The Creevey Papers
Lord Folkestone to Thomas Creevey, 23 February [1818]
“Lower Grosvenor St., Feb. 23 [1818].
“. . . We go on in the House in a very languishing
way: very little attendance, and still less attention. The House is regularly
empty till 9 or 10 o’clock on the most interesting questions; and then
the new comers are all clamorous for a division to get away again. We all like
our new Speaker* most extremely: he is
gentlemanlike and obliging. The would-be Speaker (alias
Squeaker)† has, as I suppose you
have heard, moved down to my old anti-Peace-of-Amiens bench. There are
Wynn, Fremantle, Phillimore‡
enlisted under Bankes. I rejoice
sincerely I did not vote for said Squeaker; but some of those who did are, I
hear, very much ashamed of themselves for it. Romilly is in high force this year: Brougham, I know not why, has been quite silent. . . .
Prinny has let loose his belly, which
now reaches his knees: otherwise he is said to be well. Clarence has been near dying: has been refused by
the Princess of Denmark, and is going, it is thought, to
marry Miss Wykeham. But his malady is of
that nature that they say matrimony is likely to destroy him, so that your
friend the Duke of Kent will be King at last.
I hope you have noted that the Issues of the Bank have again increased, and
that the price of gold and other articles is rising, and the Bank restriction
to continue. The old career, it seems, is to be run over again, and the few
Landed Proprietors who have come unhurt out of the first business will be
swallowed up in the second. A pretty prospect this for a Lord like me with a
young and increasing family. I should like much to introduce to you my son, who
is a very jolly fellow. Lady F. tells me
that she is known to you, though not in the character of my wife.”
Henry Bankes (1757-1834)
Of Kingston Lacy; educated at Westminster and Trinity College, Cambridge, he was Whig MP
for Corfe Castle (1780-1826).
Henry Peter Brougham, first baron Brougham and Vaux (1778-1868)
Educated at Edinburgh University, he was a founder of the
Edinburgh
Review in which he chastised Byron's
Hours of Idleness; he
defended Queen Caroline in her trial for adultery (1820), established the London University
(1828), and was appointed lord chancellor (1830).
Edward Augustus, duke of Kent (1767-1820)
The fourth son of George III, who pursued a military career and acquired a reputation as
a martinet; he was governor of Gibraltar (1802-03).
Sir William Henry Fremantle (1766-1850)
After a military and civil career in Ireland he was MP for Enniskillen (1806), Harwich
(1806-07), Saltash (1807-08), Tain Burghs (1808-12), and Buckingham borough (1812-27); he
was afterwards treasurer of the royal household.
Joseph Phillimore (1775-1855)
Educated at Westminster and Christ Church, Oxford, he was regius professor of civil law
at Oxford, MP for St. Mawes (1817-20) and Yarmouth (1826-30), and contributed to the
Edinburgh Review.
Sir Samuel Romilly (1757-1818)
Reformer of the penal code and the author of
Thoughts on Executive
Justice (1786); he was a Whig MP and Solicitor-General who died a suicide.
Sophia Wykeham, Baroness Wenman (1790-1870)
Of Thame Park, the daughter of William Wykeham of Swalcliffe; she was considered as a
marriage partner for the Duke of Clarence in 1818; in 1830 he raised her to the peerage.
She died unmarried.
Charles Watkin Williams Wynn (1775-1850)
The son of Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, fourth baronet; educated at Westminster and Christ
Church, Oxford, Robert Southey's friend and benefactor was a Whig MP for Old Sarum (1797)
and Montgomeryshire (1799-1850). He was president of the Board of Control (1822-28).
