which plays the whole evening in the hall. On the Duke's birthday
there was a great feast in the Castle; 200 people dined in the
servants' hall alone, without counting the other tables. We were
about forty at dinner. When the cloth was removed, Esterhazy
proposed His Grace's health, who has always a speech prepared in
which he returns thanks. This time it was more simple than usual,
and not at all bad. To-night there is a ball for the servants,
which could not take place on the real birthday, as it fell on a
Saturday.

I have had snatches of talk with the Duke of Wellington, and
yesterday morning he retired with Matuscewitz, and had a long
conference with him. The absolute Courts have a great hankering
after the Duke, though their Ministers here can hardly look for
his return to office; nor do I believe that if he was to come
back he would be found indulgent to the projects of Russia,
though he might be disinclined to continue so very intimate as we
now are with France. He told me this morning he thought the
French King's speech to his Chambers exceedingly good. He of
course disapproves of all our foreign policy, particularly in the
Peninsula. He says he sees no daylight whatever through the
Portuguese affair. The Spanish may terminate in the success of
the Queen, but only by her opposing Liberalism. He is convinced
that if she introduces Liberal principles she will be lost. He
says that the Spanish Government will be too happy to interfere
in the Portuguese contest (as in fact I know that they have
offered to do), but that we never can allow this, which besides
the consequences of interference (as a principle) would
necessarily make Portugal dependent on Spain. Arbuthnot, who is
here, told me (and he hears these things from the Duke) that
Matuscewitz had expressed the greatest contempt for Palmerston,
and not the less for Lord Grey; and that, with regard to the
latter, he had been much struck with his ignorance. I do not know
on what points he meant, but it must be in history or diplomacy,
which I am surprised at, because I thought he was a man of a
cultivated mind and general information, who would be found, as
far as knowledge goes, competent to any discussion. He likewise
said that he found him slow of comprehension.

Belvoir, January 8th, 1834 {p.048}

There was a ball for all the servants and tenants on Monday,
which the Duke of Rutland opened with Lady Georgina Fane, and the
Duke of Wellington followed