use of Commons rose and cheered him as he entered it.

I met Alexander Baring the other night, who said it was certain
that the King was full of regrets at the extent of the measures
into which he had been hurried, when I told him of Lord Grey's
Garter, and asked him what he said to that, and how that bore out
the assertion of the King's regrets. The fact is that although on
one side a most indecent though effectual use of the King's name
has been made, on the other there is nothing that is not asserted
with equal confidence about 'his difficulties and his scruples.'
Sefton told me that it was the sort of things that were said that
made the King write to Lord Grey (he saw the letter) and tell him
that he thought it of the greatest importance at the present
moment to confer upon him a signal mark of his regard and of his
satisfaction with the whole of his conduct. It is, I believe,
true that the King felt some alarm and some doubt about the
dissolution, but I do not believe that he has any doubts or fears
at present. Indeed, how should he not have suffered himself to be
led away by these people and to become identified with their
measure? They have given him an ample share of the praise of it;
they assure him it will be eminently successful; he sees himself
popular and applauded to the skies, and as far as things have
gone it has been successful, for the elections have gone on and
gone off very peaceably, and the country in expectation of the
passing of the Bill is in a state of profound tranquillity.

June 5th, 1831 {p.147}

[Page Head: THE KING AT ASCOT.]

All last week at Fern Hill for the Ascot races; the
Chesterfields, Tavistocks, Belfasts, George Ansons, Montague,
Stradbroke, and Brooke Greville were there. The Royal Family came
to the course the first day with a great _cortege_--eight coaches
and four, two phaetons, pony sociables, and led horses--Munster
riding on horseback behind the King's carriage, Augustus (the
parson) and Frederick driving phaetons. The Duke of Richmond was
in the King's caleche and Lord Grey in one of the coaches. The
reception was strikingly cold and indifferent, not half so good
as that which the late King used to receive. William was bored to
death with the races, and his own horse broke down. On Wednesday
he did not come; on Thursday they came again. Beautiful weather
and unprecedented multitudes. The King was much more cheered than
the first day, or the greater number of people