Grey is the man who is placed in the most awkward situation. He now regrets the secession, yet to him, ye D. of Bedford, and Whitbread, is it owing, but most especially to him. He was the first suggester of it, and when Mr. Fox balanced (for he adopted the measure unwillingly, and now thinks it was very injudicious) he urged it vehemently. At present he is tired of inactivity, and wishes to attend, yet he feels a difficulty in doing so after all he has declared upon its inutility; besides that to the world it will always have the appearance of being a most deceitful line of conduct, to have gotten Mr. Fox pledged to absence, and then become a leader. Unless I knew him to be of an honest, open, warm-hearted character, I should myself suspect a little fraud, but I fully acquit him. Grey, Tierney, Mr. Nicholl, and Francis dined here. _18th Dec._--The Jesuits, who kept in a register notes upon the character and abilities of those whom they educated in order to govern the world, said in the margin on Crébillon the father, ‘Enfant plein d’esprit, insigne vaurien.’ He belied the prediction, as he was an excellent man in private life. His early passion for poetry, especially dramatic, disposed the judicious _procureur_, under whom he was placed to study the law, to encourage his natural taste in cultivating the Muses, instead of drudging through a mass of black-lettered folios. His first piece was tolerably received, tho’ ‘le caustique Despréaux’ said it was the work of ‘Racine ivre.’ Sarcastic as he intended the observation, it was flattering to a young author to have his name in any way coupled with that of the harmonious Racine. Many years afterwards he presented a tragedy to the theatre; it was objected to, as being too harsh and not suited to the public taste, and they advised him to adopt the style of Voltaire, which pleased everyone. He said, ‘Monsr. de Voltaire travaille en or moulu, et moi je jette en bronze.’ _Rhadamiste_ is one, if not quite the best of his tragedies, tho’ it is rugged in its versification, and turgid in expressions. The famous lines, La Nature, marâtre en ces affreux climats, Ne produit, au lieu d’or, que du fer des soldats, are very fine, and have been happily imitated by Goldsmith in his _Traveller_ on Switzerland, No product here the barren hills afford But man and steel--the soldier and his sword.