He seems out of humour altogether with Leopold; Villele seems to have no great disposition to come in, although his friends have. He says the Opposition will in any case have 180 votes in the new Chamber. Spain will withdraw her Minister and have only a Chargé d'Affaires at Lisbon if Don Miguel will not grant the amnesty. France does not remonstrate against the abolition of the Salic Law in Spain, as she precluded herself by treaty from the succession. The law was otherwise in the old Spanish monarchy. [Footnote: The Salic law was introduced by Philip V. of Spain, the first Bourbon king, whose own claim was through his mother, daughter of Louis XIV., who had renounced the succession.] The abrogation of the Salic law is directed against Don Carlos, &c., and the King naturally wishes his own child to succeed, be the child male or female. Saw Mr. Downie on the part of Mr. Chippendale, the man who was removed by the Sign Manual from the service of the India Company. The Court and the Bengal Government did not view his offence in the same light. The poor man is ruined, but the feelings of humanity must not interfere with the interests of the public service. His removal was a good hint to the whole body of civil servants, and did good. _April 18._ Brought Lord Clare home after church, and showed him my letter to Mr. Elphinstone respecting the chiefs of Kattywar and the Guicowar. Talked over the policy to be pursued with regard to them. He is to leave England in September, and means to go to Marseilles. _April 19._ Lord William seems to have been much gratified by my letters in May and June affording the pledges of my support and the assurances of my confidence. Afterwards, however, he received my letter of July, intimating censure for the relaxations of the rules restricting the residence of Europeans, and a difference of opinion as to the Government leaving Calcutta. His letters are in a very good tone and temper. I sent all the letters to the Duke. _April 20._ Drove to the Foreign Office and saw Aberdeen. Went to enquire how the King really was, for the bulletin of yesterday says his difficulty of breathing continues. Aberdeen said the King really was not so ill as the bulletin represented him to be. There was no present danger. The Duke thinks he understands the King's case exactly, and says he has no water on the chest, as is reported, but is _rather fat_. It is said the seat of pain is the prostate gland. The people about him are seriously alarmed. Advised Hardinge, who dined with me, to come forward on the Terceira question, which he seems inclined to do. Peel will be much obliged to him. I told him I thought the strong position was this: 'We are at liberty to prevent that which, if we permitted, would be a cause of war.' I think I shall write a memorandum for him. _April 21._