December 3.

The Chairs talked of Lord William Bentinck.  They are very much out of humour with him and heartily wish he was at home.  He has neither written privately nor publicly, except upon trifling matters, for five months.  He has declared his opinion in favour of colonisation.  He is very unpopular.  On the subject of Sir W. Rumbold he and Sir Ch.  Metcalfe are very hostile, taking extreme views on the different sides.  This hostility upon one subject will lead to difference upon others.  The Government is not respected—­and certainly there has been no moment when it was of more importance that the head of the Government should be respected than when it is necessary to effect a great economical reform.  They describe the feeling at Madras as being still worse.  There they did not think the governor an honest man.

The Chairs expect a letter from Macdonald to the Secret Committee with copies of his last despatches which I have already received through Petersburg, so they are unwilling to accept a communication of them from me.  The letter, permitting Abbas Murza to purchase 12,000 stand of arms and to pay for them by instalments, will therefore go without any reference to the last despatches received.

Saw Aberdeen.  He agrees with me in feeling much apprehension on the state of France as well as of Turkey.  He seems, however, to think more of the state of parties here, and does not like the looks of the Duke of Cumberland (who was nearly dying last week) and of the King.  It seems the King, although very well satisfied with measures of a public nature, is annoyed at not carrying some small jobs.

There was a great party at Woburn lately, and the world of course say there is an approximation to the Grey party.  Aberdeen thinks the Woburn party showed good wishes, and Lord Grey, it is said, does not mean to come up to town.  However, he is said to think he has been slighted, whereas the Duke of Wellington cannot do anything for him in the hostile state of the King’s mind.

I told Aberdeen confidentially of Bankes’s going out, which is an indication, no doubt, of continued hostility on the part of the Duke of Cumberland.

Saw Hardinge.  Talked on various public subjects, and then told him of the probability that in three months Lord W. Bentinck would be recalled.  I asked him whether he could be induced to go as Governor-General.  He rejected the idea at first as unsuited to his rank in the army.  I said we could make him Captain-General.  He seemed to think it was a great field for a man who wished to obtain great fame, and if he was unmarried he would not be disinclined to go, but I should think domestic considerations would prevent him.  I wish we had him as secretary in Ireland, but he is wanted everywhere.  He is so useful.  He would be most useful in Ireland.