on--that of the two principal actors the Duke of
Wellington is incomparably a man of a more vigorous understanding,
and of greater firmness, energy, and decision than Lord Grey, but
that Lord Grey appears like an accomplished orator, and prudent,
sagacious, liberal statesman, while the other exhibits bigoted,
narrow-minded views, ignorance almost discreditable, and nothing
but a blind zeal in deference to the obstinate prejudices of the
academical body with which he has connected himself. Who would
imagine (who heard the two men and knew nothing more of them) that
the latter is in reality immensely superior to the former in mind
and understanding? Nor must it be supposed that the Duke of
Wellington, if he came into power, would act in a manner
corresponding with his declared opinions. Very far from it; he
would do just as he did with regard to the Test Act and the
Catholic question, and if he was at the head of the Government, he
would calculate what sort and amount of concession it was
necessary to make, and would make it, without caring a farthing
about the University of Oxford or his own former speeches. The
'Times' in its remarks on his speech was very insolent, but
excessively droll.

Denman's peerage is much abused; it is entirely the Chancellor's
doing. Denman has no fortune and a feeble son to succeed him, and
it was hoped that the practice of making all the Chief Justices
Peers would have been discontinued in his person. Brougham wrote
to Lyndhurst, ostensibly to inform him of this event, but really
to apologise for the misstatements he had made in his speech
about the business he (Lyndhurst) had done in the House of Lords
and in the Court of Chancery. Lyndhurst said (to me), 'What
nonsense it is. He has done all he could do, and so did his
predecessors before him; he has sat as long as he could, and if
he has not got through as much business it is because counsel
have made longer speeches, for I am told his practice is never to
interrupt them, to take away his papers, and come down a few days
after and deliver a written judgment.'

On Sunday at dinner at Lord Grey's I sat next to Charles Grey,
who talked of the House of Commons, and said that there could be
no question of Peel's superiority over everybody there, that
Stanley had not done so well this session, had displayed so much
want of judgment now, as well as formerly, that he was evidently
not fit to be leader. He owned that Peel's conduct was very fa