leader in the House of Commons,
or what they call 'try it.' This must have been peculiarly
distasteful to the King, who dislikes Lord John, and thinks him a
dangerous little Radical, and Melbourne is well aware of this
antipathy. On _the_ Friday night Melbourne, with a party of his
colleagues--Mulgrave, Ben Stanley, Poulett Thompson, and one or
two more--were at the play just opposite to me; the piece was the
'Regent,' and it was full of jokes about dismissing Ministers and
other things very applicable, at which Melbourne at least (who
does not care a button about _office_, whatever he may do about
power) was heartily amused. To-day the King came to town to
receive the resignations, for he is resolved to finish off the
whole affair at once and make _maison nette_; they have been
ordered therefore to attend at St. James's and give up their
seals.

[Page Head: THE TORIES IN OFFICE.]

_Five o'clock._--Just returned from St. James's. In the outer room I
found assembled the Duke of Wellington, Lyndhurst, Rosslyn,
Goulburn, Hardinge, the Speaker, Jersey, Maryborough, Cowley, whom
the Duke had collected in order to form a Privy Council; in the
Throne Room the ex-Cabinet congregated, and it was amusing to watch
them as they passed through the camp of their enemies, and to see
their different greetings and bows; all interchanged some slight
civility except Brougham, who stalked through looking as black as
thunder and took no notice of anybody. The first question that arose
was, What was to be done about the prorogation? The Duke thought
they might as well finish that business to-day, and I went on an
embassy into the other room to propose it; but they declined to have
anything to say to it and evinced great anxiety to take no part in
any proceedings of this day. Accordingly Lord Lansdowne explained to
the King that the presence of a Lord President was not necessary,
and that there was a sufficiency of Tory Lords to form a Council, so
his Majesty consented to the late Ministers going away. As I thought
the company of those who were coming in would be more cheerful and
agreeable than that of those who were going out, I passed my time in
the outer room, and had a good deal of conversation with the Duke
and Lyndhurst, from whom I gathered everything that I did not know
before. After the Whigs had made their exit we went into the Throne
Room, and the King sent for Lyndhurst, who only stayed with him a
few minutes, and then the D