“. . . Grey says the King’s conduct was perfect—not in giving an unqualified assent, as a constitutional King might to any Minister who happened to be so at the time; but he bestowed much time and thought in going over every part of the plan, examined its bearings, asked most sensible questions, and, being quite satisfied with everything Grey urged in its support, pledged himself irrevocably to do the same. . . . Grey said, too, the Queen was evidently better with him. It seems that her manners to him at first were distant and reserved, so that he could not avoid concluding that the change of Government was a subject of regret to her. This was an appalling reflection for a reforming minister, but he satisfied himself that she has no influence over the King, and that, in fact, he never even mentions politicks to her, much less consults her—that her influence over him as to his manners has been very great and highly beneficial, but there it stops. . . . Well, you see the Government lost no time last night in giving their notices—Vaux* to reform the Court of Chancery—Melbourne to make new laws in favor of Ireland, and Althorp
* Brougham, as Lord Chancellor, had entered the House of Lords as Lord Brougham and Vaux, which gave his enemies the opportunity of declaring that he ought to have been “Vaux et prœterea nihil.” |
| 1830-31.] | A PARTY IN DOWNING STREET. | 217 |
“Sefton had a good conversation with Lady Grey, and my lord too, last night. It seems the Dino* came there from Leach’s, and Sefton heard her entreating Lady Grey to use her influence with Lady Durham to let her boy, and I believe a little girl, to come to a child’s ball at the Dino’s on Monday next. So when Lord Grey was handing the Dino to her carriage, Sefton and Lady Grey being left alone, the latter said to him:—‘Was there ever anything like the absurdities of Lambton? He not only won’t be introduced to Mons. Talleyrand and Madame de Dino, but he chooses to be as rude as possible to them whenever he meets them.’—‘Good God!’ said Sefton, ‘what can that possibly mean?’—‘Why because he chooses to be affronted that they did not ask to be introduced to him before he was in office,† and now that he is so, he insists upon Louisa‡ having nothing to do with Madame de Dino. Just as Lady Grey was finishing, Grey returned, and she said—‘I was telling Lord Sefton of Lambton’s nonsense;’ and then they both joined in abusing him, as well they might. Did you ever, in the whole history of mankind, hear of such a presumptuous puppy? However, I hope he will go on offending Lord and Lady Grey, and be himself out of [illegible]. I declare I know of no event that would be more favorable to Lord Grey’s government. I am delighted at that other puppy Agar Ellis§ being obliged from ill health to give up the Woods and Forests, and still more delighted that the excellent Duncannon has got it. . . . You know that the Queen would not let old Mother St. Albans‖ come to her ball at the Pavilion, tho’ there were 830 people there!”
