consequence is that everybody is gone mad about it. Very few
people admit of any medium between pronouncing the Queen quite
innocent and judging her guilty and passing the Bill. Until the
evidence of Lieut. Hownam it was generally thought that proofs of
her guilt were wanting, but since his admission that Bergami
slept under the tent with her all unprejudiced men seem to think
the adultery sufficiently proved. The strenuous opposers of the
Bill, however, by no means allow this, and make a mighty
difference between sleeping dressed under a tent and being shut
up at night in a room together, which the supporters of the Bill
contend would have been quite or nearly the same thing. The Duke
of Portland, who is perfectly impartial, and who has always been
violently against the Bill, was so satisfied by Hownam's evidence
that he told me that after that admission by him he thought all
further proceedings useless, and that it was ridiculous to listen
to any more evidence, as the fact was proved; that he should
attend no longer to any evidence upon the subject. This view of
the case will not, however, induce him to vote for the Bill,
because he thinks that upon grounds of expediency it ought not to
pass. The Ministers were elated in an extraordinary manner by
this evidence of Hownam's. The Duke of Wellington told Madame de
Lieven that he was very tired; 'mais les grands succes fatiguent
autant que les grands revers.' They look upon the progress of
this trial in the light of a campaign, and upon each day's
proceedings as a sort of battle, and by the impression made by
the evidence they consider that they have gained a victory or
sustained a defeat. Their anxiety that this Bill should pass is
quite inconceivable, for it cannot be their interest that it
should be carried; and as for the King, they have no feeling
whatever for him. The Duke of Portland told me that he conversed
with the Duke of Wellington upon the subject, and urged as one of
the reasons why this Bill should not pass the House of Lords the
disgrace that it would entail upon the King by the recrimination
that would ensue in the House of Commons. His answer was 'that
the King was degraded as low as he could be already.' The
vehemence with which they pursue this object produces a
corresponding violence in their language and sentiments. Lady
Harrowby, who is usually very indifferent upon political
subjects, has taken this up with unusual eagerness. In an
argument which