him, but told him he could do
nothing. The fact is the appointment might be hurried through,
but the salary depends upon an annual vote of the House of
Commons, and an exasperated and triumphant Opposition would be
sure to knock it off; so he has done the only thing he can do,
which is to leave it to the King to secure the appointment for
him if possible. It will be a great piece of luck for somebody
that Buller should have died exactly when he did. William
Bathurst may perhaps lose the place from his not dying earlier,
or the new Government may lose the patronage because he did not
die later; but it is ill luck for me, who shall probably have
more trouble because he has died at all.

The Duke and Peel announced their resignations in the two Houses,
and Brougham put off his motion, but with a speech signifying
that he should take no part in the new Government. The last acts
of the Duke were to secure pensions of L250 a year to each of his
secretaries, and to fill up the ecclesiastical preferments. The
Garter remains for his successor. The Duke of Bedford got it,
and, what is singular, the Duke of Wellington would probably have
given it him likewise. He was one of five whom he meant to choose
from, and it lay between him and Lord Cleveland.

I met the Duke coming out of his room, but did not like to speak
to him; he got into his cabriolet, and nodded as he passed, but
he looked very grave. The King seems to have behaved perfectly
throughout the whole business, no intriguing or underhand
communication with anybody, with great kindness to his Ministers,
anxious to support them while it was possible, and submitting at
once to the necessity of parting with them. The fact is he turns
out an incomparable King, and deserves all the encomiums that are
lavished on him. All the mountebankery which signalised his
conduct when he came to the throne has passed away with the
excitement which caused it, and he is as dignified as the
homeliness and simplicity of his character will allow him to be.
I understand he sent for Lord Spencer in the course of the day,
who probably said he could not undertake anything, for he
afterwards sent for Lord Grey (after the House of Lords), and as
he must have been very well prepared, it is probable that a new
Government will be speedily formed.

I went to Lady Jersey's in the evening, when she was or affected
to be very gay and very glad that the Duke was out. I found there
the Prince of Orange,