The Greville Memoirs, Part 1 (of 3), Volume 3 (of 3): A Journal of the Reigns of King George IV and King William IVGreville, Charles
History
The Greville Memoirs, Part 1 (of 3), Volume 3 (of 3): A Journal of the Reigns of King George IV and King William IV
Greville, Charles
Great Britain -- History -- George IV, 1820-1830; Great Britain -- History -- William IV, 1830-1837
Don Carlos is coming to town to Gloucester Lodge. When they told
him the Spanish Ambassador (Miraflores) was come to wait upon
him, he replied, 'I have no Ambassador at the Court of London.'
He will not take any money, and he will neither relinquish his
claims to the Spanish throne nor move hand or foot in prosecuting
them. 'If chance will have me king, why let chance crown me,
without my stir.' (He was meditating evasion at this time, and
got away undiscovered soon after.) They say he can get all the
money he wants from his partisans in Spain, and that there is no
lack of wealth in the country. Strange infatuation when men will
spend their blood and their money for such a miserable object. If
he had anything like spirit, enterprise, and courage, he would
make a fine confusion in Spain, and probably succeed; his
departure from the Peninsula and taking refuge here has not
caused the war to languish in the north. Admiral Napier is
arrived, and has taken a lodging close to him in Portsmouth.
Miraflores paid a droll compliment to Madame de Lieven the other
night. She was pointing out the various beauties at some ball,
and among others Lady Seymour, and asked him if he did not admire
her. He said, 'Elle est trop jeune, trop fraîche,' and then, with
a tender look and squeezing her hand, 'J'aime les femmes un peu
passées.'
July 4th, 1834 {p.099}
The other night Stanley made a fierce speech on Irish tithes, and
plainly showed that no reconciliation between him and the
Government is feasible. Last night Littleton made a melancholy
exhibition with O'Connell. Formerly a Minister must have resigned
who cut such a figure; now it is very different, for no matter
how unfit a man may be, it is ten to one nobody better can be
found to replace him. A more disgraceful affair never was seen;
the Tories chuckled, the Government and their friends were
disgusted, ashamed, and vexed; Durham sat under the gallery and
enjoyed the fun.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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