attached to his brother, I did not believe him capable of
feelings so acute as those which he has evinced. William is
much more calm and resigned, a strange, unaccountable thing
considering the characters of the two men--the one so indifferent,
and with feelings so apparently deadened to the affections of
this world, and the other with a sensibility so morbid, and such
acute susceptibility and strong feelings, that the least thing
affects him more deeply than very serious concerns do other men.

[4] [Colonel the Hon. Arthur John Hill de Ros, born 1793,
died February 1826. He was aide-de-camp to his Royal
Highness the Duke of York.]

Arthur was an excellent creature, and will be regretted by the
Duke and deeply lamented by all who knew him intimately. His
talents were not brilliant, but he had good sound sense, and was
besides modest, diligent, honest, and trustworthy in a high
degree. There breathed not a more honourable man, and as his
ambition did not extend beyond the sphere in which fortune had
placed him and he was contented with his destiny, but for this
illness his career might have been long and prosperous. I went
last night to sleep at the house, that it might not appear to
have been entirely abandoned to the care of servants. The only
wish he expressed was that Francis Russell should succeed him,
which I have no doubt he will do.

February 25th, 1826 {p.082}

Received a letter from the Duke of York (to whom I had written to
announce poor Arthur's death) expressive of the greatest regret
for his loss.

March 2nd, 1826 {p.082}

I am just come from poor Arthur's funeral. There were present
William de Ros, the two Hills, Craufurd, Torrens, Taylor, Francis
Russell, Campbell, and B. Paget. The Duke appointed Francis his
aide-de-camp directly.

[Page Head: ILLNESS OF THE DUKE OF YORK.]

July 2nd, 1826 {p.083}

Four months since I have written anything. The Duke of York has
been dangerously ill, and it is still doubtful whether he will
recover. I was with him at Frogmore before Ascot; we went with
the King to see Windsor Castle. His Majesty has since been very
much annoyed about the Duke, cried a great deal when he heard how
bad he was, and has been twice to see him.

The elections have been particularly violent and the contests
very numerous. A batch of Peers has been made; everybody cries
out against Charles Ellis's peerage[5] (Lord Seaford); he has no
property, and is