he letter (which is probably a lie); if I had, I
certainly should have thought it my duty to call your attention
to it.' Somebody added that 'he would be wanting to fight a duel
himself.' Sefton said, 'he will be sure to think he has fought
one.' Hume gave the two Lords a lecture on the ground after the
duel, and said he did not think there was a man in England who
would have lifted his hand against the Duke. Very uncalled for,
but the Duke's friends have less humility than he has, for Lord
Winchelsea did not lift his hand against him. It is curious that
the man who threw the bottle at Lord Wellesley in Dublin (and who
is a Protestant fanatic) has been lurking constantly about the
House of Lords, so much so that it was thought right to apprise
Peel of it, and the police have been desired in consequence to
keep a strict watch over him, and to take care that he does no
mischief. The Duke after the duel sent Lord Melville to the Duke
of Montrose with a message that his son-in-law had behaved very
much like a gentleman. The women, particularly of course Lady
Jersey, have been very ridiculous, affecting nervousness and fine
feeling, though they never heard of the business till some hours
after it was over. Mrs. Arbuthnot was not so foolish but made
very light of it all, which was in better sense and better taste.

M---- told me two days ago that, although he is more quiet, the
King is not at all reconciled to the Catholic question. His
Majesty was very much annoyed at his speech the other day, having
always hoped that he was at heart too indifferent about it to
take a decided line or express publicly a strong opinion. It is
supposed that either Sugden or Alderson will be Solicitor-General.
O'Connell has done himself great credit by his moderation in the
Committee. Grattan wanted to move an amendment omitting the words
by which O'Connell is excluded from taking his seat for Clare,
when Rice and Duncannon begged him to withdraw it, and said they
were charged with the expression of O'Connell's wish that his
individual case should not be thought of, as he would not have it
be any impediment to the success of the measure. This, of course,
greatly annoys those who have inveighed against him, and who have
always contended that he only wished for confusion, and would be
very sorry to see the question settled.

The other day Jack Lawless[8] called on Arbuthnot to ask him some
question about the Deccan prize money, in which a broth