eation. His younger brother, Sir John
Byng, the well-known General of the Peninsula and Waterloo,
was created Earl of Strafford in 1817.]

[Footnote 14: This was a dinner given by the Middlesex
reformers to their representatives. Grote also spoke and said
that the Tories well knew that their dominion rested upon
everything that was antiquated and corrupt and anti-popular in
the nation--upon oligarchical predominance in the State, and
sectarian pride and privileges in the Church.]

[Pageheading: POLITICAL PASSION]

_The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria._

_3rd February 1837._

MY DEAR CHILD,-- ... I am sorry to see so much violence in England at
this moment; I consider it as the most lamentable circumstance, as it
renders matters so very difficult to settle. Besides, the poor Crown
is more or less the loser in all this, as it generally ends with the
abolition of something or other which might have proved useful for the
carrying on of Government. A rule which you may thus early impress on
your mind is, that people are far from acting generally according to
the dictates of their interests, but oftener in consequence of their
passions, though it may even prove injurious to their interests.
If the Tory part of Parliament could have brought themselves to act
without passion, much in the reform of Parliament might have been
settled much more in conformity with their best interests. I was
authorised, in 1831, to speak in this sense to the Duke of Wellington
by Lord Grey;[15] the effect would have been highly beneficial to
both parties, but passion made it impossible to succeed. This is a
dangerous part of the business, and we must see during the present
session of Parliament if parties are grown wiser. I fear they are not.
The business of the highest in a State is certainly, in my opinion,
to act with great impartiality and a spirit of justice for the good of
all, and not of this or that party.[16]

[Footnote 15: This refers to the rejection of the Reform Bill
by the House of Lords in 1831; as a consequence, mobs broke
the windows of Apsley House, and fired Nottingham Castle.]

[Footnote 16: On 14th April 1837, Sir Robert Peel wrote to J.
W. Croker:-- ... "We are, in short, in this state of things.
All the convictions and inclinations of the Government are
with their Conservative opponents. Half their actions and all
their speeches are