340 PARTIES. [1819. 



"I have been here these two days, and shall stay till 

 Sunday. There are only the Taylors and Fergusons. 

 I never saw Lord Eobert looking better ; and all the 

 family Ponsonbys included are in great health and 

 force. 



" No accounts of Francis's will, and nothing relat- 

 ing to Junius has as yet transpired ; but he had some 

 peculiarly valuable papers, they say, which he always 

 sent to Drummond's in a box when he left town, and 

 had them back when he returned ; and Dudley North 

 has ascertained at Drummond's that a box of this kind 

 used to be deposited there. I conclude that you have 

 heard from Tierney or Holland House the statement 

 of the ministers, that they are adjourned for five days, 

 and not to have the Speech till the 21st. It seems 

 like Castlereagh being ill Tierney is persuaded that 

 Reform will be forced early on us in some shape, and 

 that we should if possible agree in supporting some 

 triennial or quadrennial bill. I hope the former, for 

 the latter won't be intelligible enough to the country. 



" As for Westminster, the whole subject is too dis- 

 gusting to dwell upon. The effects of the last victory 

 over the Burdettites are almost done away, and we 

 are fated to see Burdett return a second member (for 

 one time at least) with the votes, if not the good 

 wishes, of some of our very best men. It is a very 

 gross attempt in the Hobhouse set to persuade us (as 

 they do in private) that Hobhouse does not stand on 

 the Burdett interest. On what does he stand then ? 

 Can any man fancy that this language will be held for 

 half an hour after he is returned even in private ? 

 For at present he durst as soon be hanged as hold such 

 language to anybody but a few of ourselves. As for 



