1829.] C 81 3 



NOTES OF THE MONTH ON AFFAIRS IN GENERAL. 



Whole volleys of on dits have been flying from the Clubs during the 

 month, Avinged with desti'uction to the ministry, each and all. First, as 

 becomes his place, is slain the Duke of Wellington. We say slain, because 

 tlie report talks of his giving up office, which the Duke will never, and 

 now needs never do, but with life. He has settled himself too stiffly on 

 the national neck to be unseated by people, or party. Thvis says 

 one of our oracles : " A report is extremely prevalent in political circles, 

 that the Duke of Welhngton is most anxious to transfer the Premiership, 

 M'hich he professes to have undertaken to hold only for a limited time, to 

 a distinguished statesman, whose liberal opinions are well known, and who, 

 during the last few years, has been a friend of his grace. It is also said, 

 the latter wishes to return to his old situations at the Horse Guards and 

 at the Ordnance." 



Thus says the antagonist, and certainly the more authentic oracle, 

 " Lord Grey has got his quiddam peculiiim in the parish of Bishopsgate ; 

 and of the premiership he has as good a chance as Lord King, Lord 

 Montford, or Lord Darnley, and no better. The Duke of Wellington wiU 

 not let go what he has, except to grasp at something better : as for the 

 Horse Guards and Ordnance, they are already as completely his as the 

 house in Piccadilly, or his stables at Strathfieldsay." Besides, his Grace, 

 haughty as he is, does not altogether neglect the ways of being in favour. 

 He convoys the Marchioness into ball-rooms, even in the hottest weather 

 — endures stories about the battle of Dettingen, and the Hounslow re- 

 views — suffers Lord IMount Charles to speak to him ; and never laughs 

 in any one's face before dinner at the Lodge. It must be acknowledged, 

 that for this extraordinary self-command the Field IMarshal deserves 

 something. 



Next, ensued the death of IMr. Peel, whom a veracious newspaper 

 described as having been found with Wetherell's speech stuffed half 

 down his throat : the only words that he could not swallow. Then 

 Lord Lyndhurst went, though rather by a circuitous route ; for he was 

 first to make a tour of the upper provinces, in the shape of Governor 

 General of India. The rumours of his advancement varied consider- 

 ably ; but they were unanimous as to his being sent to serve his Majesty in 

 the settlements. Some gave him the Chief Justiceship of Sierra Leone- 

 some made him Commissioner at Mosquito Bay, where the wits of 

 Westminster observed, that he would find the next great bites to those 

 lie left behind — some sent him into the army, and gave him the drilling 

 of the Swan River militia — others proposed the navy, and gave him the 

 guardship off the Nore. 



The only difficulty about the matter, is finding a successor with some 

 resemblance to his various qualities : for his equal is confessedly not to 

 be found, in knowledge of the duties of his station, in dignity of man- 

 ners, or in independence of mind. 



On the 25th, too late for our more than merely noticing it, a grand 

 dinner was given to the Marquis of Chandos, by the West India proprie- 

 tors and merchants, on his being chosen their chairman. At this dinner 

 were present the Duke of Wellington, tlie Colonial Secretary, and the 

 other ministers, and a large assemblage of the principal persons con- 

 nected with the West Indies. No man in his senses can doubt of the 



M. M. New Scries Vol.VIII. No. 43. M 



