In March 1807, a bill having been prepared as a preliminary to the Popish concession, the king pronounced it contrary to his coronation oath, and insisted on its withdrawal; the Whigs consented; but the king further insisting on a pledge that they would attempt no similar measure, they demurred, and his majesty instantly dismissed them, amidst the general rejoicing of the empire. The Duke of Portland was placed at the head of a new ministry, and Lord Eldon received the Seals. We have now seen his lordship secure in that station which he was to retain until the close of his useful and vigorous life; we shall, therefore, abandon politics, and turn to his more numerous recollections of incident and character. Lord Eldon as a warrior. "During the war," says his lordship, "I became one of the Lincoln's Inn volunteers--Lord Ellenborough, at the same time, being one of the corps. It happened, unfortunately for the military character of both of us, that we were _turned out of the awkward squad for awkwardness_! I think Ellenborough was more awkward than I was; but others thought that it was difficult to determine which was the worse." His brother William, however, was a smart officer, and commanded a corps. Of Chief-Justice Eyre, whom he succeeded in the Common Pleas, he told--"Eyre once demanded of Wilkes, why he abused him so unmercifully in his speeches to the Livery while he was Recorder, though in private he expressed a regard for him?"--"So I have," said Wilkes, "and it is for that reason I abuse you in public. I wish to have you promoted to a judgeship." "When Sir Robert Henley was keeper of the Great Seal, and presided in the House, he was often indignant at seeing his decrees reversed, while, not being a peer, he was not entitled to support his decisions. In the famous case of Drury and Drury, his decision having been reversed, though the bar then and still pronounced it valid, the lord keeper was very angry; and, in driving home, his coachman checked the horses. He asked--'Why he did not drive on?' The man saying--'My lord, I can't. If I do, I shall kill an old woman.'--'Drive on,' cried Henley; 'if you do kill her, she has nothing to do but to appeal to the house of Lords.' He was afterwards made lord chancellor, and this habit of reversals came to an end." On his quitting the chancellorship, and accepting the inferior office of lord president, the Archbishop of Canterbury congratulating him on his removal from an office of unceasing fatigue to one of so much quiet, the ex-chancellor not being at all satisfied with the difference of the emoluments, answered very sulkily, "I suppose, now, you would think I was extremely civil and kind if I were to congratulate your grace on a transition from Canterbury to Llandaff."