nty tingling
in his veins was something more or less than serene.

_Dec. 17._--Locke, and Russell's _Modern Europe_ in the morning.
Went to meet the post, found a letter from Peel desiring to see me,
dated 13th. All haste; ready by 4--no place! Reluctantly deferred
till the morning. Wrote to Lincoln, Sir R. Peel, etc.... A game of
whist. This is a serious call. I got my father's advice to take
anything with work and responsibility. _18th._--Off at 7.40 by
mail. I find it a privation to be unable to read in a coach. The
mind is distracted through the senses, and rambles. Nowhere is it
to me so incapable of continuous thought.... Newcastle at 91/4 P.M.
_19th._--Same again. At York at 61/4 A.M. to 7. Ran to peep at the
minster and bore away a faint twilight image of its grandeur.
_20th._--Arrived safe, thank God, and well at the Bull and Mouth 53/4
A.M. Albany soon. To bed for 21/4 hours. Went to Peel about eleven.

He writes to his father the same day--

My interview with him was not more than six or eight minutes, but
he was _extremely_ kind. He told me his letter to me was among his
first; that he was prompted only by his own feelings towards me and
some more of that kind; that I might have a seat either at the
admiralty or treasury boards, but the latter was that which he
intended for me; that I should then be in immediate and
confidential communication with himself; and should thereby have
more insight into the general concerns of government; that there
was a person very anxious for the seat at the treasury, who would
go to the admiralty if I did not; but that he meant to go upon the
principle of putting every one to the post for which he thought
them most fit, so far as he could, and therefore preferred the
arrangement he had named. As he distinctly preferred the treasury
for me, and assigned such reasons for the preference, it appeared
to me that the question was quite settled, and I immediately closed
with his offer. I expressed my gratitude for the opinions of me
which he had expressed; and said I thought it my duty to mention
that the question of my re-election at Newark upon a single
vacancy had never been put to my friends, and I asked whether I
should consider any part of what he had said as contingent upon the
answer I might receive from th