are used to look up, than to that of the Secretary of State, against which they are disposed to kick, but he said it was impossible to summon a committee. I said three were enough, and there were himself, Goulburn, and Haddington. He said Haddington would be frightened out of his senses at the notion of the responsibility, and he would rather take it all upon himself, and so he had the letter written. This is, however, enough to prove that no foresight can provide against all the contingencies which may require the exercise of the Royal authority; that it would have been safer and wiser _stetisse super antiquas vias_, to have followed former precedents, and not to have departed from them. _September 3rd._--I read in the newspapers the day before yesterday an account of a lad brought up for not supporting his child. The father was fifteen or sixteen years old, the mother a year or two less, and the grandmother of the child--the girl's mother--appeared, who was twenty-nine years old, and had had fourteen children. This seems to me curious enough to be worth recording. There appear from time to time many odd and remarkable things, which would be well worth noticing, and which are hurried down and lost in the stream of events. If I were not too idle I would record them, for really I have no political transactions to speak of, as I am not in the way of knowing anything secret or interesting. [Sidenote: DEATH OF LORD SPENCER.] CHAPTER XIX. Death of Earl Spencer--His Character--M. Thiers in England--Fever of Speculation--Cabinets on the Corn Laws--'Every Man in his Humour'--Dickens on the Stage--'Alarm' wins a great Stake--Visit to Worsley--Manchester--Death of Lady Holland--Bretby--Southwell--Sherwood Forest--Announcement of the Repeal of the Corn Laws--A Ministerial Crisis--Sir Robert Peel resigns--Lord John Russell sent for--Lord Wharncliffe's account of the Crisis--Proceedings of the Whigs--The Court--Attempts at an Understanding--Sir Robert Peel's Position--Lord Grey disagrees--Communication to Sir Robert Peel--Lord John undertakes to form a Government--Dénouement of the Crisis--Lord Howick refuses--Lord John Russell gives up the task.