now the appointment was in the Crown; so he
hurried off to the King, and proposed his son William. The King
was very gracious, and said, 'I can never object to a father's
doing what he can for his own children,' which was an oblique
word for the _batards_, about whom, however, it may be said _en
passant_ he has been marvellously forbearing.

I had a long conversation with Lady Bathurst, who told me that
the Duke had resolved to stand or fall on the Reform question,
that he had asked Lord Bathurst's opinion, who had advised him by
all means to do so; that Lord Bathurst had likewise put his own
place at the Duke's disposal long before, and was ready to resign
at any moment. It is clear that Lord Bathurst had some suspicion
that the Duke had an idea of not standing or falling by that
question, for he asked him whether anybody had given him
different advice, to which he replied, though it seems rather
vaguely, 'No, oh no; I think you are quite right.' I told her the
substance of what I had heard about his being disposed to a
compromise. She said it was quite impossible, that he would be
disgraced irredeemably, but owned it was odd that there should be
that notion and the suspicion which crossed Lord Bathurst's mind.
I do think it is possible, but for his honour I hope not. The
Bathursts felt this appointment of William was a sort of 'Nunc
dimittis,' but there is yet something between the cup and the
lip, for Stanley got up in the House of Commons and attacked the
appointment, and it is just possible it may yet be stopped.

Went to Brookes' in the evening, where there was nobody left but
Sefton baiting Ferguson for having been out of the division. He
told me that it was not impossible Lord Spencer would be put at
the head of Government. They will manage to make a confounded
mess of it, I dare say. Billy Holmes came to the Duke last night
with the news of the division, and implored him to let nothing
prevent his resigning to-day.

November 17th, 1830 {p.062}

[Page Head: THE KING'S BEHAVIOUR AT THE CRISIS.]

Went to Downing Street yesterday morning between twelve and one,
and found that the Duke and all the Ministers were just gone to
the King. He received them with the greatest kindness, shed
tears, but accepted their resignation without remonstrance. He
told Lord Bathurst he would do anything he could, and asked him
if there was nothing he could sign which would secure his son's
appointment. Lord Bathurst thanked