ss upon this subject; and I
beg you to

Believe me,

Ever yours most sincerely,

WELLINGTON.

The state of our foreign relations elicited from Lord Grenville the
following characteristic communication, referring to a boastful speech
often attributed to Mr. Pitt.

LORD GRENVILLE TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

Dropmore, Tuesday.

I send the petition by the coach. I believe I mentioned to you my
wish that nothing should be said upon it, except that you present
it in my absence on account of illness.

As I do not at all partake in the _virtuous_ enthusiasm for the
cause of Jacobinism in Spain, I allow myself to hope that things
there are going on well. I am entirely of opinion that the war is a
most unadvised step on the part of France, and that nothing could
be more impolitic, except our having the folly to mix ourselves in
the squabble either way by word or deed.

Some wiseacre in the House of Commons has said that Lord Chatham
declared that not a gun should be fired in Europe _without his
leave_. Lord C---- came into office when this country was
involved in a war in which she had so much the worst of it, that
all men despaired of the issue. He went out of office before the
peace was made, and his merit was that he had by his successes in
the war secured the means of making an advantageous peace.
Secondly, in which part of his administration did any power of
Europe take out a licence for shooting from him? Yet this is the
sort of nonsense that passes current. Adieu.

CHAPTER XIII.

[1823.]

IMPORTANT DEBATES. EXPENSES OF THE CORONATION. STATE OF THE PENINSULA.
MR. PLUNKET'S DISAPPOINTMENT. CONDITION OF IRELAND. DESPATCH FROM THE
LORD-LIEUTENANT. THE KING OF SPAIN AND THE CORTES. MR. CANNING IN THE
HOUSE OF COMMONS. LORD NUGENT'S BILL FOR RESTORING THE FRANCHISE.
FESTIVITIES AT CARLTON HOUSE. THE MARQUIS OF HASTINGS. THE FRENCH IN
SPAIN. LORD ELDON. CANNING. PEEL AND ROBINSON. THE PRESS IN INDIA. THE
KING AT "THE COTTAGE". IRVING AND THE HEAVENLY PAVILION. POLICY OF
AUSTRIA. THE KING IN COUNCIL. SCHISMS IN THE FRENCH CABINET.

CHAPTER XIII.

Lord John Russell brought forward in the House of Commons his motion
for a reform of Parliament, on the 24th of April, which, after an
animated discussion, was negatived by a majority of 280 to 169; but a
more important debate was that which arose out o