The two Sumners. Dr. John Bird Sumner (afterwards
Archbishop of Canterbury) had been raised to the see of
Chester in 1828. They owed their advancement to the
especial favour of George IV. The bishop adverted to in
the next sentence was the Bishop of Winchester.]

March 29th, 1829, at night {p.197}

Dined at Lady Sandwich's, and met Madame de Lieven, who is grown
very gracious, craving for news, and probably very malignant.
Lieven told me (which she did not) that Lord Eldon was with the
King yesterday for four hours. She confirmed it after dinner, and
said that Halford had told her, but added that he had done no
harm.[10] Lieven also told me that Stratford Canning is coming
home, and Robert Gordon going to Constantinople. He is a dull,
heavy man, and not able, I should think, to cope with the Turkish
Ministers, if they are (as the Duke says) the ablest diplomatists
in Europe. I don't know why Stratford Canning is coming home,
whether _nolens_ or _volens_.

[10] [This was the celebrated interview related in Lord
Eldon's 'Memoirs' vol. iii., when, however, the King
gave Lord E. a very erroneous account of the
transaction, subsequently corrected by Sir Robert Peel
in his 'Memoirs.']

I have, I see, alluded to Lord Winchelsea's handkerchief
story,[11] but have not mentioned the circumstances, which I may
as well do. Lord Holland came home one night from the House of
Lords, and as soon as he had occasion to blow his nose pulled his
handkerchief out of his pocket; upon which my Lady exclaimed (she
hates perfumes), 'Good God, Lord H., where did you get that
handkerchief? Send it away directly.' He said he did not know,
when it was inspected, and the letter _W_ found on it. Lord H.
said, 'I was sitting near Lord Winchelsea, and it must be his,
which I took up by mistake and have brought home.' Accordingly
the next day he sent it to Lord Winchelsea with his compliments.
Lord Winchelsea receiving the handkerchief and the message, and
finding it marked _W_, fancied it was the Duke's, and that it was
sent to him by way of affronting him; on which he went to the
Duke of Newcastle and imparted to him the circumstances, and
desired him to wait on Lord Holland for an explanation. This his
Grace did, when the matter was cleared up and the handkerchief
was found to be the property of Lord Wellesley. The next day Lord
Winchelsea came up laughing t