itical opinions; and he took a correct view of
his constitutional obligations, for although he continued his
confidence to the Duke of Wellington unabated to the last, he
transferred it as entirely to Lord Grey when the Whigs came in.
He went on with his second Ministry as cordially as he had done
with his first, nor does it appear that he took fright at their
extensive plans of reform when they were first promulgated. He
was probably bit by the popularity which the Reform Bill procured
him, and it was not until he had gone too far to recede with
safety that he was roused from his state of measureless content
and unthinking security. The roar of the mighty conflict which
the Reform Bill brought on filled him with dismay, and very soon
with detestation of the principles of which he had unwittingly
permitted himself to be the professor and the promoter; and as
these feelings and apprehensions were continually stimulated by
almost all the members of his family, legitimate and
illegitimate, they led him into those unavailing struggles which
embroiled him with his Ministers, rendered him obnoxious to the
Liberal party, compromised the dignity of the Crown and the
tranquillity of the country, and grievously embittered the latter
years of his life. But although King William was sometimes weak,
sometimes obstinate, and miserably deficient in penetration and
judgement, he was manly, sincere, honest, and straightforward.
The most painful moment of his life, and the greatest humiliation
to which a king ever submitted, must have been when he again
received the Whig Ministers in 1835; but it is to the credit of
Lord Melbourne, as well as of the King, that their subsequent
personal intercourse was not disagreeable to either, and greatly
to the King's honour that he has never been accused or suspected
of any underhand or indirect proceeding for the purpose of
emancipating himself from a thraldom so galling. Of political
dexterity and artifice he was altogether incapable, and although,
if he had been false, able, and artful, he might have caused more
perplexity to his Whig Government and have played a better party
game, it is perhaps fortunate for the country, and certainly
happy for his own reputation, that his virtues thus predominated
over his talents. The most remarkable foible of the late King was
his passion for speechifying, and I have recorded some of his
curious exhibitions in this way. He had considerable facility in
expres