nd his wife;' that
he had not been prepared for the tranquillity and contentment
that he found on his return to England; that he was as great a
Radical as anybody, that is, that if ever the voice of the nation
should be as clearly and universally pronounced for reform of the
House of Lords, or any other great change, as it had been for the
Reform Bill, he should be for it too, but that now he did not
think it worth while to give such projects a thought, and it no
more occurred to him to entertain them in this country than it
would to advocate the establishment of a representative
government in Turkey, or a monarchy and hereditary peerage in
America. I told him that I did not see how a coalition was
feasible, or how conflicting pretensions could be adjusted. He
said it seemed to be a matter of course that Peel must lead the
House of Commons. I said that the other alternative the
Government had was to get rid of some of its lumber, and take in
him, Morpeth, and Sir George Grey, and so present a more
respectable front--to which he said nothing.

[16] [Mr. Macaulay returned to England from his official
residence in India, in June 1838.]

[Page Head: THE RECEPTION OF MARSHAL SOULT.]

It is really curious to see the manner in which Soult has been
received here, not only with every sort of attention and respect
by persons in the most respectable ranks in life, members of all
the great trading and commercial bodies, but with enthusiasm by
the common people; they flock about him, cheer him vociferously,
and at the review in the park he was obliged to abandon both his
hands to be shaken by those around him. The old soldier is
touched to the quick at this generous reception, and has given
utterance to his gratitude and his sensibility on several
occasions in very apt terms. It is creditable to John Bull, but I
am at a loss to understand why he is so desperately fond of
Soult; but Johnny is a gentleman who generally does things in
excess, and seldom anything by halves. In the present instance it
is a very good thing, and must be taken as a national compliment
and as evidence of national goodwill towards France, which cannot
fail to make a corresponding impression in that country. But the
French will not meet us cordially and frankly and with an equally
amicable spirit; they are not such good fellows as the English;
they have more vanity and jealousy, and are not so hearty; still
it will not be without effect.