references to former debates and their incidents,
and the votes and speeches of individual members. It cannot be
denied that he is a great performer in his present part. Old Sir
Robert, who must have been a man of exceeding shrewdness,
predicted that his full energies would never be developed till he
was in the highest place, and had the sole direction of affairs;
and his brother Lawrence, who told this to Henry de Ros, said
that in early youth he evinced the same obstinate and unsocial
disposition, which has since been so remarkable a feature of his
character. I wish he was not hampered with the Irish Church
fetters, which he cannot throw off.

Peel wrote a letter to Hume, demanding an explanation of certain
offensive expressions he had made use of in the House of Commons,
and got an answer, which was sufficient, though not very civil.
It was rather unnecessary that he should take any notice of what
Hume said, but Peel is a man of very high and prompt courage, and
seems to have made a rule to himself never to suffer impertinence
from any quarter to pass unchecked. It is certainly of great
service to a public man, and it largely increases the estimation
in which he is held, to establish such a character. It is no
small detriment to Brougham that he is accounted an arrant
coward; and it is remarkable that Peel never was known to deal in
the insolence, and bullying, and offensive personalities in which
the other has so copiously indulged, both in Parliament and at
the Bar.

March 24th, 1835 {p.233}

A meeting at Lichfield's yesterday, when they resolved to reserve
themselves for the great battle on Monday next, in full
persuasion that Peel will resign after the division. Whether he
means it or not, I have no idea, but it is surprising to me that
they do not think it better to attack him on his Tithe Bill than
on the Appropriation clause; for I think he must go out if beaten
on the former, but need not if beaten on the latter. They are,
however, bent upon his expulsion; and Lichfield (who is more or
less in their secrets) told me they feel no difficulty as to
making another Government under Melbourne's auspices. There was a
great dinner of the Opposition at the Duke of Sussex's on Sunday,
to which Brougham was not invited. It will not be the least of
their difficulties how to deal with him. Sugden, after all, stays
in Ireland. The Bar were up in arms at his menaced return among
them, which would have had the effec