le, leaving there, however, 6,000
sick and a battalion. The plague spreads in the Principalities, and they do
not know how to get the troops out of Turkey.

Zuylen de Neyvelt and others give a very bad account of the state of
Constantinople. They say the Turkish Empire _cannot_ hold together.

I do not like Lord Stuart's account of the state of the French Ministry.
They will bring in Villele, who is an able man, and he may save them; but
theirs is a desperate game.

The French seem to be disposed to go along with us in negotiating with the
Emperor of Brazil [Footnote: _i.e._ with the Emperor Don Pedro, father of
the ultimately successful candidate for the Portuguese throne, Donna Maria
de Gloria.] for the recognition of Miguel. There would be a stipulation for
amnesty, &c.

_December 3._

The Chairs talked of Lord William Bentinck. They are very much out of
humour with him and heartily wish he was at home. He has neither written
privately nor publicly, except upon trifling matters, for five months. He
has declared his opinion in favour of colonisation. He is very unpopular.
On the subject of Sir W. Rumbold he and Sir Ch. Metcalfe are very hostile,
taking extreme views on the different sides. This hostility upon one
subject will lead to difference upon others. The Government is not
respected--and certainly there has been no moment when it was of more
importance that the head of the Government should be respected than when it
is necessary to effect a great economical reform. They describe the feeling
at Madras as being still worse. There they did not think the governor an
_honest man_.

The Chairs expect a letter from Macdonald to the Secret Committee with
copies of his last despatches which I have already received through
Petersburg, so they are unwilling to accept a communication of them from
me. The letter, permitting Abbas Murza to purchase 12,000 stand of arms and
to pay for them by instalments, will therefore go without any reference to
the last despatches received.

Saw Aberdeen. He agrees with me in feeling much apprehension on the state
of France as well as of Turkey. He seems, however, to think more of the
state of parties here, and does not like the looks of the Duke of
Cumberland (who was nearly dying last week) and of the King. It seems the
King, although very well satisfied with measures of a public nature, is
annoyed at not carrying some small jobs.

There was a great party at Woburn lately, and