These things I shall throw into a letter, which, however, will not be sent
till Clare goes out.
We talked of native education. I read to E. my alterations of the letter of
last July relative to his plans for education, with which he seemed
satisfied.
He seems generally to approve of my views upon that subject, particularly
of uniting the English with the native classes at the several colleges, and
teaching the natives useful knowledge.
They should be examined in the regulations of the company.
Office, but first saw Hardinge, who seems full of the Duke of Clarence,
with whom he is high in favour, as having, urged by Wood, had several
things done for the young FitzClarences.
He said the Duke thought the King might live four months.
Cabinet dinner at the Chancellor's. The Duke saw the King, who looked very
well, and seemed cheerful and in good humour.
He was very ill yesterday. Black in the face, and the ends of his fingers
black. They think he will go off suddenly in one of these attacks.
Little water came from one leg, and they will scarify it again.
O'Reilly, who probably performed the operation of scarifying, and who must
know the state of the King, whom he saw daily, declared positively
yesterday to Lord Maryborough, and with a face of surprise, that there was
no water.
The Duke of C. saw the King on Sunday, and was at Windsor and probably saw
him to-day.
The Duke of Sussex has lent the King an easy chair, and affectionate
messages have passed between them.
The Bishop of Chichester is now at Windsor, the Lord and Groom and Equerry
in waiting, two physicians, besides O'Reilly and Sir Wathen Waller and
Knighton.
When they told the King they must make a puncture in about four hours, he
desired it might be made at once if it was necessary.
The Duke told the King he had told Sir H. Halford he would always find him
intrepid--with which the King was much pleased.
He said when he saw a thing was necessary he always made up his mind to it.
Wortley told me the Household betted the King would be at Ascot.
By-the-bye, Wortley did very well last night in not allowing Wynne to lead
him into a speech on the half-castes. He spoke very officially and
properly. I complimented him upon it. In fact it is an act of forbearance
in any man, but especially in a young man, to throw away a speech.
Precedents have been looked into, and every necessary step is known, should
the King die.
The Duke will immediately go in uniform to the Duke of Clarence and advise
him to come to his house in town.
A sketch of the speech will be prepared, but kings like making the
declaration to the Privy Council themselves, as it is the only thing they
can do without advice.
Peel's father died on the 3rd.
_May 6._
Left my card with Lord Combermere, who called yesterday.
The bulletin states the King to have been better yesterday, but to have had
a bad night.
The private letter to the Duke says he passed the night wretchedly, and
with much inquietude. They find it necessary to make further punctures, and
have sent for Brodie.
The King spoke to Halford for some time with much composure and piety as to
his situation.
Lord Bathurst looked into the precedents in Queen Anne's reign, and at the
declarations of several kings on their first meeting their Privy Council.
House. A good and useful speech from Lord Goderich on the funded and
expended debt. He showed that the receipt from taxes was about the same as
in 1816, although 9 millions had been taken off, and that the interest of
the National Debt would, in 1831, be reduced 44 millions below its amount
in 1816.
Cabinet at half-past ten at Aberdeen's. A letter from Leopold, endeavouring
to throw upon us the blame of delay for two months, and treating
acquiescence in his terms of loan as a _sine quâ non_. Now the terms we
propose are not _exactly_ the same, as we make a payment by annual
instalments a part of it, and I expect he will break off at last; but he
will wait till the King is actually dead.
_May 7._
A very good account of the King. He has passed twenty-four hours with
mitigated symptoms.
Dined with Sir J. Murray. I must next year have an Indian dinner.
_May 9._
Read as I went to town to Cabinet, and returned in the carriage Cabell's
memorandum on the Hyderabad transactions.
The Duke read the letter he had received from Sir H. Halford. It gave a bad
account of the King. Yesterday was a day 'of embarrassment and distress,'
and he is swollen notwithstanding the punctures made by Brodie. He is
anxious about himself, and must know his danger, yet he talks of the
necessity of having a new dining-room at the Cottage ready by Ascot.
We had much conversation respecting the law asserting his power of
disposing of his property by will.
The Chancellor was not there. He went to Windsor.
The other matters considered were merely the mode of dealing with several
questions to be brought on next week. It seems to be clear that no
dependence whatever can be placed in the House of Commons. Every man will
vote for his constituents.
No answer has been received from Prince Leopold.
My apprehension is that the King cannot live ten days.
Lord Londonderry went to Windsor yesterday and saw the physician. He had a
dinner afterwards at his villa, and told every one, the Lièvens being
there, that the King was much worse than he had ever been. This was untrue,
for the Duke left Windsor after Lord L., and when he left the Castle the
King certainly was not worse, but rather better. I have no doubt Lord L.
managed to tell Wood, [Footnote: Lord Londonderry's brother-in-law, having
married Lady Caroline Stewart, also sister-in-law of Lord Ellenborough.]
and Wood would tell the Duke of Clarence, who would think he was ill-used
and deceived.
_May 10._
The Duke will read the Hyderabad memorandum as he goes down to Windsor on
Wednesday.