it contains anything laudatory of the Reform
Bill. The Duke of Wellington was not at the meeting, having been
taken ill. I met him the day before at dinner, and had a good
deal of conversation with him. He is in pretty good spirits, and
thinks they may make a good fight of it yet; told me that
Lyndhurst would certainly go thoroughly with them, praised him
largely, said he was the best colleague that any man ever had,
and that he should be very sorry ever to go into any Cabinet of
which he was not a member. The King dined with the Duke
yesterday, and was to give him a very fine sword. Aubin, who was
to have acted in 'Hernani' before the Queen on Wednesday next, is
suddenly gone off to Rome as _attache_ to Brook Taylor, who is
there negotiating. Taylor happened to be in Italy, and they sent
him there, some doubts existing whether they could by law send a
diplomatic agent to negotiate with the Pope; but it was referred
to Denman, who said there was no danger. He is not accredited,
and bears no _official_ character, but it is a regular mission.
Lord Lansdowne told me that Leopold is inconceivably anxious to
be King of Belgium, that short of going in direct opposition to
the wishes and advice of all the Royal Family and of the
Government he would do anything to be beking'd, and, what is
equally absurd, that the others cannot bear that he should be
thus elevated.

June 23rd, 1831 {p.153}

The King opened Parliament on Tuesday, with a greater crowd
assembled to see him pass than was ever congregated before, and
the House of Lords was so full of ladies that the Peers could not
find places. The Speech was long, but good, and such as to
preclude the possibility of an amendment. There was, however, a
long discussion in each House, and the greatest bitterness and
violence evinced in both--every promise of a stormy session. Lord
Lansdowne said to the King, 'I am afraid, sir, you won't be able
to _see_ the Commons.' 'Never mind,' said he; 'they shall _hear_
me, I promise you,' and accordingly he thundered forth the Speech
so that not a word was lost.

There has been a reconciliation between the Wellingtonians and
the old Tories, and they are now firmly knit in opposition to the
present Government. Winchilsea, who was the last Tory who stuck
to Lord Grey, renounced him in a hot speech, which evidently
annoyed Lord Grey very much, for he made a long one in reply to
him. Winchilsea is a silly, blustering, but good-natured and