capacities. Lyndhurst was always polished, smooth, refined, endowed
with a gift of argumentative eloquence, which appealed to the intellect
rather than to the feelings, was seldom impassioned, and even when
impassioned kept his passion well within conventional bounds. Brougham
was thrilling, impetuous, overwhelming, often extravagant, scorning
conventionality of phrase or manner, revelling in his own exuberant
strength and plunging at opponents as a bull might do in a Spanish
arena. Lyndhurst's amendment was one especially suited to bring to his
side the majority of the Waverers. It was plausible enough in itself,
and gave to many a Waverer, who must have had in his mind a very clear
perception of its real object, some excuse for persuading himself that,
in voting for it, he was not voting against the principle of reform.
When the division came to be taken on May 7, 151 peers voted for the
amendment and 116 against it, thus showing a majority of 35 against
{175} the Government, by whom of course the amendment had been
unreservedly opposed.

The country saw that a new crisis had come, and a crisis more serious
than any which had gone before. There was only one constitutional
course by which the difficulty could be got over, and that was by the
King giving his consent to the creation of a number of new peers large
enough to carry the Reform Bill through all its subsequent stages in
the House of Lords. Other outlet of safety through peaceful means
there was none. Lord Grey's Ministry could not possibly remain in
office and see the measure, on which they believed the peace and
prosperity of the country to depend, left at the mercy of an
irresponsible majority of Tory peers. The King was most unwilling to
help his ministers out of the trouble, especially by such a process as
they had suggested, and in his heart would have been very glad to be
rid of them and the Reform Bill at the same time. Charles Greville in
his Memoirs makes several allusions to the King's well-known dislike
for the Whig ministers and his anxiety to get the Duke of Wellington
back again. Lord Grey and his colleagues, finding it hard to get the
King to recognize the gravity of the situation, and to adopt the advice
they had offered to him, felt that there was nothing left for them but
to resign office. And the King was delighted to have a chance of
recalling the Duke of Wellington to the position of Prime Minister.
Under the date of May 17, 183