ce will some
day or other make one of the most valuable and entertaining
publications that ever appeared, though I shall not live to see
it. He writes incomparably well, with a mixture of vivacity and
energy peculiarly his own.

September 21st, 1836 {p.365}

I have recorded nothing about the revolutions at Madrid and
Lisbon, because I know nothing besides what has appeared in all
the newspapers, and it would be very useless to copy facts from
their columns. As to private matters, and the exploits or
interests of individuals, I only note them as the fancy takes me,
and the fancy has not taken me of late. I cannot keep a
_journal_--that is, a day by day memorial--and I have an
invincible repugnance to making my MS. books the receptacles of
scandal, and handing down to posterity (if ever posterity should
have an opportunity of seeing and would take the trouble to read
these pages) the _private_ faults and follies of my friends,
acquaintance, and associates.

To-day we had a Council, the first since Parliament was
prorogued, when his most gracious Majesty behaved most
ungraciously to his confidential servants, whom he certainly does
not delight to honour. The last article on the list was a
petition of Admiral Sartorius praying to be restored to his rank,
and when this was read the King, after repeating the usual form
of words, added, 'And must be granted. As Captain Napier was
restored, so must this gentleman be, for there was this
difference between their cases: Admiral Napier knew he was doing
wrong, which Admiral Sartorius was not aware of.' Lord Minto
said, 'I believe, sir, there was not so much difference between
the two cases as your Majesty imagines, for Admiral Sartorius--'
Then followed something which I could not catch, but the King
did, for he said, with considerable asperity, 'Unless your
Lordship is quite sure of that, I must beg leave to say that I
differ from you and do not believe it to be so, but since you
have expressed your belief that it is so, I desire you will
furnish me with proofs of it immediately. The next time I see you
you will be prepared with the proofs of what you say, for unless
I see them I shall not believe one word of it.' Minto made no
reply to this extraordinary sortie, and the rest looked at each
other in silence.

[Page Head: RUDENESS OF THE KING.]

This, however, was nothing compared with what took place at
Windsor with the Duchess of Kent, of which I heard something a
lo