_5th May._--Last week Ld. H. made a motion in the H. of Lords in favour of the Catholics, to obtain what they call their emancipation.[98] Lord Lansdown, like a sly old politician, was glad of an opportunity of saying something on behalf of the Catholics, mingled with a praise of the Union, so that should the Union fail, he may say, ‘I foresaw that ye measure, without granting the Catholics their demands, would prove a mischievous one’; and if it should succeed he may say, ‘I supported Ministers on it.’ In his speech he made several heartfelt compliments to Ld. H. He said that whenever he differed in opinion from him he doubted the rectitude of his own judgment; for of his excellent abilities, he added, the House were competent to judge, but of the goodness of his heart those only who had the happiness of knowing him in private could estimate the value. He went on in this strain for near ten minutes. The whole debate was flat, none were in spirits; Ld. H. was unwell, and more than usually chilled by the deadness of his audience. Tierney declares that accustomed as he is to act singly in the H. of Commons, yet he could not bear up in the H. of Lords; there is a palsied indifference in the hearers that checks all spirit. [Sidenote: LORD LANSDOWN] It was essential to Ld. Lansdown to preserve the attachment of ---- during his Administration. But ---- confided to Ld. L. that his health was injured by an irregularity of life. One should have thought from the austerity of Ld. L.’s manners and private character that he was a singular person to select for such a confidence, but so it was. ‘Indeed, I am not surprised, the calamitous state of the country, the imbecility of Ministers, the augmentation of the debt, and the increased influence of the Crown is such that I own to you very frankly for dissipation I plunge myself into the lowest debauchery.’ He then, after this prelude, administered friendly relief. This is very characteristic of him; the sort of jumble of ideas, and the overstrained civility of adapting his own conduct to that of the person he wishes to please, however repugnant it might be to him in reality. ‘Comment, mon ami,’ cried a wife to her drunken husband. ‘Vous vous perdez, vous laissez toujours votre esprit au cabaret.’ ‘Ne craignez rien, ma chère, j’irais la chercher dimanche.’ People are very much occupied with this Divorce Bill.[99] Ld. H. has felt a shyness in attending the progress of it in the H. of Lords. A Bishop, full of the subject, last week began talking to him; he expressed his approbation of its becoming a criminal proceeding, and added, ‘And do you not think, my Lord, that it would diminish the frequency of the vice, if parties were condemned to imprisonment for five years?’ Ld. H. was, of course, puzzled how to answer. The Bishop was B. of Chichester.