and that he must be
(as in fact he said he was) the virtual head of the office. All
this was told with a good-humoured and smiling complacency, which
made me laugh internally. He then descanted on the inefficiency of
his subordinates; that Auckland did not like writing, that nobody
else could write, and consequently every paper had been drawn up
by himself since he first entered the office. To do him justice I
believe he is very industrious. When he got into the Cabinet he
said he could no longer go on in this way, and accordingly he has
superannuated Lack, and is going to appoint the best man he can
find in his place. This operation has led to the removal of Hay,
whom Stephen replaces at the Colonial Office.

[Page Head: PERCEVAL'S APOSTOLIC MISSION.]

February 1st, 1836 {p.330}

Howick gave me an account yesterday of Spencer Perceval's
communications to the Ministers, and other Privy Councillors. He
called on Howick, who received him very civilly. Perceval began,
'You will probably be surprised when you learn, what has brought
me here.' Howick bowed. 'You are aware that God has been pleased
in these latter times to make especial communications of His will
to certain chosen instruments, in a language not intelligible to
those who hear it, nor always to those by whom it is uttered: I
am one of those instruments, to whom it has pleased the Almighty
to make known His will, and I am come to declare to you, &c...'
and then he went off in a rhapsody about the degeneracy of the
times, and the people falling off from God. I asked him what
Perceval seemed to be driving at, what was his definite object?
He said it was not discoverable, but that from the printed paper
which he had circulated to all Privy Councillors (for to that
body he appears to think that his mission is addressed), in which
he specifies all the great acts of legislation for the last five
years (beginning with the repeal of the Test and Corporation
Acts), as the evidences of a falling off from God, or as the
causes of the divine anger, it may perhaps be inferred that he
means they should all be repealed. It is a ridiculous and
melancholy exposure. His different receptions by different people
are amusing and characteristic. Howick listened to him with
patient civility. Melbourne argued with and cross-questioned him.
He told him 'that he ought to have gone to the Bishops rather
than to him,' to which Perceval replied, that one of the brethren
(Henry Drumm