ord Eldon seemed to say he
should advise the Duke of Cumberland to acquiesce in it.

The ultra Tories were to have a meeting to-day--thirty-eight of them--to
decide what they should do about Reform. Yesterday the report was they
joined us; but the Duke of Richmond will do all he can to make them go
against us, and, if they do, I suppose we shall be obliged to make our
bows.

_November 16._

Goulburn opposed the submitting the Civil List accounts to a Committee, and
was defeated. We had 204 to 233. Majority against us, 29. Hobhouse asked
Peel whether Ministers would resign, to which he got no answer. Brougham
rose and said Ministers would have time for consideration.

I suppose this division must be considered to be fatal to us. Henry is
going off to take chambers. He means to apply himself to the Law. He is
rather in a hurry. For my own part I am by no means sorry to be out of
office. I think I shall be better able to regain my proper station in
Opposition than I could have done in office, and the emoluments are of no
value to me now.

Office. Saw Wortley. He is glad that the division against us has been upon
the Civil List, rather than upon Reform. He thinks we should resign to-day,
and thus throw upon the Whigs the burden of bringing forward Reform as a
Government measure. Probably Brougham would postpone his motion if we
resigned.

At about half-past three I received a note from Sir Robert Taylor desiring
my immediate attendance at St. James's. I dressed and went, and in a few
moments was admitted to the King. I met Lord Melville coming away. The King
desired me to sit down, and asked me whether I had any expectation of the
division of last night? I said no--I thought that upon any question
connected with the Civil List we should have had a majority; that the
question itself was one of little importance; but, as the Committee had not
been granted before, Sir R. Peel thought it would be a confession of
weakness not to oppose it now, and I thought he was right. The King said it
was probably chosen as a question merely to try strength.

The King asked me what had taken place between the Government and the
Company. I told his Majesty, and added an outline of the plan I had for the
new military arrangements, of which he seemed highly to approve. I then
said I supposed I must take leave of his Majesty. He said in one sense his
Ministers seemed to think they could not go on.

I said I could not but express my sen