The Creevey Papers
Henry Brougham to Thomas Creevey, [September 1822]
“Brougham, Tuesday [Sept., 1822].
“. . . I hope you are sufficiently vexed at
Hume making such an ass of himself as
he did t’other day by his stupid vanity and his attack, thro’ such
vanity, on the rest of the Opposition. His kind patronage of Archy is only laughable, but to see him
splitting on that rock (of egotism and vanity) is rather provoking. What right
has he to talk of the Whigs never coming to his
support on Parly. Reform? I can remind him of their dividing some 120 on it in
1812, when he was sitting at Perceval’s back, toad-eating him for a place, and acting
the part of their covert doer of all sorts of dirty work in the coarsest and
most offensive way, thro’ the whole battle of the Orders in Council, when
![]()
![]()
| 1822.] | LORD THANET ON THE SITUATION. | 51 |
![]()
we beat them and him! I
always have defended him when that period of his life has been cast in my
teeth, and on this one ground—that Bentham, Mill, &c.,
who converted him, persuaded me that his former conduct was from mere want of
education, and that he was radically honest. But off hands! an’t please
you, good Master Joseph! In truth I cannot reckon a
man’s conduct at all pure who shows up others at public meetings behind
their backs, whom he never whispers a word against in their places. There is
extreme meanness in this sneaking way of ingratiating himself at their expense,
and the utter falsehood of the charge is glaring. Parly. Reform has never once
been touched by him (luckily for the question). The motions on it last session
were Lord John’s and my own. His
boro’ reform professedly steered clear of the question. I trust he has
been misrepresented, but I heard in Scotland that people were everywhere
laughing at him for his arrogance and vanity.”
Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832)
The founder of Utilitarianism; author of
Principles of Morals and
Legislation (1789).
George Canning (1770-1827)
Tory statesman; he was foreign minister (1807-1809) and prime minister (1827); a
supporter of Greek independence and Catholic emancipation.
William Vesey Fitzgerald, second Baron Fitzgerald and Vesey (1783 c.-1843)
Educated at Christ Church, Oxford, he was a Tory MP for Ennis (1808-12, 1813-18,
1831-32), County Clare (1818-28), Newport (1829-30), and Lostwithiel (1830); he was
chancellor of the Irish Exchequer (1812-16) when engaged with the scandals involving Mary
Ann Clarke.
Lord Archibald Hamilton (1770-1827)
The second son of Archibald, ninth duke of Hamilton (d. 1819); a Whig MP for Lanarkshire
from 1802, he was a supporter of Charles James Fox and radical causes.
Joseph Hume (1777-1855)
After service in India he became a radical MP for Weymouth (1812), Aberdeen (1818-30,
1842-55), Middlesex (1830-37), and Kilkenny (1837-41); he was an associate of John Cam
Hobhouse and a member of the London Greek Committee. Maria Edgeworth: “Don't like him
much; attacks all things and persons, never listens, has no judgment.”
James Mill (1773-1836)
English political philosopher allied with the radical Joseph Hume; he was the father of
John Stuart Mill.
Spencer Perceval (1762-1812)
English statesman; chancellor of the exchequer (1807), succeeded the Duke of Portland as
prime minister (1809); he was assassinated in the House of Commons.
John Russell, first earl Russell (1792-1878)
English statesman, son of John Russell sixth duke of Bedford (1766-1839); he was author
of
Essay on the English Constitution (1821) and
Memoirs of the Affairs of Europe (1824) and was Prime Minister (1865-66).
