ed me.

A great part of the Diary is taken up with the details of a ridiculous intrigue concocted, as it seems, between Mr. Canning and Lord Malmesbury in the winter of 1802-3, for forcing Mr. Addington to make way for Mr. Pitt's restoration to power. Mr. Canning, as was natural to a young man of his lively genius, aspiring hopes, and personal attachment to Mr. Pitt, had from the first

He expressed great satisfaction at seeing me less ill than he expected; asked how I continued to keep well; and on my saying, amongst other reasons, that I endeavored to keep my mind quiet, and dismiss all unpleasant subjects from intruding themselves on it, the King said, "Tis a very wise maximn, and one I am determined to follow; but how, at this moment, can you avoid it?" And without waiting he went on by saying, "Do you know what I call the Peace [of Amiens] ?- an experimental peace, for it is nothing else. I am regretted the late resignations, and greatly sure you think so, and perhaps do not give it undervaluing the less brilliant qualities of so gentle a name; but it was unavoidable. I the successors, he had, contrary to Mr. Pitt's was abandoned by every body, allies and all. wishes--and indeed at some risk, as it seems, I have done, I conscientiously believe, for the of impairing their political and even their best, because I could not do otherwise; but private friendship-endeavored to discredit had I found more opinions like mine, better the ministry by censure and ridicule in the might have been done." press, and by occasional sarcasms in parliament. These missiles not producing the desired effect, he, in concert with Lord Malmesbury, formed a plan which, without compromising Mr. Pitt, who (as they all knew) would listen to no such expedients, should force Mr. Addington to be the instrument of his own downfall.

As a specimen of the candid inconsistency of Lord Malmesbury's diary, we may quote the following character which he gives of Mr. Canning at this period of his life :

I thought the subject might agitate the King, and therefore tried to lead him from it; he perceived my drift, and said," Lord Malmesbury, you and I have lived on the active theatre of this world these thirty years; if we are not become wise enough to consider every event which happens, quietly and with acquiescence, we must have lived very negligently What would the good man who wrote these excellent books (pointing to the copy I had just presented to him of my father's works) say, if we were such bad philosophers, having had such means of becoming good ones?" and then His Majesty reverted again to the peace, spoke of the state of Europe, of France, and this country; and by the turn of conversation it hap- 'Jan. 24, 1803.-Canning has been forced, pened that the King and myself, almost in the like a thriving plant in a well-managed hotsanie moment, ageed that it was a most errone-house; he has prospered too luxuriantly-has ous and dangerous maxim which prevailed, that felt no check or frost. Too early in life, he Jacobinism was at an end or even diminished; that it was only quieter because it had carried one point, but we should soon see it blaze out again, when it had another in view; and from that the King passed to the court of Berlin, which he spoke of with great displeasure, even acrimony: "This is the young man," said he, "of whom the great Frederick said-'on ne lui arrachera jamais la couronne,' and we shall live, possibly, to see him without even his Elec-temptuous, although really not so. This checks toral dominions."-vol. iv. pp. 62, 63.

has had many, and too easy, advantages. This, added to very acute parts, makes him impatient of control. Astonished to find obstacles and difficulties in his way; angry with those who conceive less quickly and eagerly than himself, or who will not keep pace with him in his rapid plans and views; and indulging an innate principle of vanity, he underrates others, and appears arrogant and con

the right and gradual growth of his abilities; lessens their effects, and vitiates the very many It will, we think, be admitted that the excellent, honorable, and amiable qualities he old Philosopher of Salisbury' himself could this, judge him harshly and unfairly; his sucpossesses. The world, who judge him from not have made more judicious, nor his ac- cess accounts for his manners. Rapid proscomplished son more appropriate and states-perity never creates popularity, and it requires manlike observations than these of King a most careful and conciliating conduct to make George III., of whom we repeat with in- the two compatible.'-pp. 169, 170. creased confidence since Mr. Twiss's publication of his notes to Lord Eldon what we said on a prior occasion, that if ever, and to whatever extent, his daily correspondence with his several ministers on the various business of the State be published, the world will then, and not till then, be able duly to appreciate his virtues and his talents."-Q. Rev., vol. lxx. p. 232.

We quote this-not as a just, and still less as a favorable character of an early friend, for whose public and private qualities we preserve and cherish the highest admiration and the most affectionate regard; but-for the sake of observing that it was with this spoiled child, as he thought him, that Lord Malmesbury-at the age of near

threescore, and professing to have retired [deliberate countenance to the device of from public life-chose to associate himself signifying signatures to be ready, since in an intrigue, as absurd in all its parts as none were to be had, he could not have had can well be conceived. Its details would be in his thoughts that excellent maxim, which tedious; but the substance was this- he afterwards so forcibly inculcated on another young friend,

'Nov. 1, 1802.-It was thought right to draw up a paper to be signed, if approved, by persons of eminence in different public avocations, in each House of Parliament, to be presented by them to Mr. Addington; its object, as will appear from the paper itself, was to prevail on him to remove spontaneously, and prevent the matter being brought before the public'-p.

87.

and when signed by a sufficient number of leading and independent men of all de- We need not pursue this bubble to its scriptions in each House,' from whom it bursting and vanishing into nothing; but was supposed to emanate, it was to be pre- we must just notice the extraordinary sented simultaneously to Mr. Pitt and Mr. efforts of Mr. Canning and Lord MalmesAddington, and, by the Duke of York bury to persuade Mr. Pitt not to attend (whom Lord Malmesbury had already initia- the House of Commons, lest his presence ted into the design), conveyed to the King. should seem to countenance the MinistrySo far, so well. We can fancy our young and the ludicrous gravity with which Mr. political Hotspur exclaiming, Our plot is a Canning deplores the failure of his capital good plot as ever was laid-our friends true measure,' which was a device to prevent and constant; a good plot-good friends and Pitt's keeping an engagement to dine with full of expectation-an excellent plot, very Addington at Richmond Park, which the good friends. Why my Lord of York com- infatuated ex-minister, contrary to the most mends the plot and the general course of ac- earnest efforts of his young friend, persisted tion! Alas! when all those good friends' in doing. All this is very amusing as we and the many persons of eminence' were read it, but it is humiliating to think of; to be assembled to sign the important doc- and in this case, as in others of the Diary ument, it was found that there were no already noticed, we think that the person such persons in rerum naturâ—not one-who was most disliked makes really the and that the whole confederacy consisted of no soul but the original cotere which had imagined it, Mr. Canning, Lords Granville Leveson and Morpeth, and our venerable diplomatist;-but genius and art united are never without a resourceand behold, Mr. Canning writes to Lord Malmesbury

'Nov. 15th.-If, after all, neither imposing signatures nor spokesmen can be had, the last resort is to send the paper unsigned, with something like the enclosed præscript.' (!)

'PROPOSED PRESCRIPT.

'It is thought to be most respectful to Mr. Addington and Mr. Pitt, that the enclosed paper should be transmitted to them without the signatures, which are ready to be affixed to it.'-p. 103.

We can easily conceive the spirit of fun in which Mr. Canning penned this ingenious præscript-the very title of which would have revealed its author;-but when Lord Malmesbury lent his graver and more

best figure, and that the sober good sense and good faith of Mr. Addington contrast very favorably with the various ingenious, but not very ingenuous devices, that were employed to supplant him.*

As to Mr. Pitt's share in these transactions, we are glad to be able to say that, though the hopes and wishes of Mr. Canning and Lord Malmesbury may seem to throw some doubts over the candor of his conduct towards Mr. Addington, all that

We are glad to be able to say that Lord Sidmouth's papers are in the hands of his son-inlaw, the Dean of Norwich, and we have reason to hope that the Dean is preparing for the press a work that will do to that honest minister and excellent man more justice than has yet been done to his abilities and public services. Lord Malmesbury seems to have been much prejudiced against him by the influence of Mr. Canning's pleasantries. We have, however, ourselves seen evidence, which we hope may exist in Lord Sidmouth's papers, that at a subsequent period Mr. (as was his nature), expressed his regret for their Canning, in a very frank and generous manner former differences

he himself was responsible for-his own words and actions-are not liable to any serious reproach to none at all, we think, in the earlier period of the Addington Administration for the evidence of Lord Malmesbury leaves no doubt that he was perfectly and zealously sincere in his endeavors to restrain the hostility of his younger friends who had resigned with him, as well as to confirm the support of those of his former colleagues who had taken part in the new Government;-so much so that when Mr. Pitt heard accidentally on the 10th March, 1801, that the Duke of Portland intended, on his own part and that of his other colleagues, to propose to Mr. Addington to recall Mr. Pitt-the latter waited on the Duke, and in the most peremptory manner prohibited any such interference with Mr. Addington (iv. 42); and when on the 14th, in pursuance of the same views, Mr. Canning pressed Mr. Pitt for a categorical answer as to his real feeling towards Mr. Addington, Mr. Pitt

accepted, though his refusal was somewhat too haughtily stated. This affair, however, seems to us to have placed the rival parties on new and independent ground; it was a fresh point of departure; and though Mr. Pitt appeared still very reluctant to oppose the ministry, his connexion became gradually less cordial. Mr. Addington about this time fancied that he strengthened himself by offering office to Mr. Sheridan and others of the old Opposition, and by actually bringing into his government Mr. Tierney, who a few years before had fought a duel with Mr. Pitt. This seems to us to have fairly released Mr. Pitt altogether :-and at last, after many moves on the political chess-board, which may be followed very agreeably in Lord Malmesbury's Diary, Mr. Pitt concurred with Mr. Fox and the old Opposition in several important votes, particularly one on the Defence Bill, in which Mr. Addington had a majority of only thirty-seven, on which he resigned, and Mr. Pitt returned to office-almost alone.

'Without hesitation, and in the most un- Lord Malmesbury details the circumstanqualified manner, replied, that it was impossi-ces in which this short-lived and unfortunate ble to have behaved with more confidence, administration was formed on so narrow a more openness, more sincerity, than Addington had done, from the first moment to this; and that the manner in which he had conducted himself, added to his long friendship for him, had raised him higher than ever in his good opinion.'-p. 46.

basis, after Mr. Pitt had proposed for office his new ally Mr. Fox, and his old connexions the Grenvilles, &c., for whose sake he, no doubt, had broken off the negotiation with Mr. Addington in the spring of 1803. The King had now positively exAnd amidst not a few subsequent provoca- cluded Mr. Fox, and though the latter very tions on the part of Mr. Canning and his generously desired that this might not pre'young friends,' who were exceedingly dis-vent the accession of his friends to office, satisfied and angry at his reserve, he steadily they all made common cause with him. adhered to his engagements with Mr. Ad- Mr. Canning and Lord Granville Leveson dington.

were zealous for the introduction, first of As time lapsed, and circumstances Mr. Fox, and then of the Grenvilles-but changed, so, no doubt, did in a certain all parties adhered to their resolutions, degree the mutual relations of the late and and Mr. Pitt, instead of forming a new gov existing ministers, and Mr. Pitt became ernment, found himself in the necessity of naturally more and more reluctant to at-doing little more than taking Mr. Addingtend in parliament the discussion of new ton's place in the old one. We have heremeasures which he had not advised and tofore ventured to express our doubts as to might not approve, but which his general Mr. Pitt's policy in all this affair—his origiinclination to support Mr. Addington disa-nal breaking up of the great party of which bled him from opposing. In the spring of he was the head-his present failure to re1803, however, this state of affairs was es- unite it-his ousting Mr. Addington's govsentially altered, by Mr. Addington's mak-ernment before he knew on what basis he ing him an overture for his return to office, but on terms which Mr. Pitt thought he could not accept. The particulars of this transaction are given by Lord Malmesbury in much and interesting detail; and we are bound to say that the conditions were such as we do not think Mr. Pitt could have

could replace it-and, above all, the way in which, first and last, he dealt with the Roman Catholic question. Lord Malmesbury's details are too long to quote in extenso, and too connected to be separated, but they will be read with interest, and the result may be thus stated that the preca

ed

rious state of the King's mental health, and comprehensive, and held out to his powernever so liable to disturbance as from the ful mind the hope of establishing a European Catholic question-the peculiar difficulties Confederacy, that should crush the French created by Mr. Fox's former profession of ascendnecy. When that battle was fought, French principles, and his consequent re-him without the possible expectation of seeing the last ray of hope was so dimmed as to leave moval from the Privy Council-and the the fulfilment of that for which he had so long, great and growing perils of the country, so strenuously, and so successfully exerted both internal and external, afforded not himself, and which he felt (if ever accomplishmerely an obvious apology, but-in the ed) must be brought about by other hands opinion of Lord Malmesbury, the Duke of than his. He resigned himself to the will of Portland, and the great majority of Mr. that Providence to whom he had always lookPitt's friends, and, no doubt, in Mr. Pitt's hour of peril, and calmly awaited that last call dup, as well in the days of victory as in the own conscientious conviction-a full justi- to which we must all respond, with the true fication of proceedings which, in opposition spirit of a Christian, and felt that his sand had to such authority, we can hardly persist in too nearly run out for him to think any longer blaming, though we can never cease to re- of worldly matters. He went to Bath, and gret. These difficulties helped to acceler-only returned to Wimbledon (where he had a ate his death, if they did not absolutely villa) to die there.' cause it, by anxiety, disappointment, and affliction; the impeachment of Lord Melville, and the battle of Austerlitz, filled the cup of bitterness, and he died, as was emphatically said, at 46, of old age and a broken heart.

Pitt imme

'I have ever thought that an aiding cause of Pitt's death, certainly one that tended to shorten his existence, was the result of the proceedings against his old friend and colleague, Lord Melville. I sat wedged close to Pitt himself the night when we were 216 to 216; and the Speaker, Abbot (after looking as In alluding to the last moments of this white as a sheet, and pausing for ten minutes), illustrious man, whose glorious eloquence gave the casting vote against us. we heard with youthful admiration, we in the habit of wearing when dressed for the diately put on the little cocked-hat that he was have a melancholy pleasure in laying be- evening, and jammed it deeply over his forefore our readers, whom we may presume to head, and I distinctly saw the tears trickling be admirers of the name and character of down his cheeks. We had overheard one or Pitt, the following interesting anecdotes, two, such as Colonel Wardle (of notorious which the noble Editor has given us from memory), say, they wonld see "how Billy the note-book of his amiable and able looked after it." A few young ardent followers father, the second Earl of Malmesbury, and formed a circle, in which he moved, I be of Pitt, with myself, locked their arms together, while he was Lord Fitzharris, and a mem-lieve, unconsciously, out of the House; and ber of Mr. Pitt's last Board of Treasury. neither the Colonel nor his friends could approach him.

'On the receipt of the news of the memorable 'I met Pitt at Lord Bathurst's in Gloucesterbattle of Trafalgar (some day in November, shire, where he passed some days [in Decem1805), I happened to dine with Pitt, and it was ber 1802]. We went to church at Cirencester. naturally the engrossing subject of our conver-In discoursing afterwards on the beauty of our sation. I shall never forget the eloquent man- Liturgy, he selected the Thanksgiving Prayer ner in which he described his conflicting feel as one particularly impressive and comprehenings when roused in the night to read Colling-sive. The one, "In Time of War and Tumults," wood's dispatches. Pitt observed, that he had he thought admirably well drawn up, as well been called up at various hours in his eventful as that for the Parliament; but added with life by the arrival of news of various hues; respect to the first of the two, that he never in but that whether good or bad, he could always hearing it could divest himself of the analolay his head on his pillow and sink into, gy between "Abate their pride, assuage their sound sleep again. On this occasion, however malice," and the line in the song of "God save the great event annouced brought with it so the King," "Confound their politics, frustrate much to weep over, as well as to rejoice at, their knavish tricks." I observed, that Pitt that he could not calm his thoughts, but at was constantly taking down and quoting from length got up, though it was three in the Lucan, of which author he appeared to be morning.' extremely fond. Nothing could be more play'The battle of Austerlitz and its consequen-ful, and at the same time more instructive, ces, which he saw in their true light, greatly than Pitt's conversation, on a variety of subdisappointed and depressed him, and certain-jects, while sitting in the Library at Cirencesly rather accelerated his end. I well remem-ter. You never would have guessed that the ber walking round St. James' Park with him man before you was Prime Minister of the in November, 1805. He was naturally of a country, and one of the greatest that ever filled sanguine disposition. His plans were vast that situation. His style and manner were

After the death of Mr. Pitt and the ac

cession of the Talents Administration, there is little to notice till we arrive at the celebrated attempt to inveigle the King into the first step towards a concession of what were called the Catholic claims, which ended in the dismissal of that arrogant and fraudulent ministry, in whose detection and discomfiture Lord Malmesbury took more part, as we have already hinted, than was commonly supposed.

quite those of an accomplished idler.-Lord At this crisis Lord Malmesbury-forgetFitzharris's Note-Book for 1805-1806.'-vol. | ful of all his former indignation against iv. pp. 341-347. Lord Auckland for a like conduct-urged the Duke of Portland, with whom he had always maintained his early relations of confidence, to communicate to the King his Grace's sympathy on what he heard of His Majesty's feelings on this subject, and to acquaint him that if he should be driven to extremities by his present ministry, there were others who were ready to undertake the responsibility of office on the adverse principle. This letter was dated the 12th of March, 1807; but before it was despatched-indeed before it was written out On the 9th of March [1807], I found that a fair-the King himself had anticipated its bill was actually preparing, evidently as a sort advice by sending for Lord Grenville, comof preliminary step to other bills still more ex-plaining of the deception attempted to be plicit, to take off the restrictions now existing practised on him, and declaring that he against the Catholics. The Bill in the first never had consented, and never would con

instance was stated to be one that had no oth

er object in view than to give the Irish Catho-sent, to Lord Howick's Bill.

The Duke

lics, serving in England, the same security of Portland's letter arrived no doubt opporagainst the pains and penalty of the law tunely to confirm the King's resolutions, against Popery as they enjoyed in Ireland by which were also supported by some of the the Bill of 1793, which bill enabled them to existing Government. hold commissions in the army as far as the rank of Colonels.

'The King said the Prince had come down 'The Union made these regiments liable to serve in England and Scotland, and the his intentions of acting and speaking against on purpose on Saturday [March 14] to declare Act as it now stood (they said) gave them se- the bill; that the Chancellor (Erskine) has curity in Ireland only. This appeared a just also been from the beginning against it, as measure if pursued, and one not to be oppos-well as Lord Ellenborough and Lord Sidmouth. This last he said had behaved handsomely.'-vol. iv. p. 373.

ed.

To this Bill the King did not object, and in this shape it first appeared in the House of Commons, as a clause attached to the Mutiny Bill, of which it was naturally to make a part. But Ministers finding this go down with scarce And upon this the King gave the Duke any remark made upon it, thought they of Portland carte blanche for forming that might go a step further; they withdrew the administration which, with many serious clause to the Mutiny Bill, and substituted in modifications, and the sudden or premature its room a Bill which, by one stride, gave to deaths of no less than five of its leadersthe Catholics in every part of His Majesty's Portland, Perceval, Londonderry, Liverpool, dominions, the privilege of entering into the and Canning-and many vicissitudes of army or navy, of holding any rank in either, and of being allowed to attend their own placdifficulties and prosperity, terminated the es of worship. This gave rise to a very spir- most perilous, but eventually the most gloited debate, in which Perceval, with great rious war recorded in our annals by the force and ability, showed to the House the rad-most triumphant peace-and may be said ical alterations such a measure would make in to have lasted till, by a series of mistakes our Constitution, and the dangerous innova- and misfortunes, it was led as always tions with which it would be attended both in

In

Church and State. Government was violent happens to a party too long and too comin support of it, and Lords Howick and Tem-pletely prosperous-to terminate by suicide an existence of five-and-twenty years. ple talked vehemently. the Duke of Portland's ministry Mr. Canning received the Foreign Seals, Lord Fitzharris became his under-secretary-Lord Granville Leveson went as ambassador to Russia-and Lord Malmesbury, confidentially consulted by Mr. Canning, brings down to the Battle of Wagram and the Convention of Cintra-but with little de

'Strong symptoms, however, soon appeared, that they met with opposition in the closet, as the second reading of the bill was postponed from day to day. On Wednesday, the 11th, the King came to town, and saw his Ministers as usual at the Queen's House, to whom (it was told us) he expressed himself very distinctly, that to such a measure he never could assent.'-vol. iv. pp. 358, 359.