ntwerp is evacuated
by the Dutch and the Duchesse de Berri departed out of France or
taken. This heroine, much to the annoyance of her family, is
dodging about in La Vendee and doing rather harm than good to her
cause. The Dauphiness passed through London, when our Queen very
politely went to visit her. She has not a shadow of doubt of the
restoration of her nephew, and thinks nothing questionable but
the time. She told Madame de Lieven this. I talked to Madame de
Lieven about war, and added that if any did break out it would be
the war of opinion which Canning had predicted. She said yes, and
that the monarchical principle (as she calls the absolute
principle) would then crush the other.

[Page Head: CONVERSATION WITH LORD MELBOURNE.]

I came up with Melbourne to London. He is uneasy about the state
of the country--about the desire for change and the general
restlessness that prevails. We discussed the different members of
the Government, and he agreed that John Russell had acted
unwarrantably in making the speech he did the other day at Torquay
about the Ballot, which, though hypothetical, was nothing but an
invitation to the advocates of Ballot to agitate for it; this,
too, from a Cabinet Minister! Then comes an awkward sort of
explanation, that what he said was in his _individual_ capacity,
as if he had any right so to speak. Melbourne spoke of Brougham,
who he said was tossed about in perpetual caprices, that he was
fanciful and sensitive, and actuated by all sorts of littlenesses,
even with regard to people so insignificant that it is difficult
to conceive how he can ever think about them; that he is
conservative, but under the influence of his old connexions,
particularly of the Saints. His friends are so often changed that
it is not easy to follow him in this respect. Durham used to be
one; now he hates him; he has a high opinion of Sefton! of his
judgment!! What is talent, what are great abilities, when one sees
the gigantic intellect of Brougham so at fault? Not only does the
world manage to go on when little wisdom guides it, but how ill it
may go on with a great deal of _talent_, which, however, is
different from _wisdom_. He asked me what I thought of Richmond,
and I told him that he was ignorant and narrow-minded, but a good
sort of fellow, only appearing to me, who had known him all my
life, in an odd place as a Cabinet Minister. He said he was sharp,
quick, the King liked him, and he stood up to Durh