Like his more brilliant
brother, Lord Stowell, he was the artificer of his own fortune,
and few men ever ran a course of more unchequered prosperity. As
a politician, he appears to have been consistent throughout, and
to have offered a determined and uniform opposition to every
measure of a Liberal description. He knew of no principles but
those (if they merit the name of principles) of the narrowest
Toryism and of High Church, and as soon as more enlarged and
enlightened views began to obtain ascendency, he quitted (and for
ever) public life. I suppose he was a very great lawyer, but he
was certainly a contemptible statesman. He was a very cheerful,
good-natured old man, loving to talk, and telling anecdotes with
considerable humour and point. I remember very often during the
many tedious hours the Prince Regent kept the Lords of the
Council waiting at Carlton House, that the Chancellor used to
beguile the time with amusing stories of his early professional
life, and anecdotes of celebrated lawyers, which he told
extremely well. He lived long enough to see the overthrow of the
system of which he had been one of the most strenuous supporters,
the triumph of all the principles which he dreaded and abhorred,
and the elevation of all the men to whom, through life, he had
been most adverse, both personally and politically. He little
expected in 1820, when he was presiding at Queen Caroline's
trial, that he should live to see her Attorney-General on the
Woolsack, and her Solicitor-General Chief Justice of England.

CHAPTER II.

Debates on the Canada Bill--Moderation of the Duke of
Wellington--State of Canada--Lord Durham's Position--Weakness
of the Government--Parallel of Hannibal and the Duke of
Wellington--The Ballot--Lord Brougham on the Ballot--Position
of the Government--Policy of Sir Robert Peel--Death of Mr.
Creevey--Knighthood of General Evans--Lord Brougham's
Conversation--A Skirmish in the House of Commons--Defeat of
Government--Skirmish in the House of Lords--Annoyance of Peel
at these Proceedings--Brougham's Anti-Slavery Speech--
Opposition Tactics--Brougham on the Coolie Trade--Ministerial
Success--Sir Robert Peel's Tactics--Composition of Parties--A
Dinner at Buckingham Palace--Men of Science--The Lord Mayor at
a Council--The Queen at a Levee--The Guiana Apprentices--Small
_v._ Attwood reversed--Character of the Queen--Wilkie's Picture
of the 'Fi