The Creevey Papers
Henry Brougham to Thomas Creevey, 27 April 1827
“April 27, 1827.
“Dear C.,
“I fear you are a rural
politician—ruris
amator—one of the provincials of whom Jonathan Raine said in his N. Circuit
verses—
‘Quid memorem quotquot, rurali more,
colonis
Ruris amatores dant sua jura
suis?’ |
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So you have a politick of your own, as Maude has a
law. How can you, being of [illegible] mind, possibly
think that the Ministry—or any Ministry—can stand on volunteer and
candid support? My only principle is:—‘Lock the door on Eldon and Co.;’ and this can only be done
by joining C[anning].
“Well, even my not being in office is making the
devil’s own mischief. Where am I to sit? [illegible]’s place, or Pitt’s old
hill fort? or where? How am I to communicate with C[anning]? Besides, the Tories don’t believe me with C., and are trying to trap
me by motions. Nice, to be sure, had any man such a singular, not to say absurd
power over a Govt. as I shall have. Lord
L[ansdowne], D. of
Devonshire, &c., all take place protesting against my
exclusion, and swearing they only submit to it while I do. Scarlett A[ttorney] G[eneral], but Eldon went off in a headache to escape swearing
him in. . . .
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).
George Canning (1770-1827)
Tory statesman; he was foreign minister (1807-1809) and prime minister (1827); a
supporter of Greek independence and Catholic emancipation.
Jonathan Raine (1763-1831)
The younger brother of Matthew Raine, master of Charterhouse; educated at Trinity
College, Cambridge and at Lincoln's Inn, he was a sometimes-Whig MP for St. Ives (1802-06),
Wareham (1806-07), Launceston (1812), Newport (1812-31), and afterwards a judge in
Wales.
James Scarlett, first baron Abinger (1769-1844)
English barrister and politician educated at Trinity College, Cambridge and the Inner
Temple; he was a Whig MP (1819-34) who served as attorney-general in the Canning and
Wellington ministries.
John Scott, first earl of Eldon (1751-1838)
Lord chancellor (1801-27); he was legal counsel to the Prince of Wales and an active
opponent of the Reform Bill.
