24 LORD LILFORD 



and Charles * were present. The conversation 

 was not very general. Oranges not known in 

 ancient times ; a question whether Virgil 

 mentions them, but Mr. Smith said it was 

 without doubt the citron to which he alludes. 

 Papa quoted the lines. There was talk of the 

 injustice of not allowing a duke's son to study 

 the law.' 



1 January 8, 1824. — Lord Grey, Lord 

 Howick, Lord Morpeth, Lady G. Morpeth, Lord 

 J. Russell, Mr. Howard, Mr. Allen, and myself 

 at dinner. Talk of Shakespeare's heroes : 

 Brutus drawn by him less amiably than Mark 

 Antony, for whom one feels most interest. 

 " Venice Preserved," by Otway, spoken of. Lord 

 Grey said it was one of the best plays we have ; 

 mamma objected to it as ill-contrived : papa 

 said the character of Belvidera was beautiful, 

 and true to nature. Shakespeare came up 

 again. Lord John Russell thought the Prince 

 of Wales was a finer character than Hotspur, as 

 Hector than Achilles. Papa said it was remark- 

 able that Homer should have made one of his 

 heroes — Ulysses — the greatest liar that ever 



1 General Fox. 



