panic is
passing away men's minds are not the less disquieted as to our
future prospects. Not a soul knows what plan of Reform the
Ministers will propose, nor how far they are disposed to go. The
Duke of Devonshire has begun in his own person by announcing to
the Knaresborough people that he will never again interfere with
that borough. Then the Black Book, as it is called, in which all
places and pensions are exhibited, has struck terror into all who
are named and virtuous indignation into all who are not. Nothing
can be more _mal a propos_ than the appearance of this book at
such a season, when there is such discontent about our institutions
and such unceasing endeavours to bring them into contempt. The
history of the book is this:--Graham moved last year for a return
of all Privy Councillors who had more than L1,000 a year, and
Goulburn chose to give him a return of _all persons_ who had more
than L1,000 a year, because he thought the former return would be
invidious to Privy Councillors; so he caused that to be published,
which will remove no obloquy from those he meant to save, but draw
down a great deal on hundreds of others, and on the Government
under which such things exist. I speak feelingly, for 'quorum pars
magna sum.'

[Page Head: POLITICAL CHARACTER OF WELLINGTON.]

The Duke of Wellington gave a great dinner yesterday to all the
people who had gone out of office (about fifty), so that it is
clear they mean to keep together. Whether he looks forward to be
Prime Minister again it is impossible to say, but his real friends
would prefer his taking the command of the army, whatever his
fools and flatterers may do. Lord Lyndhurst, who loses everything
by the fall of the late Government, cannot get over it,
particularly as he feels that the Duke's obstinacy brought it
about, and that by timely concessions and good management he might
have had Lord Grey, Palmerston, and all that are worth having.
Peel, on the contrary, is delighted; he wants leisure, is glad to
get out of such a firm, and will have time to form his own plans
and avail himself of circumstances, which, according to every
probability, must turn out in his favour. His youth (for a public
man), experience, and real capacity for business will inevitably
make him Minister hereafter. The Duke of Wellington's fall,[2] if
the causes of it are dispassionately traced and considered,
affords a great political lesson. His is one of those mixed
characters w