^:T. 36.] EUROPEAN CRISIS. 99 



evil of some kind, having heard her talked of as a 

 grand bore, and being sickened by the concurring 

 accounts of her fulsome flattery of the Prince, minis- 

 ters, &c. &c., and her profligate changes of principle. 

 In women such things signify little ; but she must (as 

 Talleyrand said) be considered as a man. 



"The Prince is really behaving like a bedlamite. 

 T'other night he (being tipsy) abused Bernadotte by 

 the hour to Monsieur Stael, who is an emissary of his, 

 and said that, to his (the Prince's) knowledge, he 

 might have taken Hambro six weeks ago, but was 

 prevented by mean jealousy of the Prussians. He 

 talked of going to Hanover immediately, and was even 

 rude to M. Stael for doubting his being allowed. He 

 has told such of his servants as are in favour that they 

 go with him to Hanover ; the others, not. This was 

 always the forerunner of his father's madness. 



" The acknowledgment of the Prince of Orange as 

 sovereign seems to me only in conformity to the prin- 

 ciple of not interfering, and I really do not know what 

 else the ministers could have done. If he and the 

 Dutch choose to call him Grand Lama, what is it to 

 us ? and what though we did know of his intention ? 



" Serjeant Lens has covered himself with glory by 

 his refusal ; however, I must protest against the high 

 tone taken by some on this and Leech's good be- 

 haviour, otherwise we admit either that our virtue is 

 very low, or that the enemy may by such offers rank 

 us as he pleases among ourselves. Yours ever truly, 



H. B." 

 TO EAEL GEEY. 



"TEMPLE, January 5, 1814. 

 " MY DEAR LORD GREY, 1 am very unwilling that 



