Ld. Lansdown is just returned from Bath. He was full of what Miss Fox calls _effusion_ to Ld. H., who had said that he regretted the probability of their voting against each other upon the subject of the Union. ‘Never mind,’ said Ld. L., ‘vote, speak against me, abuse me. Do what you will. I should say, this is what I can’t hear, I can’t see; I won’t see it. You are like my sons who can’t offend me, for I won’t quarrel with them.’ In short, he was all tenderness and warmth. Sheridan offended the Prince extremely in his last speech. I do not know precisely what he said, but it was a quotation from Secretary Cooke’s pamphlet. He certainly intended it as complimentary, but it was not probably faithfully reported by P. Ernest to ye Prince, and before S. could tell his own story, the Prince, with his usual intemperance and violence, abused him, calling him ‘rogue, liar,’ etc. This _mal-entendu_ will vex S. beyond measure, for he has ever since the Regency courted the P., and anticipated in imagination much influence in a future reign; besides that he has wished to be considered as being as much the organ of the P. in the H. of Commons as Ld. Moira is in the House of Lords. I have malignity enough in my disposition not to feel much sympathy for his afflictions. He has afflicted so much real distress upon others, and one being dear to me, that I have not a spark of compassion to bestow. His defenders (and their number is but slender) say that all his bad conduct has proceeded from his struggling against the meanness of his origin and the littleness of his means. He attempted to efface the first by distinguishing himself, not only in the career of wit and politics, but also in that of gallantry and fashion; for such was his lust of praise that:-- * * * * * Women and fools must like him or he dies; The wond’ring Senates hung on all he spoke, The Club must hail him Master of the Joke. * * * * * Enough if all around him but admire. I shall note down a few anecdotes about him by-and-bye. [Sidenote: ‘PRODIGY’ POLLEN]