t of them were just come to town and had
heard nothing till they arrived. The old Tories dreadfully
dejected, but obliged to own it was all true; intense curiosity
to hear what Peel will say for himself. The general opinion seems
to be that the Duke has managed the matter extremely well, which
I am disposed to think too, but there is always a disposition to
heap praise upon him whenever it is possible. Nobody yet knows
who are converted and who are not; they talk of nine bishops; I
think he will have them all, and I expect a very great majority
in the House of Lords. Many people expect that Wilmot's plan will
be adopted, restraining the Catholics from voting in matters
concerning the Church, which I do not believe, for Wilmot is at a
discount and his plan is absurd and impracticable. Lord Harrowby,
however, is all for it. I hear many of the Liberals are
exceedingly provoked, and not unnaturally, at the Duke's
effecting this measure, at which they have been so long labouring
in vain, and give as many spiteful flings at him as they can
about the insincerity of his letter to Curtis. It matters very
little now whether he was sincere or not. It evidently was part
of his plan to keep it all secret till it was matured, and as
Curtis chose to ask him questions he was quite right to throw
dust in his eyes.

CHAPTER V.

The Catholic Relief Bill--Inconsistency of the Tories--The
Catholic Association--Dinner at Charles Grant's--The Terceira
Expedition--Tory Discontent--Peel resigns his Seat for Oxford
University--A Blunder in Chancery--The Oxford Election--
Influence of the Duke of Wellington--Debate of Royal Dukes--
Peel beaten--Sir Edward Codrington--Violence of the King--
Intrigues to defeat the Catholic Bill--The Duke of Cumberland--
Furious State of Parties--Matuscewitz--Peel's Speech on
Catholic Emancipation--Exclusion of O'Connell from his Seat for
Clare--Pitt's View of Catholic Emancipation--'Musae
Cateatonenses'--'Thorough'--Mr. Lowther not turned out--Duke of
Newcastle's Audience of George IV.--The King's Personal
Habits--The Debate--Mr. Sadler--Hardness of the Duke of
Wellington--His Duel with Lord Winchelsea--The Bishops and the
Bill--Sir Charles Wetherell--The King on the Duel--Lord
Winchelsea's Pocket-handkerchief--Debate on the Catholic Bill--
The Duke of Richmond--Effects of Dawson's Speech on the King--
The Bill in Jeopardy--Lady Jersey and Lo