h Brougham
had been a party to proposing.

I dined yesterday at Lambeth, at the Archbishop's public dinner,
the handsomest entertainment I ever saw. There were nearly a
hundred people present, all full-dressed or in uniform. Nothing
can be more dignified and splendid than the whole arrangement,
and the dinner was well served and very good. The Archbishop is a
very meek and quiet man, not dignified, but very civil and
attentive. It is excessively well worth seeing.[7]

[7] [These archiepiscopal dinners were public: anyone could
go who thought proper to put down his name, which, of
course, nobody did without some claim to be there. The
practice ended with Archbishop Howley.]

On Friday night the Bishop of Norwich (Stanley) stood up and
fought the Bishop of Exeter, in the House of Lords, with great
success, upon the Irish education question.

June 3rd, 1838 {p.100}

[Page Head: IRISH CORPORATIONS.]

On Tuesday last all was harmony in the House of Commons. Peel
made a speech, in which he announced his disposition to come to a
compromise, and settle all the Irish questions. Lord John
answered in a corresponding strain of conciliation, and it was
generally understood that everything should be quietly settled,
not, however, to the satisfaction of the Tory tail, much growling
being heard, both in the newspapers and among the low retainers
of the party. (Stanley told somebody, who told me, that he
thought this the best speech he ever heard Peel make.) But on
Friday night this serene sky was overcast with clouds, and all is
thrown into doubt and difficulty again. They are quarrelling
about the qualification, and angry words were bandied about.[8]
O'Connell and Sheil were abusive, though Peel and Lord John both
kept their tempers. It is supposed that the Tory party have been
so urgent, that Peel is obliged to take up this ground. When they
have gone so far towards a settlement, it is probable that some
mode will be hit upon for arranging the difficulty. The mob of
Tories would be rejoiced to see everything fall to the ground.
'Thank God,' said one the other night, after the renewal of
hostilities, 'there is an end of compromise.' I am disposed on
the whole (but very imperfectly informed) to think that John
Russell is right and Peel wrong, and that the former has made all
the concessions that ought to be required of him and that he can
afford to make.

[8] [The measure before