and wretched speech which lasted two hours. Nobody spoke well.
The Duke in his reply dropped all the terms of courtesy and
friendship he had hitherto used in speaking of old Eldon, and
broke off with him entirely. He is disgusted at his opposition
out of doors, and at his having been the constant adviser of the
Duke of Cumberland and all the foolish Lords who have been
pestering the King at Windsor; and he is acquainted with all his
tricks and underhand proceedings, probably with more of them than
we know of. He thanked the Opposition for their support--thanks
which they well merit from him--but of course nobody is
satisfied. He was before accused of ingratitude in never taking
notice of their conduct, and even it is said that he gave them to
understand he had no more need of their services, and wished to
make them his bow. I don't believe he meant any such thing; he
intended to thank them simply, though it is probably true that he
does not wish to continue in alliance with them, and is anxious
to see the Tories put themselves under his orders again. On
Saturday he sent the commission down to Windsor for the King's
signature, with other papers as a matter of course; he would not
go himself, that there might be no fresh discussion between them.

I went on Friday morning to the Old Bailey to hear the trials,
particularly that of the women for the murder of the apprentices;
the mother was found guilty, and will be hanged to-day--has been
by this time.[15] The case exhibited a shocking scene of
wretchedness and poverty, such as ought not to exist in any
community, especially in one which pretends to be so flourishing
and happy as this is. It is, I suppose, one case of many which
may be found in this town, graduating through various stages of
misery and vice. These wretched beings were described to be in
the lowest state of moral and physical degradation, with scarcely
rags to cover them, food barely sufficient to keep them alive,
and working eighteen or nineteen hours a day, without being
permitted any relaxation, or even the privilege of going to
church on Sunday. I never heard more disgusting details than this
trial elicited, or a case which calls more loudly for an
investigation into the law and the system under which such
proceedings are possible. Poverty, and vice, and misery must
always be found in a community like ours, but such frightful
contrasts between the excess of luxury and splendour and these
scenes of sta