tone that disfigured his recitation of poetry,--a tone
contracted at most of the public schools, but more particularly,
perhaps, at Harrow, and encroaching just enough on the boundaries of
song to offend those ears most by which song is best enjoyed and
understood.

On the subject of the negotiations for a change of ministry which took
place during this session, I find the following anecdotes recorded in
his notebook:--

"At the opposition meeting of the peers in 1812, at Lord Grenville's,
when Lord Grey and he read to us the correspondence upon Moira's
negotiation, I sate next to the present Duke of Grafton, and said, 'What
is to be done next?'--'Wake the Duke of Norfolk' (who was snoring away
near us), replied he: 'I don't think the negotiators have left any thing
else for us to do this turn.'

"In the debate, or rather discussion, afterwards in the House of Lords
upon that very question, I sate immediately behind Lord Moira, who was
extremely annoyed at Grey's speech upon the subject; and, while Grey was
speaking, turned round to me repeatedly, and asked me whether I agreed
with him. It was an awkward question to me who had not heard both sides.
Moira kept repeating to me, 'It was _not so_, it was so and so,' &c. I
did not know very well what to think, but I sympathised with the
acuteness of his feelings upon the subject."

The subject of the Catholic claims was, it is well known, brought
forward a second time this session by Lord Wellesley, whose motion for a
future consideration of the question was carried by a majority of one.
In reference to this division, another rather amusing anecdote is thus
related.

"Lord * * affects an imitation of two very different Chancellors,
Thurlow and Loughborough, and can indulge in an oath now and then. On
one of the debates on the Catholic question, when we were either equal
or within one (I forget which), I had been sent for in great haste to a
ball, which I quitted, I confess, somewhat reluctantly, to emancipate
five millions of people. I came in late, and did not go immediately into
the body of the House, but stood just behind the woolsack. * * turned
round, and, catching my eye, immediately said to a peer, (who had come
to him for a few minutes on the woolsack, as is the custom of his
friends,) 'Damn them! they'll have it now,--by G----d! the vote that is
just come in will give it them.'"

During all this time, the impression which he had produced in society,
both as