glee.

Met with Sir J. Burke on Sunday at Brooks's, who said that
O'Connell was completely beaten by the address of the merchants
and bankers, among whom were men--Mahon, for instance (O'Gorman
Mahon's uncle)--who had always stood by him. I do not believe he
is completely beaten, and his resources for mischief are so great
that he will rally again before long, I have little doubt.
However, what has occurred has been productive of great good; it
has elicited a strong Conservative demonstration, and proved that
out of the rabbleocracy (for everything is in _ocracy_ now) his
power is anything but unlimited. There are 20,000 men in Ireland,
so Lord Hill told me last night. Hunt[14] spoke for two hours
last night; his manner and appearance very good, like a country
gentleman of the old school, a sort of rural dignity about it,
very civil, good-humoured, and respectful to the House, but dull;
listened to, however, and very well received.

[14] [Henry Hunt, a well-known Radical, had just been
returned for Preston, where he had beaten Mr. Stanley.]

February 12th, 1831 {p.112}

The debate three nights ago on Ireland, brought on by O'Gorman
Mahon, is said to have been the best that has been heard in the
House of Commons for many years. Palmerston, Burdett, Althorp,
Peel, Wyse, all made good speeches; it was spirited, statesmanlike,
and creditable to the House, which wanted some such exhibition to
raise its credit. I saw the day before yesterday a curious letter
from Southey to Brougham, which some day or other will probably
appear. Taylor showed it me. Brougham had written to him to ask
him what his opinion was as to the encouragement that could be
given to literature, by rewarding or honouring literary men, and
suggested (I did not see his letter) that the Guelphic Order
should be bestowed upon them. Southey's reply was very courteous,
but in a style of suppressed irony and forced politeness, and
exhibited the marks of a chafed spirit, which was kept down by an
effort. 'You, my Lord, are _now_ on the Conservative side,' was
one of his phrases, which implied that the Chancellor had not
always been on that side. He suggested that it might be useful to
establish a sort of lay fellowships; L10,000 would give 10 of L500
and 25 of L200; but he proposed them not to reward the meritorious,
but as a means of silencing or hiring the mischievous. It was
evident, however, that he laid no stress on this plan, or
con