to be necessary, and
that it was his intention to send for the Duke of Wellington.
Nothing could be more peremptory and decisive, and not a loophole
was left for explanation or arrangements, or endeavour to patch
the thing up. The King wrote to the Duke, and, what is rather
droll, the letter was despatched by Melbourne's carriage, which
returned to town. It is very evident that the King has long
determined to seize the first plausible pretext he could find for
getting rid of these people, whom he dislikes and fears, and that
he thinks (justly or not remains to be proved) the translation of
Althorp affords him a good opportunity, and such a one perhaps as
may not speedily occur again. It is long since a Government has
been so summarily dismissed--regularly kicked out, in the
simplest sense of that phrase. Melbourne's colleagues expected
his return without a shadow of apprehension, or doubt. He got
back late, and wrote to none of them. The Chancellor, who had
dined at Holland House, called on him and heard the news; the
others (except Duncannon, who went to him, and I believe
Palmerston) remained in happy ignorance till yesterday morning,
when they were saluted at their rising with the astounding
intelligence. All the Ministers (except Brougham) read the
account of their dismissal in the 'Times' the next morning, and
this was the first they heard of it. Melbourne resolved to say
nothing that night, but summoned an early Cabinet, when he meant
to impart it. Brougham called on him on his way from Holland
House. Melbourne told him, but made him promise not to say a word
of it to anybody. He promised, and the moment he quitted the
house sent to the 'Times' office and told them what had occurred,
with the well-known addition that 'the Queen had done it all.'

They attribute their fall to the influence of the Queen, and fancy
that it is the result of a preconcerted scheme and intrigue with
the Tories, neither of which do I believe to be true. With regard
to the latter notion, the absence of Sir Robert Peel, who is
travelling in Italy, is a conclusive proof of its falseness. He
never would have been absent if he had foreseen the remotest
possibility of a crisis, and the death of Lord Spencer has been
imminent and expected for some time past. I am convinced that it
is the execution of a project which the King has long nourished of
delivering himself from the Whigs whenever he could. His original
dislike has been exasperated to