A new seal for the Cape of
Good Hope was approved, and the impression represented a Caffre,
with some ornaments on his head which resembled _horns_. The King
asked Lord Glenelg what these _horns_ meant, but Glenelg referred
his Majesty to Poulett Thomson, to whom he said, 'Well, Mr.
Thomson, what do you say to this? I know you are a man of
gallantry, but if you choose to be represented with a pair of
horns I am sure I have no objection;' at which sally their
lordships laughed, as in duty bound.

August 21st, 1836 {p.361}

[Page Head: PARLIAMENT PROROGUED.]

Yesterday the King prorogued Parliament with a very moderate,
inoffensive Speech. The Tories had spread a report that the
Ministers wanted to thrust into the Speech some allusions to the
conduct of the House of Lords, but no such thing was ever
contemplated.

The session was wound up by an oration of Lyndhurst's in the House
of Lords, introduced with a considerable note of preparation. It
was announced a day or two before that he was going down to
deliver a vindication of the majority of the Lords and of himself
for their conduct during the session, and the expectation which
was raised was not disappointed. It seems to have been a great
display, and sufficiently well answered by Melbourne. As his
opponents universally admit that Lyndhurst's speech was of
consummate ability, while his friends confess that it was not
discreet and well judged, we may safely conclude that it deserves
both the praise and the blame; and as the Duke of Wellington rose
afterwards and made a speech of remarkable moderation, it would
certainly appear as if he thought it necessary to temper the
violence of Lyndhurst by a more conciliatory tone. When I say _his
friends_ have expressed the opinions above stated, I should say
that I have conversed with only two--Lords Bathurst and Ripon--and
they both expressed themselves to this effect. Lord Holland, who
endeavoured to answer it, said he thought Lyndhurst's one of the
best speeches he had ever heard in Parliament.

If he had confined himself to a temperate and dignified
vindication of the proceedings of the House of Lords (that is, of
his own), and had abstained from any attack on the Government,
and especially from any language reflecting on the Commons,
perhaps it would have been a wise measure, but it cannot be wise
to widen the differences which already exist between the two
Houses, and to render all the animosities of public men