he can do no wrong?  This doctrine would make a curious change of parties.  Will they attempt to legitimize the Fitz Clarences?  God forbid!  Yet it may end in that,—­it would be Paris all over.  The family is said to have popular qualities.  Then what would be the remedy?  Marry! seize on the person of the Princess Victoria, carrying her north and setting up the banner of England with the Duke of W. as dictator!  Well, I am too old to fight, and therefore should keep the windy side of the law; besides, I shall be buried before times come to a decision.  In the meantime the King dare not go to stand godfather to the son of one of his most powerful peers, a party of his own making, lest his loving subjects pull the house about the ears of his noble host and the company invited to meet him.  Their loyalty has a pleasant way of displaying itself.  I will go to Westminster after breakfast and see what people are saying, and whether the Barham is likely to sail, or whether its course is not altered to the coast of the Low Countries instead of the Mediterranean.

October 14.—­Tried to walk to Lady Louisa Stuart’s, but took a little vertigo and came back.  Much disturbed by a letter from Walter.  He is like to be sent on an obnoxious service with very inadequate force, little prospect of thanks if he does his duty, and much of blame if he is unable to accomplish it.  I have little doubt he will ware his mother’s calf-skin on them.

The manufacturing districts are in great danger.  London seems pretty secure.  Sent off the revise of introduction to Mr. Cadell.[469]

October 16.—­A letter from Walter with better news.  He has been at hard-heads with the rogues and come off with advantage; in short, practised with success the art of drawing two souls out of one weaver.[470] All seems quiet now, and I suppose the Major will get his leave as proposed.  Two ladies—­[one] Byron’s Mary Chaworth—­have been frightened to death while the mob tore the dying creatures from their beds and proposed to throw them into the flames, drank the wine, destroyed the furniture, and committed other excesses of a jacquerie.[471] They have been put down, however, by a strong force of yeomanry and regulars.  Walter says the soldiers fired over the people’s heads, whereas if they had levelled low, the bullets must have told more among the multitude.  I cannot approve of this, for in such cases severity is ultimate mercy.[472] However, if they have made a sufficient impression to be striking—­why, enough is as good as a feast.

There is a strange story about town of ghost-seeing vouched by Lord Prudhoe, a near relation of the Duke of Northumberland, and whom I know as an honourable man.  A colonel described as a cool-headed sensible man of worth and honour, Palgrave, who dined with us yesterday, told us twice over the story as vouched by Lord Prudhoe, and Lockhart gave us Colonel Felix’s edition, which coincided exactly.  I will endeavour