t of half ruining some of
those who took silk gowns upon his retirement. His absurdity
will, therefore, have had no other effect than that of revealing
his wife's misfortune to the whole world in a very noisy way.
Lord Canterbury gives up Canada on account of his wife's health,
and probably not liking to face the disagreeable things that
would have been said about himself and her. Lord Aberdeen has
offered it to Stratford Canning, who, though clever enough, is so
_difficile a vivre_, that nobody can be less calculated for
conciliatory objects; so that for a situation which required an
agent of strong understanding and good temper, they successively
selected a foolish man of good temper, and a clever man of bad.

March 26th, 1835 {p.234}

[Page Head: APPROACHING DEFEAT OF GOVERNMENT.]

On Tuesday night Government was beaten on a division about the
Chatham election; a thing of no consequence in itself, but the
whole affair was mismanaged. John Russell had said he should not
divide, but his people were not to be restrained. Peel would have
given way, but his whippers-in told him he was strong enough in
the House to carry it, which only shows how stupid they are. It is
now universally believed that he will resign next week, after the
division on John Russell's motion, upon which he is sure to be
beaten by twenty or thirty votes. I am inclined to believe that he
has made known his intentions to Stanley, for the latter
entertains no doubt on the subject. The Greyites are all alive,
and patting Lord Grey on the back all day long to incline him to
obey the summons they confidently expect him to receive from the
King. It is very obvious that Peel cannot go on; and I doubt much
if he could even were he to obtain a majority on Monday. His
physical strength would not suffice for the harassing warfare that
is waged against him, the whole brunt of which he bears alone.
This, however, is his own fault, for he will not let anybody else
take a part, whether from distrust of his colleagues, or his own
rage for being all in all. Then, from the relative constitution of
the two parties, he must be in continual danger of defeats upon
minor and collateral questions, or suddenly started points. His
party is in great part composed of the rich and fashionable, who
are constantly drawn away by one attraction or another, and whose
habitual haunts are the clubs and houses at the west end of the
town; and it is next to impossible to collect h