The Creevey Papers
Thomas Creevey to Elizabeth Ord, 9 August 1827
“Low Gosforth, 9th August.
“Well—I suppose Canning is dead long before this,† and so goes another
man killed by publick life. His constitution, it is true, was not a good one,
but the knock-down blow has been his possession of supreme power, his means of
getting it and the personal abuse it brought down upon his head. And now, what
comes next? As far as the present Cabinet is concerned, I should think they
would willingly consent to Lansdowne
succeeding Canning; but what says George 4th to this? Again, if such was the case,
* Lord
Darlington had to wait six years for his dukedom.
Lord Howick sat for one of
Darlington’s seats in Winchelsea. † About twenty-four hours. |
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| 1827.] | DEATH OF CANNING. | 123 |
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Brougham must lead the House of Commons as
a Cabinet Minister, and what would the King and the Church and the Tories say
to that?”
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.
Henry George Grey, third earl Grey (1802-1894)
The son of the second earl; he was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge and was a Whig
MP (1826-45) when he succeeded his father. He was secretary for the colonies
(1846-52).
William Harry Vane, first duke of Cleveland (1766-1842)
The son of Henry Vane, second earl of Darlington (d. 1792); educated at Christ Church,
Oxford, he was a lifelong friend of Henry Brougham and a notable sportsman.
