Volume II Part 14 (2/2)

[3] [This account of Leopold's arrival in Belgiu contrast to Baron Stockmar's narrative of the same occurrence in his 'Memoirs,' p

180 Unquestionably Leopold showed far ave hiht or consequence' froiven him the air of a puppet and a British no entered Brussels on the 21st of July, and ell received On the 4th of August the Dutch broke the truce and invaded Belgiuainst so sudden a movement, and the Arust The King then clailand in defence of the neutrality and independence of Belgiuhteen articles under which he had accepted the Crown But the passage in the text is curious, because it sho little confidence was felt at that time in a prince who turned out to be one of the ablest rulers and politicians of his tiht_--Lord Grey was attacked by Aberdeen to-night on his foreign policy, and particularly about Portugal, and he is said to have made a splendid speech Sir Henry Seton arrived fro on, and he is bent on fighting at present Abercromby, who is come likewise, reports that he has 50,000 or 60,000 ust 9th, 1831 {p178}

On Saturday ence that on the French King's hearing of the Dutch invasion he ordered Marshal Gerard, with 50,000 reat was the alarm here: the funds fell and everybody was prepared for immediate war In the afternoon I called upon Lord Grey at East Sheen (into him about the coronation, and found him with a more cheerful countenance than I expected He did not appear alarmed at what the French had done, and very well satisfied with the uarantee and proclaiian independence, and the King had previously received the Belgian Minister I told hiht Leopold's folly had been the cause of it, and that his speeches about Luxe a pretext He said, not at all, and that the King of Holland would have done this under any circuh I did not think it necessary to say so[4]

[4] [Lord Grey's composure was mainly due to the entire confidence he felt in the honour of the Duc de Broglie, then French Minister of Foreign Affairs, who had given positive assurances to the British Cabinet that the intervention of France would be confined to the immediate object in view This confidence was equally honourable to both statesmen, and these assurances were faithfully fulfilled]

[Page Head: THE QUEEN'S CROWN]

On Sunday, overtaken by the , crashes of thunder, and the rain descending like a waterspout--I rode to Windsor, to settle with the Queen what sort of crown she would have to be crowned in I was ushered into the King's presence, as sitting at a red table in the sitting-rooarden A picture of Adolphus Fitzclarence was behind hiustus Fitzclarence, in a Greek dress, opposite He sent for the Queen, who cahters, Lady Augusta Erskine, theof Lord Cassilis's son She looked at the drawings, racious way, and said she would have none of our crowns, that she did not like to wear a hired crown, and asked ht that she should I said, 'Mada wore one at his coronation' However she said, 'I do not like it, and I have got jewels enough, so I will have the said to ' 'Oh, no,' she said; 'I shall pay for it alllooked well, but seemed infirm I talked to Taylor afterwards, who said he had very little doubt this storreed that Leopold's folly had been in great measure the cause of it There have been discussions in both Houses, which have in some measure quieted people's apprehensions To-day that ass Lord Londonderry (who has never yet had his s mended from the time they were broken by the iu new these last two days Londonderry's haood The Government wanted to divide, but the Opposition know that it is not their interest to provoke a trial of strength The Ministers, if beaten, would not go out, and they are anxious to see what their opponents' strength is At Court yesterday, when Van de Weyer, the new Belgian Minister, made his appearance I said to Esterhazy, 'You will blow this business over, sha'n't you?' He said, 'Yes, I think we shall _this ti remarkable in the House of Commons but Lord John Russell's declaration that 'this Bill would not be final if it was not found to work as well as the people desired,' which is sufficiently i that hitherto they have always pretended that it was to be final, and that it was ht be so; this has been one of their grand arguo on changing till we get a good fit, and that for a country which will have been ety that it won't stand still to be e, whom I found at dinner at the Athenaeum yesterday, told me he was convinced that a revolution in this country was inevitable; and such is the opinion of others who support this Bill, not because they think concession will avert it, but will let it coradually and with less violence I have always been convinced that the country was in no danger of revolution, and still believe that if one does co of this Bill, which will introduce the principle of change and whet the appetites of those who never will be satisfied with any existing order of things; or if it follows on the rejection of this Bill, which I doubt, it will be owing to the concentration of all the forces that are opposed to our present institutions, and the divisions, jealousies, rivalshi+ps, and consequent weakness of all those who ought to defend them

God only knoill all end There has been but one man for many years past able to arrest this torrent, and that was Canning; and hi that he was their best friend--hunted to death with their besotted and ignorant hostility

[Page Head: ELLEN TREE]

I went to the play last night at a very shabby little house called the City Theatre--a long way beyond the Post Office--to see Ellen Tree act in a translation of 'Une Faute,' one of the best pieces of acting I ever saw This girl will turn out very good if she reht forward at Covent Garden, and I heard last night the reason why

Charles Kereat fancy for her (she is excessively pretty), andher into the best parts, and advancing her in all ways, if she would be propitious to his flaed hi inferior actresses instead If ever she acquires fame, which is very probable, for she has as , and passion as I ever saw, this will be a curious anecdote [She ood looks, and becaust 12th, 1831 {p181}

Yesterday a Committee of Council met to settle the order of the coronation and subht under 30,000 instead of 240,000, which they were last tio along with France, or whether France shall be pulled up; and it is brought to this point by Leopold's having sent to the French to thank them for their aid, but to say that he can do without the they will retire, which they have refused to do It was known yesterday that they are at Mons, and strongly suspected they will not so easily be got out of it; but the French Government will not venture to quarrel with us if we take a peremptory tone It is not, however, clear that the French Government can control the French army; and I have heard it said that if they had not ordered the troops to march, the troops would haveFrance; so a very short ti matters to a crisis, and it will be seen if the Government has authority to check the war party there In the uese shi+ps without any intention of giving them back; and this our Ministers know, and do not remonstrate J asked L if it was true, and he said, 'Oh, yes,' for that having been cous, they were placed in a state of war, and the shi+ps became lawful prizes If it was not for Reform I doubt that this Govern them up In the country it is too clear that there are no symptoms of a reaction, and if a state of indifference can be produced it is all that can be hoped and more than should be expected I do not think the Government by any means responsible for the embroiled state of Europe, but they certainly appear to have no fixed plan or enlightened view of foreign policy, and if they have not been to bla with all the Allies, and endeavouring to keep things quiet, they have not been), they are evidently in great danger of floundering now

Goodwood, August 20th, 1831 {p182}

Here I have been a week to-day for the races, and here I should not be now--for everybody else is gone--if it were not for the gout, which has laidexpeditions I never know anything of politics, and, though I just read the newspapers, have no anecdotes to record of Reforn affairs I never cohtfulness of the place, coe and comfortable house, spacious and beautiful park, extensive views, dry soil, sea air, woods, and rides over downs, and all the facilities of occupation and aely beco Governood sort of e, exercising a istrate, and good, sireat personal influence This is what he is fit for, to be,

With safer pride content, The wisest justice on the banks of Trent,

and not to assist in settling Europe and e Head: REFORM BILL IN DIFFICULTIES]

I find on arriving in town that there is nothing new, but the Bill, which drags its slow length along, is in a bad way; not that it will not pass the Coainst what remains of it Lord Chandos's e a edly on, and are determined to cram it down anyhow, quite indifferent how it is to work and quite ignorant As to foreign affairs, the Ministers trust to blunder through the, like Sir Abel Handy in the play, that the fire 'will go out of itself' Sefton has just been here, who talks blusteringly of the Peers that are to be made, no matter at what cost of character to the House of Lords, anything rather than be beaten; but I a In such matters as these he is (however sharp) no better than a fool--no knowledge, no information, no reflection or combination; prejudices, partialities, and sneers are what his political wisdom consists of; but he is Lord Grey's _aust 28th, 1831 {p183}