temper sometimes.

[Sidenote: WILLIAM IV. DEFENDER OF THE FAITH]

The King, however, had strong opinions on the subject of Lord John's
qualifications, and he expressed in emphatic terms his disapproval. The
nation trusted Lord John, and had come to definite and flattering
conclusions about him as a statesman, but at Windsor a different opinion
prevailed. The King, in fact, made no secret to Lord Melbourne, in the
famous interview at Brighton, of his conviction that Lord John Russell
had neither the ability nor the influence to qualify him for the task;
and he added that he would 'make a wretched figure' when opposed in the
Commons by men like Peel and Stanley. His Majesty further volunteered
the remark that he did not 'understand that young gentleman,' and could
not agree to the arrangement proposed. William, moreover, took occasion
to pose as a veritable, as well as titular, Defender of the Faith, for,
on the authority of Baron Stockmar, the King 'considered Lord John
Russell to have pledged himself to certain encroachments on the Church,
which his Majesty had made up his mind and expressed his determination
to resist.' As Russell was clearly quite out of the reckoning, Melbourne
suggested two other names. But the King had made up his mind on more
subjects than one, and next morning, Lord Melbourne found himself in
possession of a written paper, which informed him his Majesty had no
further occasion either for his services or for those of his colleagues.

William IV. acted within his constitutional rights, but such an exercise
of the royal prerogative was, to say the least, worthy of George III. in
his most uninspired mood. Althorp regarded the King's action as the
'greatest piece of folly ever committed,' and Lord John, in reply to the
friendly note which contained this emphatic verdict, summoned his
philosophy to his aid in the following characteristic rejoinder: 'I
suppose everything is for the best in this world; otherwise the only
good which I should see in this event would be that it saves me from
being sadly pommelled by Peel and Stanley, to say nothing of O'Connell.'
Wellington, who was hastily summoned by the King, suggested that Sir
Robert Peel should be entrusted with the formation of a new Government.

Sir Robert Peel was accordingly sent for in hot haste from Rome to form
a new Ministry. On his arrival in London in December 1834, he at once
set about the formation of a Cabinet. This is Jekyll's comment