use in risking the hurt or ridicule of a fall
for one day. A man who goes out in this casual way and hurts
himself looks as foolish as an amateur soldier who gets wounded
in a battle in which he is tempted by curiosity to mingle. So I
rode with the mob, saw a great deal of galloping about and the
hounds conveniently running over hills and vales all in sight,
and then came home. They said a thousand people were out, many
attracted by the expectation of the Duke of Wellington's
appearing, but he was rheumatic and could not come out. He is
incessantly employed in writing military statements and
memoranda, having been consulted by the Government, or probably
by Lord Hill on behalf of the Government, both on this Canadian
question, and on the general government of the army, and he will
take as much pains to give useful advice to Melbourne's
Government as if he and Peel were in office. There never was a
man who so entirely sank all party considerations in national
objects, and he has had the glory of living to hear this
universally acknowledged. Brougham said of him, 'That man's first
object is to serve his country, with a sword if necessary, or
with a pick-axe.' He also said of the Duke's Despatches, 'They
will be remembered when I and others (mentioning some of the most
eminent men) will be forgotten.' Aberdeen told the Duke this, and
he replied with the greatest simplicity, 'It is very true: when I
read them I was myself astonished, and I can't think how the
devil I could have written them.' This is very characteristic,
very curious from a man who has not one grain of conceit in his
disposition; but really great men are equally free from undue
vanity or affected modesty, and know very well the value of what
they do.

Last night I sat next to Lord FitzGerald at dinner, who said that
if ever his memoirs appeared (he did not say that any existed)
they would contain many curious things, and among them the proofs
that the events which were supposed to have been the proximate
cause of the Catholic question being carried were not the real
cause, and that the resolution of the Duke of Wellington is
traceable to other sources, which he could not reveal.

Melton, January 7th, 1838 (Lord Wilton's house) {p.046}

I came here to-day from Belvoir. Last night the Duke of
Wellington narrated the battle of Toulouse and other Peninsular
recollections. All the room collected round him, listening with
eager curiosity, but I was playin