“The dinner, and the dessert when the servants were removed, were delightful. How I wish my dear Susanna and Fredy[[109]] could meet this wonderful man when he is easy, happy, and with people he cordially likes! But politics, even on his own side, must always be excluded; his irritability is so terrible on that theme that it gives immediately to his face the expression of a man who is going to defend himself from murderers....
“Charles Fox being mentioned, Mrs. Crewe told us that he had lately said, upon being shown some passage in Mr. Burke’s book which he had warmly opposed, but which had, in the event, made its own justification, very candidly, ‘Well! Burke is right—but Burke is often right, only he is right too soon.’
“‘Had Fox seen some things in that book,’ answered Mr. Burke, ‘as soon, he would at this moment, in all probability, be first minister of this country.’
“‘What!’ cried Mrs. Crewe, ‘with Pitt?—No!—no!—Pitt won’t go out, and Charles Fox will never make a coalition with Pitt.’
“‘And why not?’ said Mr. Burke dryly! ‘why not this coalition as well as other coalitions?’
“Nobody tried to answer this.
“‘Charles Fox, however,’ said Mr. Burke, afterwards, ‘can never internally like the French Revolution. He is entangled; but, in himself, if he should find no other objection to it, he has at least too much taste for such a revolution.’...
“Mr. Richard Burke related, very comically, various censures cast upon his brother, accusing him of being the friend of despots, and the abettor of slavery, because he had been shocked at the imprisonment of the King of France, and was anxious to preserve our own limited monarchy in the same state in which it so long had flourished.
“Mr. Burke looked half alarmed at his brother’s opening, but, when he had finished, he very good-humouredly poured out a glass of wine, and, turning to me, said, ‘Come, then—here’s slavery for ever!’ This was well understood, and echoed round the table with hearty laughter.
“‘This would do for you completely, Mr. Burke,’ said Mrs. Crewe, ‘if it could get into a newspaper! Mr. Burke, they would say, has now spoken out; the truth has come to light unguardedly, and his real defection from the cause of true liberty is acknowledged. I should like to draw up the paragraph!’