_11th October, ’99._--On Wednesday, 9th October, Ld. King[37] passed the day and dined. He is young and handsome. His political principles are strongly anti-Government; his liking to Ld. H. makes him act with him, tho’ his opinion disposes him to exceed the limits Opposition have drawn to themselves; _pour trancher le mot_, he is what is called a Jacobin. His dislike to what is established is more against the Church than to the State: he quite abhors the Christian religion. He has a considerable share of information in theology, metaphysics, and political economy. Seeing him but once sociably, I cannot accurately estimate his worth. He is a most affectionate, excellent son. He came to town on purpose to second Ld. H. to-night. Tho’ he is not a remarkable speaker, yet he is stout, and Ld. H. expects to find a consolation in having him; as any person who is warm on the same side must be a relief from the _agony_ of a solitary opposition. Yesterday I had a visit from a strange man, a Dr. Hager;[38] he was employed by ye King of Naples to detect a literary fraud in Sicily. One of the impostures was a supposed Arabic translation of all the works of Livy containing the lost books: this curiosity he discovered to be an ingenious fabrication. The other was some grants to the Church during the period where there is a hiatus in ye Sicilian history. His head is crammed full of metaphysics and erudition, to the total exclusion of every particle of common sense. I could perceive _rays_ of _illumination_ about him, when he talked of his admiration of truth and the necessity among enlightened people to substitute a moral catechism for _that_ built upon the credulity and superstition of mankind. His _generous spirit_ of converting those misled by error, alias religion, will involve him in scrapes should he not be wiser before he publishes in this country, as I suspect it has done already in Germany. He is one of Ld. Wycombe’s strange men; he picked him up in Sicily. [Sidenote: LORD AMHERST] Amherst came; I complimented him upon his speech. He seconded the Address.[39] He was sure to do it with propriety, therefore a congratulation was safe; as he is as certain of not exposing as he is of not distinguishing himself. He has a good heart, with a narrow mind; of all the young men he is the most _borné_ in point of intellect. Nature seems to have determined upon confining him within _proprieties_. He was born to be a courtier, to live upon the terrace at Windsor, and wear the uniform; beyond that he will never get, unless Canning may want a _tête-de-perruque_ to fill up a gap in any motley Administration he may have the forming of hereafter.