“I am glad Tom has reviewed old John Bunyan.  Many are reading it who never read it before.  Yesterday, as he was sitting in the Athenaeum, a gentleman called out:  ’Waiter, is there a copy of the Pilgrim’s Progress in the library?’ As might be expected, there was not.

“February 12, 1832.—­This evening Tom came in, Hannah and I being alone.  He was in high boyish spirits.  He had seen Lord Lansdowne in the morning, who had requested to speak with him.  His Lordship said that he wished to have a talk about his taking office, not with any particular thing in view, as there was no vacancy at present, and none expected, but that he should be glad to know his wishes in order that he might be more able to serve him in them.

“Tom, in answer, took rather a high tone.  He said he was a poor man, but that he had as much as he wanted, and, as far as he was personally concerned, had no desire for office.  At the same time he thought that, after the Reform Bill had passed, it would be absolutely necessary that the Government should be strengthened; that he was of opinion that he could do it good service; that he approved of its general principles, and should not be unwilling to join it.  Lord Lansdowne said that they all,—­and he particularly mentioned Lord Grey,—­felt of what importance to them his help was, and that he now perfectly understood his views.

“February 13, 1832.—­It has been much reported, and has even appeared in the newspapers, that the Ministers were doing what they could to get Mr. Robert Grant out of the way to make room for Tom.  Last Sunday week it was stated in the John Bull that Madras had been offered to the Judge Advocate for this purpose, but that he had refused it.  Two or three nights since, Tom, in endeavouring to get to a high bench in the House, stumbled over Mr. Robert Grant’s legs, as he was stretched out half asleep.  Being roused he apologised in the usual manner, and then added, oddly enough:  ’I am very sorry, indeed, to stand in the way of your mounting.’

“March 15, 1832.—­Yesterday Hannah and I spent a very agreeable afternoon with Tom.

“He began to talk of his idleness.  He really came and dawdled with us all day long; he had not written a line of his review of Burleigh’s Life, and he shrank from beginning on such a great work.  I asked him to put it by for the present, and write a light article on novels.  This he seemed to think he should like, and said he could get up an article on Richardson in a very short time, but he knew of no book that he could hang it on.  Hannah advised that he should place at the head of this article a fictitious title in Italian of a critique on Clarissa Harlowe, published at Venice.  He seemed taken with this idea, but said that, if he did such a thing, he must never let his dearest friend know.

“I was amused with a parody of Tom’s on the nursery song ’Twenty pounds shall marry me,’ as applied to the creation of Peers.