The “Pope” of Holland House
John Whishaw to Charles and Henry Romilly, 23 April 1833
April 23, 1833.
GROTE acted a very
manly part in opposing the Bank of England last night,1
which, as a banker, must have been contrary to his wishes and interests. Abercromby considers him as the only rising man of
that party, and one of the most rising in the whole House. I conjecture that
Edward voted with him and John in the
majority. The
1 Mr.
Attwood, M.P. for Whitehaven, brought forward a motion for a
committee to inquire into the state of general distress—how far the
same had been occasioned by the operation of our present monetary system.
Lord Althorp moved an amendment,
and Mr. Grote rose immediately to
second it. In the division that the words proposed by Mr.
Attwood should stand, Grote, John Romilly, and Edward Romilly all voted with the noes in the majority.
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Bentham school, with Ricardo and Mill, are lovers of cheap currency, and in my opinion too
favourable to paper.
James Abercromby, first baron Dunfermline (1776-1858)
The son of Lt.-Gen Sir Ralph Abercromby; he was MP for Midhurst (1807), Calne (1812-30)
and Edinburgh (1832), judge-advocate general (1827) and speaker of the House of Commons
(1835-39); he was raised to the peerage in 1839.
Matthias Attwood (1779-1851)
Birmingham banker and economist; he was a Tory MP for Fowey (1819), Callington (1820-30),
Boroughbridge (1830-32), and Whitehaven (1832-47).
Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832)
The founder of Utilitarianism; author of
Principles of Morals and
Legislation (1789).
George Grote (1794-1871)
English historian, a member of Bentham's circle and writer for the
Westminster Review; he was a founder of London University, of which he was
president in 1868, and MP for London (1832-41).
James Mill (1773-1836)
English political philosopher allied with the radical Joseph Hume; he was the father of
John Stuart Mill.
David Ricardo (1772-1823)
English political economist, the author of Principles of Political Economy and Taxation
(1817); he was a Whig MP for Portarlington (1819-23).
Edward Romilly (1804-1870)
The third son of Sir Samuel Romilly and Anne Garbett; educated at Bury St Edmunds and
Christ's College, Cambridge, he was M.P. for Ludlow (1832-5) and member of the Board of
Audit (1837-66).
John Romilly, first baron Romilly (1802-1874)
English judge, the son of Sir Samuel Romilly; educated at Trinity College, he was MP for
Bridport (1832-35) and master of the rolls (1851).
John Charles Spencer, third earl Spencer (1782-1845)
English politician, son of the second earl (d. 1834); educated at Harrow and Trinity
College, Cambridge, he was Whig MP for Northamptonshire (1806-34) and chancellor of the
exchequer and leader of the lower house under Lord Grey (1830).
