October 9.—­The report to-day is that the Chancellor[468] will unite with the Duke of Wellington and Sir Robert Peel to bring in a Bill of his own concocting, modified to the taste of the other two, with which some think they will be satisfied.  This is not very unlikely, for Lord Brougham has been displeased with not having been admitted to Lord John Russell’s task of bill-drawing.  He is a man of unbounded ambition, as well as unbounded talent and [uncertain] temper.  There have been hosts of people here, particularly the Duke of Buccleuch, to ask me to the christening of his son and heir, when the King stands godfather.  I am asked as an ally and friend of the family, which makes the compliment greater.  Singular that I should have stood godfather to this Duke himself, representing some great man.

October 10.—­Yesterday we dined alone, so I had an opportunity of speaking seriously to John; but I fear procrastination.  It is the cry of Friar Bacon’s Brazen head, time is—­time was; but the time may soon come—­time shall be no more.  The Whigs are not very bold, not much above a hundred met to support Lord Grey to the last.  Their resolutions are moderate, probably because they could not have carried stronger.  I went to breakfast at Sir Robert Henry Inglis’, and coming home about twelve found the mob rising in the Regent’s Park, and roaring for Reform as rationally as a party of Angusshire cattle would have done.

Sophia seemed to act as the jolly host in the play.  “These are my windows,” and, shutting the shutters, “let them batter—­I care not serving the good Duke of Norfolk.”  After a time they passed out of our sight, hurrying doubtless to seek a more active scene of reformation.  As the night closed, the citizens who had hitherto contented themselves with shouting, became more active, and when it grew dark set forth to make work for the glaziers.

October 11, Tuesday.—­We set out in the morning to breakfast with Lady Gifford.  We passed several glorious specimens of the last night’s feats of the reformers.  The Duke of Newcastle’s and Lord Dudley’s houses were sufficiently broken.  The maidens, however, had resisted, and from the top of the house with coals, which had greatly embarrassed the assembled mob.  Surely if the people are determined on using a right so questionable, and the Government resolved to consider it as too sacred to be resisted, some modes of resistance might be resorted to of a character more ludicrous than firearms,—­coals, for example, scalding oil, boiling water, or some other mode of defence against a sudden attack.  We breakfasted with a very pleasant party at Lady Gifford’s.  I was particularly happy to meet Lord Sidmouth; at seventy-five, he tells me, as much in health and spirits as at sixty.  I also met Captain Basil Hall, to whom I owe so much for promoting my retreat in so easy a manner.  I found my appointment to the Barham