The Creevey Papers
Henry Brougham to Thomas Creevey, 1 July 1814
“Temple, 1st July, 1814.
“Dear C.,
“I suppose you have heard of Mother P. bungling the thing so
compleatly—snapping eagerly at the cash, and concluding with a civil
observation about unwillingness to ‘impair the Regent’s tranquillity!!’ &c. This was
all done on the spot and in a moment, and communicated to Sam and me next day, ‘that we might
be clear of all blame in advising it.’ We are of course fully
justified in giving her up. I had written a proper letter to the Speaker, refusing, which would only have made the
House certain to give it [the grant to the Princess]. The intelligence came
before my letter reached her.
“However, tho’ she deserves death, yet we must
not abandon her, in case P. gets a victory
after all, therefore I have made her send St.
Leger to the Bp. of Lincoln (Dean of
St. Paul’s) to notify her intention of going in state on
Thursday, and demand proper seats for her and her suite. They are trying to
fight off, but tho’ they may dirty themselves, nothing shall prevent her
from going. This is a healing and a good measure.
“Again—there is a second letter from Castlereagh, mentioning a bill to ‘confirm
the arrangement of 1809;’ and as this involves separation, it has (as
well it may) alarmed her, and now she is all for asking our advice! They may make such a blunder, as all along ![]()
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they have blundered; if they do, we are all alive again, and shall push it.
Say now it strikes you.
“As for Westr.—it now appears that Ald. Wood is only making a catspaw of old C[artwright]* and that he counts on his
dying, and leaving a place for him—the Alderman. He has avowed that he
would rather see Sheridan, or any court
tool, returned than a Whig in disguise, viz., me; and he
asserts plainly that, on the comparison, ‘more is to be hoped from
Cart.’s parliamentary talents than from
B.’s—the former being greater.’ This has opened some
eyes—for they justly conclude he can’t be really speaking his mind.
. . . I can’t help fearing Burdett
is doing something, but I don’t know for certain. Holland House from personal hatred [i.e. of
Brougham] supports
Sherry; the Russells and
Cavendishes, I understand, quite the contrary. . .
.”
Charles Abbot, first baron Colchester (1757-1829)
Educated at Westminster and Christ Church, Oxford, he was Tory MP for Helston in Cornwall
(1795) and Speaker of the House of Commons (1802-16).
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).
Sir Francis Burdett, fifth baronet (1770-1844)
Whig MP for Westminster (1807-1837) who was imprisoned on political charges in 1810 and
again in 1820; in the 1830s he voted with the Conservatives.
Queen Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (1768-1821)
Married the Prince of Wales in 1795 and separated in 1796; her husband instituted
unsuccessful divorce proceedings in 1820 when she refused to surrender her rights as
queen.
John Cartwright (1740-1824)
Political reformer who advocated the abolition of slavery and the emancipation of Greece;
he was the brother of the poet and inventor Edmund Cartwright.
Anthony Butler St. Leger (1758 c.-1821)
The son of Maj. Gen. John St. Leger and younger brother of John Hayes St. Leger, the
rakish friend of the Prince of Wales; he was a companion of Queen Caroline called to
testify at her trial.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816)
Anglo-Irish playwright, author of
The School for Scandal (1777),
Whig MP and ally of Charles James Fox (1780-1812).
Sir George Pretyman Tomline, bishop of Winchester (1750-1827)
Tutor of Pitt the younger; he was dean of St. Paul's and bishop of Lincoln (1787) and
bishop of Winchester (1820-27). He adopted the name of Tomline in 1803 in connection with
an inheritance.
Samuel Whitbread (1764-1815)
The son of the brewer Samuel Whitbread (1720-96); he was a Whig MP for Bedford, involved
with the reorganization of Drury Lane after the fire of 1809; its financial difficulties
led him to suicide.
Sir Matthew Wood, first baronet (1768-1843)
English politician and reformer; he was Lord Mayor of London (1815-16, 1816-17) and was
MP for the city of London (1817-43).
