perceive that he is not the Minister for them and they no longer
the party for him. It is no wonder that he is anxious to break up
this unmanageable force, and he probably would rather trust to
that increasing feeling and opinion about himself, which is so
apparent among all classes of politicians, to place him by-and-by
at the head of a party formed upon Conservative principles and
embracing a much wider circle of opinions. Still this Tory body,
obstinate and bigoted as they are, have no other chief, and can
find none, and it is essential to Peel to keep them if possible
under his influence and direction, and therefore (I believe very
reluctantly) he defers his resignation.

April 6th, 1835 {p.245}

Yesterday Wharncliffe came here; very low indeed; he says he
never thought they were safe, though he owns that he was
surprised and disappointed that there were no defections--not
one--from the enemies' ranks when these measures were brought
forward. He says he was with the King the other evening, and
asked him if he was going back to Windsor. His Majesty said 'he
could not go back, that he could not bear being there; there he
had none of them (his Ministers) to talk to, and day and night
his mind was absorbed in public affairs.' Poor wretch! he suffers
martyrdom, and has more to suffer yet, for I expect they will
have no mercy on him. Yesterday I had more proofs of the animus
of the Tories. One of them, a foolish, hot-brained fellow
certainly (but there is no such enormous difference between the
best and the worst), told me that if Peel really did go out upon
the Tithe Bill he would abandon his party; that he ought to let
them alter the Bill as they pleased, wait till the House of
Commons threw it out, and then dissolve Parliament.

April 7th, 1835 {p.245}

Each day elicits some new proof of what I have written above--the
totally altered feelings and expressions of all conditions of
politicians about Sir Robert Peel. It would seem as if his friends
were suddenly converted into his enemies, and his enemies into his
friends. The Tories still cling to the expectation that he will
hold on to office; they say that if he goes out he abandons his
party, abandons the King. They call to mind Pitt in 1784. 'Very
slippery,' said one to me yesterday, when I read to him Peel's
answer to the City address. On the other hand Mulgrave was last
night enthusiastic in his praise; he owned that he had done
admirably--given proof o