s and his allusions are rather
too abrupt; he starts topics not altogether naturally; then he
has none of the graces of conversation, none of that exquisite
tact and refinement which are the result of a felicitous
intuition or a long acquaintance with good society, or more
probably a mixture of both. The mighty mass of his knowledge is
not animated by that subtle spirit of taste and discretion which
alone can give it the qualities of lightness and elasticity, and
without which, though he may have the power of instructing and
astonishing, he never will attain that of delighting and
captivating his hearers. The dinner was agreeable, and enlivened
by a squabble between Lady Holland and Allen, at which we were
all ready to die of laughing. He jeered at something she said as
brutal, and chuckled at his own wit.

Shepperton, August 31st, 1832 {p.318}

I came here last Sunday to see my father, who (my mother wrote me
word) had been unwell for a day or two. I got here at four o'clock
(having called on Madame de Lieven at Richmond on the way), and
when I arrived I found my father at the point of death. He was
attacked as he had often been before; medicines afforded him no
relief, and nothing would stay on his stomach. On Saturday violent
spasms came on, which occasioned him dreadful pain; they continued
intermittingly till Sunday afternoon, when as they took him out of
bed to put him in a warm bath, he fainted. From this state of
insensibility he never recovered, and at half-past twelve o'clock
he expired. My brothers were both here. I sent an express for my
sister, who was at Malvern, and she arrived on Tuesday morning.
Dr. Dowdeswell was in the house, and he stayed on with us and did
all that was required. This morning he was buried in the church of
this village, close to the house, in the simplest manner, and was
followed to the grave by my brothers and brother-in-law,
Dowdeswell, Ives, the doctor who attended him, and the servants.
He had long been ailing, and at his age (nearly 70 years) this
event was not extraordinary, but it was shocking, because so
sudden and unexpected, and no idea of danger was entertained by
himself or those about him. My father had some faults and many
foibles, but he was exposed to great disadvantages in early youth;
his education was neglected and his disposition was spoilt. His
father was useless, and worse than useless, as a parent, and his
mother (a woman of extraordinary capacity and mer