On Perceval's death (May 11 1812), Lord Liverpool became Prime Minister, but was unable to carry on the government. Accordingly the Prince Regent desired the Marquis Wellesley and Canning to approach Lords Grey and Grenville with regard to the formation of a coalition ministry. They were unsuccessful, and as a next step Lord Moira (Francis Rawdon, first Marquis of Hastings, 1754-1826) was empowered to make overtures in the same quarter. The Whig Lords stipulated that the regulation of the Household should rest with ministers, and to this Moira would not consent, possibly because the Prince's favourite, Lord Yarmouth, was Vice-Chamberlain. Negotiations were again broken off, and on June 9 Liverpool began his long term of office as Prime Minister. "I sate," writes Byron, "in the debate or rather discussion in the House of Lords on that question (the second negotiation) immediately behind Moira, who, while Grey was speaking, turned round to me repeatedly, and asked me whether I agreed with him. It was an awkward question to me, who had not heard both sides. Moira kept repeating to me, 'It is 'not' so; it is so and so,'" etc. (Letter to W. Bankes (undated), 'Life', p. 162). Hence the question, "My Moira, what say you?"] [Footnote 22: "We have changed all that," says the Mock Doctor--'tis all gone--Asmodeus knows where. After all, it is of no great importance how women's hearts are disposed of; they have nature's privilege to distribute them as absurdly as possible. But there are also some men with hearts so thoroughly bad, as to remind us of those phenomena often mentioned in natural history; viz. a mass of solid stone--only to be opened by force--and when divided, you discover a _toad_ in the centre, lively, and with the reputation of being venomous." [In the MS. the last sentence stood: "In this country there is _one man_ with a heart so thoroughly bad that it reminds us of those unaccountable petrifactions often mentioned in natural history," etc. The couplet-- "Such things we know are neither rich nor rare, But wonder how the Devil they got there," which was affixed to the note, was subsequently erased.]] [Footnote 23: Compare Sheridan's lines on waltzing, which Moore heard him "repeat in a drawing-room"-- "With tranquil step, and timid downcast glance, Behold the well-pair'd couple now advance. In such sweet posture our first parents moved, While, hand in hand, through Eden's bower they roved. Ere yet the devil, with promise fine and false, Turned their poor heads, and taught them how to waltz. One hand grasps hers, the other holds her hip. ... For so the law's laid down by Baron Trip."] [Footnote 24: Lines 204-207 are not in the MS., but were added in a revise.]