140 = FIRST JOURNEY IN EUROPE.  [1839, 
nothing very important brought before the house, yet 
on different subjects nearly all the leading officers of 
the administration took the floor, Mr. Rice, the Chan- 
cellor of the Exchequer, Lord John Russell, who is 
evidently a man of most ready talent and tact, Lord 
Palmerston, Lord Morpeth, the new member of the 
cabinet, ete. I was exceedingly amused by the man- 
ner in which Lord John Russell worsted a Colonel 
Sibthorpe, an opposition member, who moved cer- 
tain resolutions relative to Lord Durham’s expenses, 
couched in an offensive manner, and made a still more 
objectionable speech. Lord J. Russell, in very placid 
manner, set him out in such a ridiculous light, that 
the gallant colonel first lost his temper completely, 
and then lost his point, being obliged to withdraw his 
own resolutions. I heard also, for a moment, Sir 
Robert Peel, Dr. Lushington, Mr. Hume, and others 
too tedious to enumerate. As to general decorum, or 
the manner in which members often treat each other 
in debate, I don’t think we have much to learn. . . . 
I spent this morning at the British Museum ; dined 
with Mr. Putnam at a chop-house, and went to spend 
the evening at Mr. Quekett’s. I found, instead of 
having the evening alone as I expected and wished, 
that he had invited several friends, most of whom I 
knew. Still, after tea the microscopes were produced, 
and I had the opportunity of examining very many 
curious things. 
it they don’t get out of my head in the mean time 
I will try to mention some of them to Dr. Torrey 
when I go on with my letter to him. As eating is a 
very important matter here, we had a magnificent 
supper at half past ten, and it was near twelve when I 
left, with a walk of four miles before me. . . . 
