Chapter XXXVIII: Letter 90: To Mr. Hodgson

"8. St. James's Street, March 5. 1812.

"My dear Hodgson,

"_We_ are not answerable for reports of speeches in the papers;
they are always given incorrectly, and on this occasion more so
than usual, from the debate in the Commons on the same night. The
Morning Post should have said _eighteen years_. However, you will
find the speech, as spoken, in the Parliamentary Register, when it
comes out. Lords Holland and Grenville, particularly the latter,
paid me some high compliments in the course of their speeches, as
you may have seen in the papers, and Lords Eldon and Harrowby
answered me. I have had many marvellous eulogies repeated to me
since, in person and by proxy, from divers persons
_ministerial_--yea, _ministerial!_--as well as oppositionists; of
them I shall only mention Sir F. Burdett. _He_ says it is the best
speech by a _lord_ since the '_Lord_ knows when,' probably from a
fellow-feeling in the sentiments. Lord H. tells me I shall beat
them all if I persevere; and Lord G. remarked that the construction
of some of my periods are very like _Burke's_! And so much for
vanity. I spoke very violent sentences with a sort of modest
impudence, abused every thing and every body, and put the Lord
Chancellor very much out of humour; and if I may believe what I
hear, have not lost any character by the experiment. As to my
delivery, loud and fluent enough, perhaps a little theatrical. I
could not recognise myself or any one else in the newspapers.

"My poesy comes out on Saturday. Hobhouse is here; I shall tell him
to write. My stone is gone for the present, but I fear is part of
my habit. We _all_ talk of a visit to Cambridge.

"Yours ever, B."

* * * * *

Of the same date as the above is the following letter to Lord Holland, accompanying a copy of his new publication, and written in a tone that cannot fail to give a high idea of his good feeling and candour.