; she is a good actress, hut her 
 chief excellence is the representation of dying, 
 with all the agonies prolonged, for which she 
 has studied at the hospitals. Such is the pre- 
 sent strange taste in both Capitals. 
 
 Those who, like me, live to a great age, 
 must make up their minds to pay the cruel 
 tax imposed upon it, that of surviving our 
 friends ; my home society is just now terribly 
 mutilated, by the loss of its chief ornament, 
 Mrs. E. Fane. 
 
 I have printed, for private distribution, my 
 January 1, Diary, froui the year 1812 inclusive 
 
 ^^^^' to this time. As it seems in request, 
 1 shall now be tempted to publish it corrected, 
 enlarged, and continued. 
 
 About the year 1796 or 7, the Duke of Port- 
 land wished to bring in his son. Lord William, 
 for the county of Nottingham, but it was ne- 
 cessary to find a seat for his brother, Lord 
 Edward, who then sat for the county. He 
 accordingly purchased of Sir John Lister, a 
 seat at Clitheroe, for £4000, but when the 
 time arrived for payment he had no money ; 
 he had just then joined Pitt, and asked Sir 
 
339 
 
 J. L. if a peerage would satisfy him, and Sir J. 
 accepting it, became Lord Riblesdale. This 
 anecdote was told me by Mr. Groom, who 
 acted as agent for both parties. 
 
 On the death of my liiend, Charles Main- 
 waring, liis effects were sold by auction ; there 
 were many rare and curious articles, chiefly 
 purchased at the sale of the Duke of Buck- 
 ingham. I became possessor of the signet 
 ring of Napoleon ; of a very large and perfect 
 Buhl table; two small bronze statues of Voltaire 
 and Rousseau ; and a small Bombay cabinet. 
 Also of a law suit, which having lost, a carved 
 press and a poculum, which I never bought, 
 have been imposed upon me. 
 
 R. Bromley's death having created a vacan- 
 cy for the county of Nottingham, I attended 
 the nomination and declaration of the poll at 
 Newark. The candidates were both tories, 
 but I voted for Lord Newark, against a South- 
 well Attorney ; we were beaten by a small 
 majority. The oratory was little and bad, not 
 excepting my own. I had reserved myself to 
 answer the candidate, Barrow, but not being 
 able to hear a word he said, I was disappointed. 
 
 A wise man at Peterborough proposed that 
 a compliment should be paid to Lord Fitz- 
 william, on his completing his 80th year. A 
 
 z 
 
340 
 
 wiser man advised it should first be ascertained 
 whether he would like it ; on being asked, he 
 said, "Nonsense, do they suppose there is any 
 pleasure in being 80." The only pleasure I 
 derive from it is the negative one that I am 
 free from pain, that I have not lost my activity, 
 and, as far as I am a judge, my faculties. 
 
 I have no doubt that the Commandment, 
 " Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord 
 thy God in vain," alludes to perjury in a court 
 of justice. — See Voltaire, vol. 29, p. 221. 
 
 C'est usurper la vie que se borner a ne pas 
 nuire, les morts en font autant, et n'exige rien 
 pour cela. — Prince de Ligne, vol. 2, p. 172. 
 
 Honorius was without passions, and, there- 
 fore, without talents. — Gibbon, vol. 3. On 
 this ground Scarlett persuaded a jury to set 
 aside Hibbert ; yet, W. Pitt was supposed to 
 be without passions. 
 
 Spent a Aveek in London, found political 
 society in a strange and novel state ; no party 
 has a majority in Parliament, and none pos- 
 sesses the confidence of the public. There 
 appears to be a pretty general opinion that 
 Parliament will be dissolved this Autumn, and 
 the expectation often realizes itself. My opin- 
 ion is known to be against the principle of pro- 
 tection, and though protection to agriculture 
 
341 
 
 is dead and never can revive, jet its gliost 
 meets me every where with a hostile counten- 
 ance ; excluding me from every town or county 
 in my neighbourhood. Anxious as I am, and 
 always shall be, to be actively useful, this may 
 prove a disappointment to me ; Newark is, 
 perhaps, an exception to this, but there my 
 place is occupied by a political friend, introdu- 
 ced by myself, and not likely to resign it. 
 
 Is the present low price of corn and cattle 
 to continue ? We had it before when it has 
 been only temporary : should it continue it 
 will weigh heavily on those who have reduced 
 their income by mortgages or other debts. 
 
 The new Great Northern Railroad will pro- 
 duce great advantage to me, I shall sell eleven 
 acres of land at a high price ; shall have a 
 station for all purposes within a mile of my 
 house ; and shall have to bring my coals one 
 mile instead of six, saving also the turnpike. 
 My tenants must also derive considerable 
 benefit from it. 
 
 It frequently happens that men who have 
 exercised a sound judgment during their lives, 
 have become timid bigots at its close ; and 
 those who either from interest or from honest 
 credulity are inclined to uphold bigotry, chose 
 to consider the opinions of men, when their 
 
342 
 
 faculties are degi'aded by disease and the fear 
 of death, as superior to their judgment when 
 in the vigor of health. 
 
 In no former period of even far greater 
 length than my life, have so many astonishing 
 events taken j^lace. In the arts, the use of 
 gas, steam, and electricity with its consequen- 
 ces, in itself a revolution. In political history, 
 the prodigious rise of Napoleon, which shook 
 the world ; his sudden fall from one unaccount- 
 able eiTor — the invasion of Russia in winter — 
 the overthrow of the most ancient dynasty in 
 the world ; and above all, the content and 
 happiness of this country unmoved, or if at all, 
 beneficially moved, by all that has passed 
 around it. But the foreign nations which have 
 aspired to freedom, have not succeeded ; the 
 ultimate fate of France is still uncertain. Po- 
 land has long been annihilated ; Hungary is 
 crushed ; and Italy, incapable of union, has 
 lost the only opportunity afforded it by the 
 gallant, perhaps not judicious, King of Sar- 
 dinia. 
 
 Not knowing that the male nylghau was at 
 liberty, I went into his paddock, when he came 
 out of his shed and attacked me furiously. He 
 appeared to attempt to rip me up with his horns, 
 but only ripped up my waistcoat ; as the gate 
 
343 
 
 opened towards me, I could not get away, and 
 tliereibre defended myself with a very strong 
 walking stick ; in the mean time, tlie keeper, 
 in the next paddock, puzzled him hy shouting 
 very loudly, and I escaped. 
 
 The nohility, in most parts of Euroj^e, are 
 at a discount ; not so with us, here they have 
 no privileges hut such as are useful to the 
 country. Except the peer himself, his flxmily 
 are on a level with the people ; and, hesides, 
 the peerage helongs to the people, and is within 
 the hopes and reach of all whose ahilities or 
 services can claim it. 
 
 The baronetage, invented by a needy Sove- 
 reign to raise money, without privilege or 
 influence, or any connection with the constitu- 
 tion, is an unworthy excrescence. 
 
 A miracle is an act in contradiction to the 
 regular and natural march of events, it must 
 therefore he the act of the Supreme Being. 
 Is it probable he should often thus contradict 
 his own laws ? 
 
 As the approaching general election is not 
 
 jyiay. likely to include me, and I shall then 
 
 have completed my 86th year, I may 
 
 consider my parliamentary life as concluded. 
 
 After the loss of friends and relations, and of 
 
 one dearer to me than either, I cannot expect 
 
344 
 
 happiness, but I may feel consolations. Be- 
 sides, the kindness of my remaining liiends, 
 and the health which I still enjoy, I can re- 
 flect on my conduct, both public and private, 
 with honest satisfaction ; and as in nearly 
 forty years sjient in the House of Commons, 
 I have never received or asked any favor from 
 any Administration, I think the merit of dis- 
 interestedness cannot be refused me. 
 
 S. Riilgc, Printer, High-street, Grantham. 
 

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