Tuesday, 5th June.—At a ¼ to 11 we got into our carriages for Montem. Mamma and Lady Mulgrave were with me; Lord Melbourne, Miss Paget, Lord Albemarle and Lady Flora were in the next carriage to mine; then Lady Theresa, Miss Dillon, Lord Conyngham, and Miss Davys; and lastly Lord Lilford, Mr. Murray; Colonel Wemyss and Col. Cavendish. These carriages preceded us in going to Eton. We were stopped on the Bridge for “Salt.” When we reached Eton College we were received there by the Provost,[504] Dr. Hawtrey,[505] and the other Fellows; we went under the Cloisters and saw all the boys march by, 3 times, which is a pretty sight; some of the boys were beautifully dressed. We then all went up to one of the rooms in the Provost’s house, where we looked out of the window and saw the flag flourished; we then took some luncheon at the Provost’s, I sitting between the Provost and Lord Melbourne. The only people besides our own party there, were, Mrs. Goodall (the Provost’s wife), Lady Braybrooke,[506] Edward of Saxe-Weimar,[507] Mr. Wood,[508] and two nieces of the Provost’s. The room in which we lunched is hung round with many portraits of the young men (now mostly, if indeed not all, old) who had been at Eton; amongst which were Lord Grey’s, Lord Holland’s, Lord Wellesley’s, Mr. Canning’s.[509] Lord Melbourne’s was not there, which it ought to have been. Lord Melbourne, said he had been painted by Hoppner, for Dr. Langford (his Master, but not the Head Master, who was then Dr. Heath), and had been sold at the sale of his things when he died.[510] Lord Melbourne said that Lord Holland had a fine countenance when young, but always lame, there being some ossification in one of his legs; he was “very slim” when young!! After luncheon we got into our carriages again (the other carriages following mine), and drove to Salt Hill, where we saw the boy again flourish the flag. The heat was quite intense, and the crowd enormous! We got back to the Castle at 20 m. to 2. I saw Lord Melbourne from 7 m. to 2 till 7 m. p. 2, in my room on my return. He said he was not tired, and was very anxious I should not be so. Spoke of the Montem, the fine boys; he thought they looked “very sheepish” and shy as they marched by; and the boy (a great big boy) who held up the bag for “Salt,” very shy, on the bridge. Lord Melbourne gave £10; and I £100. Lord Melbourne thought that the Provost and Mrs. Goodall, knew nobody, for she took Lord Melbourne for Lord Ebrington. It is 69 years, Lord Melbourne told me (the Provost had said) since he (the Provost) walked in a Montem! Lord Melbourne was going to dine at Lord Anglesey’s. He said he was going away directly. He had neither slept well. At ½ p. 2 I left Windsor (as I came the day before), and reached Buckingham Palace at ½ p. 4 or 20 m. to 5....
Wednesday, 6th June.—I showed him the letter from Uncle Leopold which I got yesterday, and in which he touches upon these unhappy Affairs, wishing me to prevent my Government from taking the lead in these Affairs, &c., &c.; and saying his position is des plus embarassantes. Lord Melbourne read it over with great attention, and then spoke of it all most kindly and sensibly; said he did not see how we could get out of this Territorial Arrangement; said he felt that Uncle’s position was not an agreeable one, for that he was made to do what his people disliked and what was extremely unpopular; “and people and countries never make allowances for the difficulties Kings are placed in; the King is made the Instrument of an Act which is extremely unpopular; and all the blame will fall upon him.” All this is most true; we spoke of this, and of its being rather hard of Uncle appealing to my feelings of affection for him. I told him what Uncle had said of Stockmar to Van de Weyer, and that Stockmar said he did not fear all this, and was sure that Uncle would give way in a little time. Lord Melbourne said, “He always says that the pressure of circumstances will make him give way, but I think he trusts everything to that power”; which Lord Melbourne does not think always is the case. He was going to show the letter to Lord Palmerston. I showed him another letter from Ferdinand in answer to mine to him about the Slave Trade; he seems very anxious to do what we wish, but stated the difficulties are so great; which Lord Melbourne said was true.... Before this, Lord Melbourne said, “Immense crowd at the Montem; my servant told me he never saw such a number of people.” Lord Melbourne was in sight of us, in coming to London, already before Datchet. His servant also told him that there were 72 pair of Post-horses sent down the road yesterday, and he (Ld. M.) paid 8 guineas for going; whereas in general he only pays 4. Spoke of the Montem; and of the boys there; the Collegers generally stay longer than the others; they must stay till there is a vacancy at King’s, unless they are past 19; he says there are much fewer little boys than there used to be; the Provost told him “they had only 20 in the lower form.” “People don’t send their children as early as they used to do.” We spoke of the Montem; the deal of money said to have been collected, more than ever was known. Lord Melbourne spoke of the boy who held the bag and looked so sheepish; of the Provost, who Lord Melbourne said was an excellent Master; that nobody could make a lesson so pleasant to the boys; and that he was “a beautiful scholar” and “a good-natured man.” Lord Melbourne said that “A Master should have great spirits; better spirits than all the boys.” He went on saying, “It’s now 42 years ago since I left Eton, and I should like very much to be put back to that time.” He would not like, he said, to go through all he had gone through; but to go back to that time, with his present experience; “I should manage them all so much better,” he said laughing. He spoke of the extreme love of contradiction children have; of the great deal of disputing there used to be formerly in private Society. Lord Egremont used to say, that Society was not near so amusing as it used to be; people were all so well educated, that there were no more any originals to be seen. Lord Melbourne said the love of arguing was at an amazing height when he was born; “People used to argue till they got into a passion and swore at each other.” That people always would find the other in the wrong....
Sunday, 10th June.—I told Lord Melbourne that the Queen Dowager had come to me the day before, and had told me that Chambers[511] had told her that she must not pass another winter in England, and wished her to go to Madeira, which she declared was too far off; he then named Malta, to which she assented, and asked my leave to go, and to have a frigate to go in; about which Lord Melbourne said there could not be the slightest difficulty. I said she told me she preferred Malta, as being still in my dominions.... Lady Mulgrave began saying how much mischief the Eton boys committed after the Montem, hacking and cutting things all to pieces. Of the Montem, its origin; the wish of some to abolish it; the Provost’s declaring he never would. The Provost, he told us, is the son of the butler of Lord Lichfield’s grandfather. Spoke of Dr. Hawtrey’s introducing much new learning, which the Provost disliked. Spoke of what the boys learn, and many coming away amazingly ignorant. What makes the school one, Lord Melbourne said, is that the most gentlemanly boys are sent there. Lord Melbourne told us that Talleyrand said, “La meilleure éducation, c’est l’éducation Publique Anglaise; et c’est détestable!” There is one Head Master and an Under Master, and eight other Masters at Eton, Lord Melbourne said. The Masters, he says, who are quite young men, often require more keeping in order and are more irregular than the boys. “My opinion is,” said Lord Melbourne, “that it does not much signify what is taught, if what’s taught is well taught.” Then he added, “People too often confound learning and knowledge with talent and abilities”; for that the two former could not make the two latter. Lord Melbourne was sent to Eton at 9 years old, but had been with a clergyman before, who taught him on quite a different principle, but very well; made him work very hard, with a dictionary, by himself, and at Eton they construe it to you first; “so that when I came to Eton I was infinitely superior to most of the other boys, and I could do my lessons and theirs too.” That’s because he always was cleverer than most other people. He said, “I never was so surprised as when I came there; I did not know what to do. It was perhaps 12 o’clock, and they said that I might stay out till two. I said, ‘What can I do? Who is to stay with me now?’ I thought it then very odd, for I had been accustomed to have 2 or 3 nursery-maids after me, not allowing me to wet my heels near the water; and here you are let into a field alone, with a river running through it, which is 10 feet deep at the bank; and if you make a false step you’re drowned to a certainty.” Then he said his father gave him a great deal of money, and he ate such a quantity of tarts, made himself so sick, though he was only there three weeks when he first went—that he was very ill when he went home, with eruptions and spots over his face. This made us laugh much. Spoke of the fighting there, and that the Masters should never allow it to go on long. “I always yielded directly,” he said, “if I found the boy too much for me; after the first round if I found I could not lick the fellow, I gave it up, and said, ‘Come, this won’t do, I’ll go away, it’s no use standing to be knocked to pieces.’” All this and a great deal more Lord Melbourne told us in the funniest, most delightful way possible; he is so amusing about himself, and so clever and sensible about education.
Monday, 11th June.—At 20 m. to 2 Lord Palmerston introduced the Prince de Ligne to me, Uncle Leopold’s Ambassador to me for the Coronation; I then went into the Drawing-room where the Prince de Ligne (who is a gentlemanlike and rather young man) introduced five other Belgian gentlemen, who have accompanied him. I hear he came in the most splendid equipage, with four grey horses. At 7 m. to 2 came my good Lord Melbourne and stayed with me till 5 m. to 3. He said he was well, and we spoke of the weather. He then told me of the difficulty of replacing the Chief Baron of Ireland (Joy, of whose death he had told me last Friday), and he said it was wished, and he thought it was best, to make O’Loghlen, now Master of the Rolls, Chief Baron, and to offer the Mastership of the Rolls to O’Connell; he said O’Connell might possibly refuse it, but that it might likewise satisfy him and his party; on the other hand, the difficulties are, that O’Connell might not give up his agitation, and that “we,” as Lord Melbourne says, may be attacked for it by the other party. He then asked me twice over, “Have you any particular feeling about it?” I said none whatever, and therefore it is left to Ministers to offer it, or not, as they may think fit.[512]
Wednesday, 13th June.—I made Lady Mary Paget[513] sing after dinner which she did beautifully, two songs before the gentlemen came in, the pretty one from The Ambassadrice, and one by Alari; Lady Adelaide[514] accompanying her in the last. The gentlemen then came in; after this Lady Mary sang the other song by Alari which she sang at Buckingham Palace; and then “Ah! non giunge” (Lady Adelaide accompanying her), most beautifully, with all Persiani’s ornaments. They, particularly Lord Anglesey, then insisted on my singing; which I did, but literally shaking with fear and fright. I sang “Il superbo vinctor” from Il Giuramento. Lord Melbourne stood opposite me, listening, which really is marvellous, considering he does not care the least about music. Lady Mary sang a very pretty little thing from Beatrice; and I then sang “Sogno talor.” We then sat down (at a ¼ p. 10), I sitting on the sofa with Lady Surrey, Lord Melbourne sitting near me the whole evening, and several of the other ladies sitting round the table. I observed to Lord Melbourne how dreadfully frightened I had been; and he smiled and said “I can quite understand it.” Talked of Ascot Races; Lord Melbourne said he had not been to Ascot Races since he left Eton, 42 years ago!! The Eton boys are now not allowed to go to Ascot, but in Lord Melbourne’s days they were much less severe than they are now. “My brother” (Pen Lamb) “was a great man on the Turf. I used always to go to him; I always got leave all the week, and used to go all the week, and very good fun it used to be,” Lord Melbourne said.
Thursday, 14th June.—Spoke of Miss Pitt, and of our fearing she was attached to her brother-in-law; Lord Melbourne said such a marriage could not take place now[515]; that the Law preventing it was only made last year. Till then such a marriage could take place; but was void, if any of the parties made objections to such marriage. This Bill made good all such marriages which had taken place (like the Duke of Beaufort’s[516]) but prevented any others being made. Lord Melbourne said he did not know if it was right or wrong; we spoke of it for a little while.[517] I then asked him if he thought it would be well, if, on occasions like the Races, I should wear my Star and Ribbon; he said yes.[518] I said to him also, that, if he did not dislike it, I should be so very happy if he would wear the Windsor Uniform when he came down to Windsor; he replied kindly, “I shall be very happy,” and I added I hoped he would often be at Windsor.[519]
Friday, 15th June.—I told him that I had been reading in the morning in Coxe’s Life of Walpole; which I found very interesting, but that I had got a good deal puzzled with the South Sea Company, and the Redeemable and Irredeemable debt; and that it was very difficult and puzzling, which he said it was, and that I should not trouble or puzzle myself with that part of the book, which is not clearly written; and he explained to me in a few words and in his clear delightful way, like a father to his child, this difficult South Sea Scheme. We spoke of that strange proposition, the Peerage Bill,[520] which is curiously told in Coxe’s Life. “That was all a party scheme,” said Lord Melbourne; “and done with a view to cripple George II.” “If that had been done,” he continued, “there would be hardly any peerages left now.” Lord Melbourne was speaking of how many peerages, of that time, were extinct; and that there were now 20 peers in the House of Lords without heirs. I likewise told him that the Duke of Wellington had let me know that George IV. and William IV. always wore the Order of the Bath on that day—Waterloo Day—as also on the anniversary of the battle of Trafalgar; and I asked Lord Melbourne if he thought I should do so, or not. He said he thought I should. I observed I did not like giving up my Blue Ribbon, even for one night; but if he wished it I would do so. He said, “If you don’t dislike it, I think you should do it; it will be considered a compliment to the Army....”[521]
Monday, 18th June.—Lord Melbourne then gave me a list of the Creations and Advancements which are to take place, which are as follows:
| The Earl of Mulgrave | Marquis of Normanby |
| Lord Dundas | Earl of Zetland |
| The Earl of Kintore (Scotch) | Baron Kintore |
| The Viscount Lismore (Irish) | Baron Lismore of Shanbally Castle in the County of Tipperary |
| The Lord Rossmore (Irish) | Baron Rossmore of the County of Monaghan |
| The Lord Carew (Irish) | Baron Carew of Castle Boro in the County of Wexford |
| The Hon. Wm. S. C. Ponsonby | Baron de Mauley |
| Sir John Wrottesley, Bart. | Baron Wrottesley of Wrottesley in the County of Stafford |
| Charles Hanbury Tracy, Esq. | Baron Sudeley |
| Paul Methuen, Esq., of Corsham in the County of Wilts | Baron Methuen of Corsham. |
Lord Melbourne said he wished to add two more,[522] with my consent, namely, Lord King,[523] an Earl; and to call up Lord Carmarthen[524] to the House of Lords. I of course consented to both. Before I say another word, I must not omit to mention that I wrote a letter to Stockmar begging him to mention to Lord Melbourne my anxious wish to give him the Blue Ribbon (which I offered to him through Stockmar already last year, immediately upon my accession, and which he refused in the most noble manner), as I said I felt I owed him so much; and he had been and was so very kind to me that it would grieve me to be giving other people honours whom I cared not about, and him nothing. Stockmar told me this morning he had shown Lord Melbourne my letter and that Lord Melbourne would speak to me on the subject. Accordingly Lord Melbourne said to me, “The Baron showed me your letter, and I feel very grateful, I am very sensible of Your Majesty’s kindness”; upon which I assured him he was quite right (having previously heard from Stockmar that he would decline it); “I hope,” he continued, “you don’t think I’ve any contempt for these things, but it gives me such a command”; which is most true; “and therefore you’ll allow me to decline it.”[525] I added I thought him quite right but that I could not do less. This is a fine noble disinterested act, and worthy of Lord Melbourne, and I honour, esteem and admire him the more for it; it only increases my fondness of him....[526] [**F1: no anchor apparent in text]