Footnote 60: The house of Earl Cowper.
Footnote 61: The Duke, who had formerly been M.P. for Bedfordshire, was inclined to go further in the direction of Reform than Lord John, yet he applauded the latter's attitude on the occasion of the speech which earned him the nickname of "Finality Jack."
Footnote 62: Alluding to the Ministerial defeat at the polls.
Footnote 63: The Dowager Duchess of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.
Footnote 64: Marie Amélie, Queen of the French.
Memorandum by Mr Anson.
LORD MELBOURNE AND THE GARTER
Windsor Castle, 7th August 1841.
I went to Lord Melbourne this morning in his room as he had desired me. He said: "The Prince has been urging me to accept the Blue Riband before I quit office, and I wished to tell you that I am very anxious that this should not be pressed upon me by the Queen; it may be a foolish weakness on my part, but I wish to quit office without having any honour conferred upon me; the Queen's confidence towards me is sufficiently known without any public mark of this nature. I have always disregarded these honours, and there would be an inconsistency in my accepting this. I feel it to be much better for my reputation that I should not have it forced upon me. Mr Pitt never accepted an order, and only the Cinque Ports on being pressed to do so. Lord Grenville accepted a peerage, but never any other honour or advantage, and I wish to be permitted to retire in like manner. If I was a poor man, I should have no hesitation in receiving money in the shape of place or pension; I only don't wish for place, because I do not want it."
In the course of conversation Lord Melbourne said that he considered it very improbable that he should ever again form a part of any Administration.