ends
and family to set out on this journey, was deeply affected, as if
he had some presentiment that he should never return. Alava told
me that he had frequently taken leave of him, when both expected
that they should never meet again, yet neither upon that occasion
nor upon any other in the course of the seventeen years that he
has known him did he ever see him so moved. Lady Burghersh said
that when he took leave of her the tears ran down his cheeks; he
was also deeply affected when he parted from his mother.

In the discussion which took place on Friday night in the House
of Commons, when the Chancellor of the Exchequer[2] opened his
financial plan, he is deemed to have made a very bad speech, and
Huskisson a very good one. Robinson is probably unequal to the
present difficult conjuncture; a fair and candid man, and an
excellent Minister in days of calm and sunshine, but not endowed
with either capacity or experience for these stormy times,
besides being disqualified for vigorous measures by the
remissness and timidity of his character. However, though it is
the peculiar province of the Finance Minister to find a remedy
for these disorders, he may well be excused for not doing that
which the united wisdom of the country seems unequal to
accomplish. All men agree as to the existence of the evil, and
all differ as to the causes of it and the measures which will
effect its removal; not one man seems to see his way clearly
through the difficulty; however, 'time and the hour runs through
the roughest day,' and probably the country will what is called
right itself, and then great credit will be given to somebody or
other who deserves none.

[2] [Right Hon. Frederick John Robinson, Chancellor of the
Exchequer from January 1823 to April 1827; afterwards
Viscount Goderich and Earl of Ripon.]

[Page Head: MR. ROBINSON'S SMALL NOTES BILL.]

February 20th, 1826 {p.079}

The Small Notes Bill,[3] as it is called, lowered the funds and
increased the alarm among the monied men. Numerous were the
complaints of the inefficacy of the measure for present relief,
numerous the predictions of the ultimate impossibility of
carrying it into effect. In the City, however, on Thursday
afternoon things began to improve; there was more confidence and
cheerfulness. On Friday evening the Chancellor of the Exchequer
comes down to the House and surprises everyone by abandoning one
part of his plan, and authorising