.']

January 22nd, 1840 {p.255}

Dined at Lady Blessington's the day before yesterday: a queer
_omnium gatherum_ party--Prince Louis Napoleon, General
Montholon, Lord Lyndhurst, Brougham, Sir Robert Wilson, Leader,
and Roebuck. Droll to see Lyndhurst, the most execrated of the
Tories, hand-and-glove, and cracking his jokes, with the two
Radicals. After dinner I had a talk with him. He said the Duke
had been all against the motion on the 28th, but that unless they
had agreed to it, the party would have been broken up; said he
did not care about coming in. If they did, a dissolution would
give them a majority of sixty, but that this would not enable
them to stand against the Queen's hostility and determination to
trip up their heels whenever she could;[17] that the Opposition
would become more Radical, the Queen herself Radical; they should
be driven out, and the country ruined. He thought the Duke strong
in body and clear in mind, but more excitable. I said I thought
that to those who knew him a change was perceptible; that it was
impossible to cite any particular thing in proof of it; but that
conversation with him left such an impression. Lyndhurst replied
that this was exactly his own opinion, but that the Duke's
authority with the party was undiminished, and indispensably
necessary to keep them together. The Tories are very angry with
Peel for taking such a strong part as he has done on the
Privilege question, which nothing but his influence prevents
their turning into a regular party debate. The House has gone
floundering on upon it, wasting a great deal of time and
ingenious speaking, and having got into a difficulty from which
there is no convenient extrication.

[17] [A very erroneous prediction. They did come in in the
following year, and the Queen gave her entire
confidence and support to Sir Robert Peel's
Government.]

The Judges are much censured for their behaviour at Newport:[18]
first, for not themselves deciding the point that was raised;
next, for not asking the jury for the reasons of their
recommending the criminals to mercy; and the Chief Justice's
charge to the jury was thought a very weak and poor performance.

[18] [This relates to the trial of Frost and others by a
Special Commission at Newport for the riots of the
preceding year.]

Yesterday morning[19] the Duke of Bedford came to me, to beg I
would suggest some Lord for the