oundness (when the reporters have lopped off the redundancies
and trimmed them according to their fashion) seem to be
unimpaired. It is, however, a serious and melancholy thing to
contemplate the possibly approaching decay of that great mind,
and I find he always contemplates it himself, his mother's mind
having failed some years before her death. It will be sad if,
after exploits as brilliant as Marlborough's, and a career far
more important, useful, and honourable, he should be destined for
an end like Marlborough's, and it is devoutly to be hoped that
his eyes may be closed in death before 'streams of dotage' shall
begin to flow from them. The Tories, with whom nothing goes down
but violence, were delighted with his angry vein, and see proofs
of vigour in what his opponents consider as evidence of decay;
his bodily health is wonderfully good, which is perhaps rather
alarming than reassuring as to the safety of his mind.

July 22nd, 1839 {p.225}

[Page Head: RADICAL MAGISTRATES.]

I met the Duke yesterday at dinner and had much talk with him. He
is very desponding about the state of the country and the
condition in which the Government have placed it. He complains of
its defenceless situation from their carrying on a war (Canada)
with a peace establishment; consequently that the few troops we
have are harassed to death with duty, and in case of a serious
outbreak that there is no disposable force to quell it; that the
Government are ruled by factions, political and religious. On
Saturday they had been beaten on a question relating to the Poor
Laws[5] of great importance; and he said that they must be
supported in this, and extricated from the difficulty. I was glad
to meet him and see (for it is some time since I have talked to
him) whether there was any perceptible change in his manner or
any symptom indicative of decay. Without there being anything
tangible or very remarkable, I received the impression that there
was not exactly the same vigour of mind which I have been used to
admire in him, and what he said did not appear to me indicative
of the strong sense and acuteness which characterise him. If he
has no attack, I dare say he will be able to continue to act his
part with efficacy for a long time to come. I asked him in what
manner Government would prosecute the inquiry they had promised
into the conduct of the Birmingham magistrates? He said what they
ought to do was to order the Attorney-General to pro