29th January, 1798.—Lord Lansdown, Misses Vernon and Fox, Messrs Lewis, Jekyll,[189] and Beauclerk dined here. Ld. L. never dines out, so his coming was a distinguished mark of favour. His character is a monstrous compound of virtues and failings; the world has never done him justice for his ample portion of the former. A simple, well-meaning man once said, ‘What a pity ’tis that Mr. Fox has no private character, and Ld. L. no public one.’ His temper is violent, and his disposition suspicious; a man with whom it is impossible to live upon an equality, as he expects a deference to his will that few are willing to yield further than his rank and years demand. He is of a noble, generous inclination when he can serve a friend, and all who have been connected with him have felt his liberality in some shape or other. There are those whose fortunes he has made and whose families he has provided for with splendour even. His disputes with Ld. Wycombe ought not to prove him unreasonable, for he has an eccentric and impracticable character to deal with, who is to the full as suspicious as himself and as jealous of control. The collision of two such dispositions frequently kindles up a furious flame, but at the bottom each loves the other too well for the rage to settle into permanent estrangement, but every moment of each of their lives is embittered by interference on one part and resistance on the other.
Ld. L., in his old age, surrounded with dignities and wealth, is helpless, and more an object of pity than of envy. He has no friend. Colonel Barré, who went through life with him, he has broken with; the cause of their quarrel is a mystery. He loves the society of women, and has lost two wives. His son, whom he meant to make a tool for his ambition and to live over again in his political career, shuns the line he designed him for, and is an alien to his country. The character of his second son[190] is not yet developed. His home is a vast solitude, and but for the three ladies must be insufferable. Old age and the whole train of infirmities is coming on apace, and he must pass through many wretched hours without hearing the tender, cheering voice of friendship to soothe him. He always makes me melancholy, to fancy the anguish he must at times endure. When he was in Ministry many of the squibs of the day had compared him to the Jesuit Malagrida. Goldsmith, with his usual simplicity, said to him, ‘I wonder, my Lord, at their comparing you to Malagrida, for he was a very honest man.’
DUKE OF NORFOLK’S SPEECH
Nothing is talked of but the numerous meeting upon Mr. Fox’s birthday,[191] and the extraordinary factious toast given by the Duke of Norfolk, the more extraordinary as coming from him who is in general a chicken-hearted, trimming sort of politician. He said, ‘Gentlemen, about twenty years ago two thousand men (about the number in this room) rallied round one honest man, Mr. Washington, to support their liberties.’ Then, after expatiating upon their patriotism, he said, ‘I leave you to make the application, and shall propose the health of Charles Fox.’ This seditious and, in my opinion, very improper speech met with the most violent applause, which alarmed him, and in a second discourse he tried to do it away by an explanation. This not succeeding, he grew frightened, and the next day asked for a private audience of the King, in which he expressed his loyalty, entreating his Majesty in case of an invasion to put him forward in the post of danger, adding that he should write a letter to all the officers of his regiment recommending them to subscribe their mite towards the defence of the country. He also had a contradiction to the speech inserted in the papers, but this recantation has been of no service, for yesterday he was dismissed from the colonelcy, and is to be suspended as Ld.-Lt. of Yorkshire. It is said that he is so popular amongst his officers that they will resign in consequence of his dismissal.
There is still a rumour of a change in Administration to be effected by Ld. Moira and a party in the House of Commons headed by two Scotch Sir Johns, Macpherson and Sinclair; the Prince y entre pour quelque chose in the management of it. He sent a message last week to Grey to know whether he had any objection to be reconciled (they have not spoken for many years).[192] Grey answered very properly that he had never presumed to imagine his R. H. supposed he would venture to harbour resentment. He was then asked if he would receive amicably the advances of the Prince. He replied, ‘He should always be flattered by any notice or condescension.’ A dinner was proposed at Mr. O’Byrne’s[193] (an Irish gambler’s), where each party met, and the day passed in riot and drunkenness. Ld. Moira proposed to Mr. Grey to contrive an interview with Ld. Lansdown. Grey said he would willingly bring them together, and hoped as they agreed in opinion so they might in conduct, but declined all further interference. During the time all this was going on Ld. H. received frequent messages from the Prince, intimating that he was coming here, and begged we would give him a dinner; however he has never appeared.
WAKEFIELD’S PAMPHLET
March 1798.—Gilbert Wakefield,[194] known to the world as a savant and editor of Lucretius, has just written a most violent pamphlet in answer to one by Watson, the Bishop of Llandaff.[195] The Bishop from being a patriot and Low Church man has suddenly become an admirer of Ministers, and his book is in praise of the Triple Assessments, and to recommend the subscribing for the defence of the country. He rather implies that the Triple Assessments are a divine idea. He compares the body politic in this country to a well-constructed fabric that is to sink down to a degree, but the basis of the structure will continue firm and unimpaired, so that the descent will be equally felt by all the inmates, but without any shock. The learned commentator takes the idea up facetiously, and describes with some humour what the situation will be (and himself among the number of the humblest) of those who inhabit the basement of the building, who will, let the sinking be ever so gradual, soon be below the surface of the earth; whilst his reverence and those in the upper stories will find little if any debasement. The Bishop’s zeal is quickened, if not created, by the mitre of Carlisle in perspective, of which he has a promise whenever it becomes vacant.
On Thursday, 8th, Mr. Tierney came to Ld. H. to inform him of an important circumstance, which he was desired by Grey and others to communicate to him. It was that the P. of W. requested an interview with the D. of Northumberland[196]; which he obtained of course as soon as asked. He expressed great alarms about the state of the country, chiefly arising from the desperate measures of the Ministers, who were driving everything on with great violence. He said the King’s mind was inveterate against the Opposition, especially towards Grey, as he was the one about whom the greatest pains had been taken to instil prejudices. That in a recent meeting of the Council it had been resolved upon the first alarm of invasion that military law should be proclaimed throughout the country, adding that he had seen the instrument prepared and ready signed by H. M. He therefore entreated the D. of N. to assemble a meeting of Fox’s friends, to propose to them to endeavour to persuade Mr. Fox to agree to sign a declaration protesting strict adherence to the King and Government, in which declaration a specific reform might be stated. The D. of N. accepted of the instructions, though giving it as his opinion that it would not be a measure likely to be adopted or approved by Mr. Fox. It was totally rejected by the whole party, but the meeting assembled to discuss upon that declaration suggested the drawing up of another, viz., to declare unanimously why Secession had been adopted, and why those who still attended Parliament meant to secede—Tierney, Sheridan, and others; but this scheme could not be effected, as every individual differed as to principles and motives. So the affair died away.
HER HEALTH
About this period we were obliged to go to Bath on account of my health. I had an alarming complaint in my stomach, the cause a total debility, the effect a deathlike, icy coldness which suspended all the functions of digestion, from which torpor nothing but the strongest cordials could revive me. The physician (Dr. Parry) ventured upon a bold remedy, and bled me: success warranted the undertaking and I have been getting better ever since. Bath did me little or no good, and after a stay of three weeks we returned on March ye 10th to this delightful mansion.[197] The Duke of Leinster, who is attending his dying wife at Bristol, came over to see Ld. H. and me.[198] He told Ld. H. that if he could go to town and take his seat, he would leave his proxy with him, as he meant it no longer to remain with Ld. Fitzwilliam, although he had had it for twenty years. Ld. Fitz.’s acceptance of the Ld.-Lieutenancy has lost him.[199]