CHAP.  VII.  .ET.  31  SOCIAL  DIVERSION  -  169

guilty  of  much  absurd  phraseology,  of  no  little  ostentatious  pride,  and
of  some  excess,  justice  in  my  opinion  is  with  them,  and  whilst  they  the
pagans  and  semi-civilised  barbarians  have  it,  we  the  enlightened  and
civilised  Christians  are  pursuing  objects  at  variance  both  with  justice
and  with  religion.^

May  lith. — Consulted  [various  persons]  on  opium.  All  but  Sir  R.
Inglis  were  on  grounds  of  prudence  against  its  [a  motion  against  the
compensation  demanded  from  China]  being  brought  forward.  To  this
majority  of  friendly  and  competent  persons  I  have  given  way,  I  hope  not
wrongfully  ;  but  I  am  in  dread  of  the  judgment  of  God  upon  England
for  our  national  iniquity  towards  China.  It  has  been  to  me  matter
of  most  painful  and  anxious  consideration.  I  yielded  specifically  to
this  ;  the  majority  of  the  persons  most  trustworthy  feel  that  to  make
the  motion  would,  our  leaders  being  in  such  a  position  and  disposition
with  respect  to  it,  injure  the  cause.  June  1st. — Meeting  of  the  Society
for  Suppression  of  the  Slave  Trade.  [This  was  the  occasion  of  a  speech
from  Prince  Albert,  who  presided.]  Exeter  Hall  crammed  is  really  a
grand  spectacle.  Samuel  Wilberforce  a  beautiful  speaker ;  in  some
points  resembles  Macaulay.  Peel  excellent.  Jime  \2th. — This  evening
I  voted  for  the  Irish  education  grant ;  on  the  ground  that  in  its  princi}ile,
according  to  Lord  Stanley's  letter,  it  is  identical  practically  with  the
English  grant  of  '33-8,  and  I  might  have  added  with  the  Kildare  Place
grant.  To  exclude  doctiine  from  exposition  is  in  my  judgment  as
truly  a  mutilation  of  scripture,  as  to  omit  bodily  portions  of  the  sacred
volume.
