ʌnfˈɔːɹtʃənətli hiː wʌz nˌɑːt nˈoʊɾᵻd fɔːɹ tˈækt ɔːɹ ɪntˈɛlɪdʒəns—mˈɛlbɚnz sˈɪstɚɹ ˈɛmᵻli lˈæm, kˈaʊntɛs kˈaʊpɚ, dᵻskɹˈaɪbd hˌɪm æz bˌiːɪŋ jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsəli ɹᵻɡˈɑːɹdᵻd æz "ɐn ˈæs ænd ɐ dʒˈækɐnˌeɪps".
Unfortunately he was not noted for tact or intelligence—Melbourne's sister Emily Lamb, Countess Cowper, described him as being universally regarded as "an ass and a jackanapes".