stration of Sir Robert Peel he showed
administrative ability of the highest order, and he
was, perhaps, the most trusted colleague of that
illustrious chief. The principal failing of Sir James
Graham was, in truth, that he was not so brave and bold
a man as he looked.]

December 14th, 1830 {p.091}

[Page Head: LORD LYNDHURST AND THE WHIGS.]

There is a delay in Lyndhurst's appointment, if it takes place at
all. Alexander[5] now will not resign, though he himself proposed
to do so in the first instance. His physician signed a certificate
to say that if he went on this Committee it would cost him his
life; some difficulty about the pension is the cause, or the
peerage that he wants. He is seventy-six and very rich, a wretched
judge, and never knew anything of Common Law. If it is not
arranged, it will be a bad business for Lyndhurst, for the Duke
and his friends are grievously annoyed at his taking the office,
having counted on him as their great champion in the House of
Lords. Mrs. Arbuthnot told me the other night that they considered
themselves released from all obligations to him for the future.
However, they have not at all quarrelled, and they knew his
deplorable state in point of money. Dined yesterday at Agar
Ellis's with eighteen people. Brougham in great force and very
agreeable, and told some stories of Judge Allan Park, who is a
most ridiculous man, and yet a good lawyer, a good judge, and was
a most eminent counsel.

[5] [The Chief Baron.]

Park is extraordinarily ridiculous. He is a physiognomist, and is
captivated by pleasant looks. In a certain cause, in which a boy
brought an action for defamation against his schoolmaster,
Campbell, his counsel, asked the solicitor if the boy was
good-looking. 'Very.' 'Oh, then, have him in court; we shall get
a verdict.' And so he did. His eyes are always wandering about,
watching and noticing everything and everybody. One day there was
a dog in court making a disturbance, on which he said, 'Take away
that dog.' The officers went to remove another dog, when he
interposed. 'No, not that dog. I have had my eye on that dog the
whole day, and I will say that a better behaved little dog I
never saw in a court of justice.'

One of Brougham's best speeches was one of his last at the Bar,
made in moving for a new trial on the ground of misdirection in a
great cause (Tatham and Wright) about a will. He said that