a difficulty. The Prince, it seems, wants them to accept, and
they are afraid to accept. They are therefore reduced to tell
the Prince, We would accept if it were to do ourselves good;
but not when it is inconvenient, though to do you good.
The remarkable part of the evening was a conversation with
Brand, who came over to sit by me. Though he had spoken, and
strongly, against us in the debate, he opened immediately upon
the merits of Perceval; he admired his conduct and ability
so much, that if he had ever given him a vote in his life, he
said, he would have supported him on these questions; that
his character had enabled him to commence the stand he had
made, and character had attached his party so much to him as
to continue the majority all through; that this sentiment
was not peculiar to him in the Opposition, but partaken
by many--indeed, all without exception admired him; that
this would give him extraordinary influence as the head of
an Opposition, which must give great trouble, to the new
Government when it was formed: nevertheless, he thought we
were not going out, it was too dangerous to come in; probably,
he added, laughing, the Regent will keep Perceval three months
as his father's Minister, and then 'fall so much in love with
him' (that was the expression) that he will continue him
as his own. He then entered much on the comparison between
him and Canning; the latter of whom, he said, spite of his
abilities, was discarded by all parties; that he could tell
me it was finally resolved not to admit him in the new
Government, into which some on account of those abilities
had wished to introduce him. I may say, he observed, that I
had some share in the rejection: I protested against such a
junction whenever it was talked of; I told my friends it would