faithfully fulfilled.]

[Page Head: THE QUEEN'S CROWN.]

On Sunday, overtaken by the most dreadful storm I ever saw--flashes
of lightning, crashes of thunder, and the rain descending
like a waterspout--I rode to Windsor, to settle with the Queen
what sort of crown she would have to be crowned in. I was ushered
into the King's presence, who was sitting at a red table in the
sitting-room of George IV., looking over the flower garden. A
picture of Adolphus Fitzclarence was behind him (a full-length),
and one of the parson, Rev. Augustus Fitzclarence, in a Greek
dress, opposite. He sent for the Queen, who came with the
Landgravine and one of the King's daughters, Lady Augusta
Erskine, the widow of Lord Cassilis's son. She looked at the
drawings, meant apparently to be civil to me in her ungracious
way, and said she would have none of our crowns, that she did not
like to wear a hired crown, and asked me if I thought it was
right that she should. I said, 'Madam, I can only say that the
late King wore one at his coronation.' However she said, 'I do
not like it, and I have got jewels enough, so I will have them
made up myself.' The King said to me, 'Very well; then _you_ will
have to pay for the setting.' 'Oh, no,' she said; 'I shall pay
for it all myself.' The King looked well, but seemed infirm. I
talked to Taylor afterwards, who said he had very little doubt
this storm in Belgium would blow over, and agreed that Leopold's
folly had been in great measure the cause of it. There have been
discussions in both Houses, which have in some measure quieted
people's apprehensions. To-day that ass Lord Londonderry (who has
never yet had his windows mended from the time they were broken
by the mob at the Reform illumination) brings on a motion about
Belgium.

August 11th, 1831 {p.180}

Nothing new these last two days. Londonderry's motion produced an
angry debate, but no division. Brougham is said to have been very
good. The Government wanted to divide, but the Opposition know
that it is not their interest to provoke a trial of strength. The
Ministers, if beaten, would not go out, and they are anxious to
see what their opponents' strength is. At Court yesterday, when
Van de Weyer, the new Belgian Minister, made his appearance. I
said to Esterhazy, 'You will blow this business over, sha'n't
you?' He said, 'Yes, I think we shall _this time_.'

Nothing remarkable in the House of Commons but Lord John
Russell's declaration that