392 DEFENCE OF QUEEN CAROLINE. [1820. 



ings, if immediate steps were not to be taken, I used 

 to adjourn the decision till next consultation ; and it 

 several times happened that I stood alone, in which 

 case the course was pursued according to my opinion, 

 and I remember no instance of my colleagues abiding 

 by their own contrary opinion. One such case, and 

 of great importance, was when the Lords were for 

 making us open our case before the three weeks' ad- 

 journment, and the others considered that the benefit 

 of my necessarily imperfect answer to the adverse case 

 would be greater than a more deliberate and better- 

 prepared answer afterwards. There was a great deal 

 to be said in favour of meeting the adverse case before 

 it had sunk in the minds of the Lords during the ad- 

 journment, and of giving the tone to our supporters 

 in the country. I at first strongly inclined to this 

 opinion ; but as we were not all agreed, I put off the 

 decision till next morning, and went to Holland House, 

 where I passed the night. But I spent the evening 

 and the next morning in looking over the evidence 

 and my notes, and preparing myself for immediately 

 opening our case (at least, so far as answering the case 

 against us), on the supposition of our adopting the 

 course which the Lords wished to force upon us. 

 When we met at our morning consultation I found all 

 were agreed to that line ; but great doubts had pre- 

 sented themselves to my mind. I had no apprehen- 

 sion of the public feeling being turned against us, or 

 even at all relaxed ; because the case being ex parte, 

 there would be the strongest disposition among reflect- 

 ing persons to delay forming an opinion until we 

 were heard, and the others, who with little reflection 



