Tory Loyalty--
Unpopularity of Government--Brougham's Letter to the Duke of
Bedford--Character of John, Duke of Bedford--Brougham at the
Dover Dinner--Brougham and Macaulay--The Duke's Decline--Duke
of Wellington consulted on Indian and Spanish Affairs--Baron
Brunnow arrives in England--False Reports of Lord Brougham's
Death--Insulting Speeches of the Tories--Holland House--Lord
Brougham and Lord Holland--The Queen's Marriage is announced--
Remarkable Anecdote of the Duke of Wellington--The Mayor of
Newport at Windsor--Ampthill--Lord John Russell's Borough
Magistrates--Lord Clarendon's Advice to his Colleagues--
Prospects of the Government--Opening of the Session--Duel of
Mr. Bradshaw and Mr. Horsman--Lord Lyndhurst's View of
Affairs--Prince Albert's Household--The Privilege Question--
Prince Albert's Allowance--Precedence of Prince Albert--Lord
John Russell and Sir Robert Peel--Judgement on the Newport
Prisoners--A Vote of Want of Confidence moved--The Newport
Prisoners--Prince Albert's Precedency--Sir Robert Peel and his
Party--Sir Robert Peel's Speech and Declaration--Precedence
Question--The Queen's Marriage--Illness of the Duke of
Wellington--The Precedence Question settled--The Duke opposed
to Peel on the Privilege Question--Change in the Health of the
Duke--Prince Albert's Name in the Liturgy--Success of Pamphlet
on Precedence--Judicial Committee Bill--Lord Dudley's Letters--
Amendment of Judicial Committee--King's Sons born Privy
Councillors, other Princes sworn--The Duke returns to London--
Lord Melbourne's Opinion on Journals.

August 15th, 1839 {p.231}

[Page Head: A SINKING MINISTRY.]

This eventful Session and season has at length closed, Lyndhurst
having wound up by a _resume_ of the acts of the Government, in
one of those 'exercitations,' as Melbourne calls them, which are
equally pungent for their severity, and admirable for their
lucidity. Melbourne made a bitter reply, full of personalities,
against Lyndhurst, but offering a meagre defence for himself and
his colleagues. Those who watch the course of events, and who
occasionally peep behind the curtain, have but a sorry spectacle
to contemplate:--a Government miserably weak, dragging on a
sickly existence, now endeavouring to curry a little favour with
one party, now with another; so unused to stand, and so incapable
of standing, on any great principles, that at last they have, or
appear to