was generally known; the 'Times' had an article on
Friday which clearly announced it. The rage and despair of the
Orange papers is very amusing. I have not yet heard how the King
took it all. Glad as I am that the measure is going to be
carried, the conduct of all those who are to assist in it (the
old anti-Catholics) seems to me despicable to the greatest
degree; having opposed it against all reason and common sense for
years past, now that the Duke of Wellington lifts up his finger
they all obey, and without any excuse for their past or present
conduct. The most agreeable event, if it turns out to be true, is
the defection of Dr. Philpots, whose conduct and that of others
of his profession will probably not be without its due effect in
sapping the foundations of the Church. All the details that I
have yet learnt confirm my opinion that the spirit in which the
Duke and his colleagues approach this great measure is not that
of calm and deliberate political reasoning, but a fearful sense
of necessity and danger, to which they submit with extreme
repugnance and with the most miserable feelings of pique and
mortification at being compelled to adopt it. The Duke and Peel
wrote to Francis Leveson, complaining of my brother's having
met Shiel at dinner, and they were so enraged with George
Villiers[30] that they seriously meditated turning him out of his
office. Wretched and contemptible to the greatest degree! They
are now exceedingly annoyed because it is discovered that Woulffe
was once a member of the Association, and would willingly have
him turned out of the place of Assistant-Barrister, which has
just been given to him; but Francis is resolved to maintain him
in it. They say the Duke sent a copy of the King's Speech to Lord
Eldon.

[30] [Mr. George Villiers, then an Irish Commissioner of
Customs (afterwards Earl of Clarendon), had cultivated
the society of Shiel and invited him to dinner. Such an
attention from an English official to an Irish Catholic
was at that time an unheard-of innovation. Shiel told
his host that he had never dined in a Protestant house
before. The Duke of Wellington took great umbrage at
what he considered an unwarrantable breach of official
decorum.]

[Page Head: CATHOLIC RELIEF BILL.]

February 5th, 1829 {p.164}

Went to Brookes' yesterday, and found all the Whigs very merry at
the Catholic news. Mos