Et la garde qui veille aux barrières du Louvre
N’en défend pas nos Rois.
(Trad. d’Horace, par Malherbe.[203])
May ’98.—He spoke upon the D. of Bedford’s motion, and his praises were sounded everywhere. His manner is like his uncle’s. The great features of his speaking are eagerness, quickness, and argument. I saw a critique in a letter from an enemy, that said he was the counterpart of his uncle—full of ability, spirit, and impetuosity, presumption in reply, rashness in assertion, and arrogance in conclusion. But it was an enemy.
At a supper after a great ball the other night at Burlington House, Sheridan and Lewis got into a dispute, which the latter would have decided by a wager, and said, ‘I lay you the profits of my play (which, by-the-bye, Sheridan, you have not paid me).’ ‘I do not like high wagers,’ replied S., ‘but I’ll lay you a small one, the worth of it.’ The little author became as mute as a fish from the rebuff.
May 23rd.—Well may one ask the question, as Mr. Fox does in a letter to Ld. H., whether Robespierre was worse than the present state of things with regard to O’Connor. Poor fellow, there seems to have been a refinement in their cruelty towards him at the moment.[204] He endeavoured to get out of the place where as a criminal he had been standing before his acquittal. The messengers jumped upon him. A scuffle ensued, in which ye sabres that had been brought in in evidence against them were used. O’Connor came forward, and as he saw his fate was inevitable, made a most pathetic appeal to the feelings of the court; he said that he did not fear death, which to him was far preferable to the prospect of languishing in a dungeon. He entreated Buller to interfere, and that if he was to endure the hardship of another confinement, at least to allow him to be imprisoned with his brother. Buller behaved with humanity, regretting that the court had no power to interfere.
O’CONNOR’S ARREST
O’Coigly[205] behaved heroically; his countenance never changed whilst the judge was passing sentence, except that he smiled ironically to hear the heinousness of treason was said to be aggravated when it was against so just and beneficent a Prince as the one who now graced the throne. He took snuff, and bowed when all was over. The purport of the paper was absurd to a degree. He is half enthusiast, half bigot. He did himself an injury by confessing to a priest.
Very soon after I heard of O’Connor’s second arrest, when my heart was full of pity and commiseration, came the sad intelligence of poor Ld. Edward’s arrest. A personal misfortune could scarcely have grieved or shocked one more, and though I should at all times feel strongly for a man endowed as he is with every good and estimable quality, yet I felt more acutely, because for the last month I have been intimately with his mother and family and had witnessed their love and anxiety on his account. Excellent woman, I fear if the business ends fatally for him, it will not do less for her. He is the child of her heart, and the idol of his family. The circumstances of his being seized are accompanied with many awkward facts: the wounding the messengers, and even after the warrant was shown, the resisting.
Mr. Fox came over to pass the day with the Duke of Leinster. He was extremely agitated about Ld. E., and intends doing everything friendly, such as going over to the trial (as does Ld. H.) to make a show of friends and family; for a strong appearance in a man’s favour has its effect upon a jury, especially where there are titles and celebrity. Ld. Henry came to see him before he went. He was to have gone last night, but he waited for an answer from the D. of Portland, to whom he had applied for permission to see his brother. I can hardly think, steeled as hearts are become, this request can be denied, but bad times make bad men, and one can’t answer for one’s best friend.