s not indisposed to Wood's compromise, and I trust this
will be settled, but he still leans to putting off the second
reading till after Easter, and if the Tories also resolve upon
that (which they are mightily disposed to do) he will not separate
from them on that point, and they are sure to carry it. Unless
this was accompanied with some declaration from them that they
would be disposed to concede the great principles of the Bill, I
think the Government would consider it such an indication of
hostility as to call for an immediate creation of Peers, and I
doubt whether the King could or would resist. There are many
reasons why it would be desirable to make the second reading a
resting-place, and adjourn then till after Easter, provided all
parties consented, but it would be very unwise to make it the
subject of a contest, and nobody would ever believe that the real
reason was not to get rid of Schedule A by hook or by crook, or of
a good deal of it. Harrowby will, I am sure, not divide against
them on this, and they will not give it up; that there are means
of resistance, if they were judiciously applied, I am sure, and if
there were temper, discretion, and cordiality, the Bill might be
licked into a very decent shape.

[3] [This Cabinet minute of the 3rd of April, 1832, and the
King's remarks upon it, have been printed in the
'Correspondence of William IV. and Earl Grey,' vol. ii.
p. 307.]

[Page Head: 'THE HUNCHBACK.'.]

I went to see Sheridan Knowles' new play the other night, 'The
Hunchback.' Very good, and a great success. Miss Fanny Kemble
acted really well--for the first time, in my opinion, great
acting. I have not seen anything since Mrs. Siddons (and perhaps
Miss O'Neill) so good.

The Duke of Wellington made a very good speech on Irish affairs
on Friday, one of his best, and he speaks admirably _to points_
sometimes and on subjects he understands. I wish he had let alone
that Irish Education--disgraceful humbug and cant. I don't know
that there is anything else particularly new. Orloff is made a
great rout with, but he don't ratify. The real truth is that the
King of Holland holds out, and the other Powers delay till they
see the result of our Reform Bill, thinking that the Duke of
Wellington may return to power, and then they may make better
terms for Holland and dictate to Belgium and to France. If the
Reform Bill is carried, and Government stays in, they will
ra