at
that would constitute a great difficulty. That although Lord
Melbourne might be very well adapted to take his part in such a
plan, there were, he believed, difficulties in it under him when
Lord J. Russell led the House of Commons. That when he led the
House in 1828 under the Duke of Wellington as premier, he had a
very great advantage in the disposition of the duke to follow the
judgments of others in whom he had confidence with respect to all
civil matters. He said it was impossible during the session even to
work the public business through the medium of the cabinet, such is
the pressure upon time.... He told me he had suffered dreadfully in
his head on the left side--that twenty-two or twenty-three years
ago he injured the ear by the use of a detonating tube in shooting.
Since then he had always had a noise on that side, and when he had
the work of office upon him, this and the pain became scarcely
bearable at times, as I understood him. Brodie told him that 'as
some overwork one part and some another, he had overworked his
brain,' but he said that with this exception his health was good.
It was pleasant to me to find and feel by actual contact as it were
(though I had no suspicion of the contrary) his manner as friendly
and as much unhurt as at any former period.

V

Before leaving office Peel wrote to Mr. Gladstone (June 20) requesting
him to ask his father whether it would be acceptable to him to be
proposed to the Queen for a baronetcy. 'I should name him to the Queen,'
he said, 'as the honoured representative of a great class of the
community which has raised itself by its integrity and industry to high
social eminence. I should gratify also my own feeling by a mark of
personal respect for a name truly worthy of such illustration as
hereditary honour can confer.' John Gladstone replied in becoming words,
but honestly mentioned that he had published his strong opinion of the
injurious consequences that he dreaded from 'the stupendous experiment
about to be made' in commercial policy. Peel told him that this made no
difference.[180]

LORD GEORGE BENTINCK

At the close of the session a trivial incident occurred that caused Mr.
Gladstone a disproportionate amount of vexation for several months. Hume
stated in the House that the colonial secretary h