I read the King of the Netherlands’ letter.  He asks distinctly for military assistance.

Cabinet dinner at the Duke’s.  The Prince of Orange is gone to Antwerp.  This the Duke thinks the very worst step that could have been taken; the only mistake the King has made.  In fact the King was unwilling, and ever since the affair of Brussels there has been a coolness between the King and the Prince.  The Duke fears the consequences of the Prince’s going, because he is a man devoted to popularity-vain.  The Duke and Talleyrand were talking about popularity.  The Duke said those who loved it never loved it with moderation.  Talleyrand said, ’Il n’y a jamais de moderation, ou il n’y a pas de gout—­et il n’y a pas de gout dans l’amour de la popularite!’ The Duke asked Talleyrand what sort of a man the Duke of Orleans was.  ’Un Prince de l’Ecole normale.’  Of the Queen he said, ’Elle est bonne femme, et surtout grande dame—­c’est ce qu’il nous faut.’

Talleyrand said he had given the King a piece of advice, ’to go to Neuilly’—­that is, to rescue himself from the vagabond cortege.

Talleyrand is very well pleased with the letter sent to Paris, and the foreign Ministers are satisfied.

The King (our King) seemed to me to be very weary to-day.  Aberdeen said he was a good deal distressed at the state of Europe, and rather anxious.

Lord and Lady Holland and Rothschild appear to be the only people besides the Ministers who have called on Talleyrand.  Lord Holland is very much with him.  Lord Holland is doing all he can to save the lives of the French Ministers—­for the interest of the French Government, not of the Ministers themselves.  He has written to La Fayette and to the King.

October 7.

I forgot on what authority it was mentioned yesterday, but it was mentioned as a fact that the Liberaux would not have done anything unless they had been certain of the Duke of Orleans.  So afraid were they of a revolution that they would have submitted to the Ordonnances rather than run the risk of it.

October 9.

At Canterbury heard more particulars of the machine-breaking now going on in the neighbourhood.  Notice is given, and the frames are broken.  One gentleman boasted at market they should not break his, as he had armed men to protect them.  They on the same night set fire to his rickyard.  Sir Henry Oxenden’s sons went out to meet them, when they came according to notice to break Sir Henry’s machines.  One man spoke for the rest.  He acknowledged Sir Henry seldom or ever used his machine, and that he was the landlord in Kent who gave most to the poor; but they must do as they were ordered; they would, however, do as little as they could, and they only sawed off a shaft.

The farmers now leave their thrashing machines out in the fields to be broken.

The rickyard of one gentleman was set on fire because he committed a man for machine-breaking.  He lost 6,000L, nothing being insured.