The Portuguese are, as you say, a most inconceivable set of selfish politicians.
Our friend, Mr Hume,[12] made a most violent speech at a dinner given to him and old George Byng[13] at Drury Lane last week.[14] He called Sir R.Peel and some other Tories "the cloven foot," which I think rather strong.

I think that _great_ violence and striving such a pity, on both sides, don't you, dear Uncle?
They irritate one another so uselessly by calling one another fools, blockheads, liars, and so forth for no purpose.

I think violence so bad in everything.

They should imitate you, and be calm, for you have had, God knows! enough cause for irritation from your _worthy_ Dutch neighbours and others.
You will, I fear, laugh at my _politics_, but I like telling _you_ my feelings, for you alone can put me right on such subjects.
[Footnote 12: Joseph Hume, leader of the Radical party, was now M.P.for Middlesex.] [Footnote 13: George Byng, for many years Member for Middlesex, was great-grandson of William Wentworth, Earl of Strafford, of the 1711 creation.

His younger brother, Sir John Byng, the well-known General of the Peninsula and Waterloo, was created Earl of Strafford in 1817.] [Footnote 14: This was a dinner given by the Middlesex reformers to their representatives.