CHAPTER XXIV.

Taylor's 'Philip Van Artevelde'--Goodwood--Earl Bathurst's Death--Death of Mrs. Arbuthnot--Overtures to O'Connell--Irish Tithe Bill--Theodore Hook's Improvisation--Lord Westmeath's Case in the Privy Council--First Council of Lord Melbourne's Government and Prorogation--Brougham's Vagaries--Lord Durham's Exclusion--The Edinburgh Dinner--Windsor and Meiningen--Spencer Perceval--Lord Grey's Retirement--The Westmeath Case again--The Queen's Return--Melbourne and Tom Young--Holland House-- Reflections--Conversation on the Poets--Miscellaneous Chat-- Lord Melbourne's Literary Attainments--Lord Holland's Anecdotes of Great Orators--Execution of Charles I.--Lord Melbourne's Opinion of Henry VIII.--The 'Times' attacks Lord Brougham--His Tour in Scotland--His Unpopularity--Cowper's Secret--Canning on Reform--Lord Melbourne on Palmerston and Brougham--Canning and Brougham in 1827--Senior--Lord Melbourne and the Benthamites-- His Theology--Spanish Eloquence--The Harley Papers--The Turf-- Death of Lord Spencer--The Westmeath Case heard--Law Appointments--Bickersteth--Louis Philippe's Position. Page 114