The Creevey Papers
Thomas Creevey to Elizabeth Ord, 3 March 1828
“March 3rd.
“. . . I met Lauderdale, who made me go with him to his lodgings, where I
was a full hour; but he splices so many subjects upon
one another, it is difficult to make a selection. . . . He is of opinion that
any minister or any King must be stark, staring mad that would trust Brougham for a minute. . . . I was in the
‘Nutshell’ at ½ past 7.† Robin
Adair, young
* Lord Hill had
been appointed Commander-in-Chief. † Lady
Holland, from whom Creevey had long been alienated owing
to the schism in the Opposition ranks, bad sent him a pressing |
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| 1827-28.] | THE DUKE OF SUSSEX AND THE WHIGS. | 155 |
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Lord William Russell, Charles Fox and myself, were the only additions
to John Allen and my lord and my lady—the latter, of course, being handed
down to dinner by Lord William. He planted himself by her
side at the table, but she said:—‘No, Lord
William, let Mr.
Creevey come next to me: it is so long since I have seen
him.’ Was there ever? . . .”
Sir Robert Adair (1763-1855)
English diplomat; he was Whig MP for Appleby (1799-1802) and Camelford (1802-12), a
friend and disciple of Charles James Fox, and ambassador to Constantinople, 1809-10. He was
ridiculed by Canning and Ellis in
The Rovers.
John Allen (1771-1843)
Scottish physician and intimate of Lord Holland; he contributed to the
Edinburgh Review and
Encyclopedia Britannica and published
Inquiry into the Rise and Growth of the Royal Prerogative in
England (1830). He was the avowed atheist of the Holland House set.
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).
Thomas Creevey (1768-1838)
Whig politician aligned with Charles James Fox and Henry Brougham; he was MP for Thetford
(1802-06, 1807-18) Appleby (1820-26) and Downton (1831-32). He was convicted of libel in
1813.
Charles Richard Fox (1796-1873)
The eldest son of Lord Holland, born illegitimately and thus barred from the peerage; he
was aide-de-camp to William IV, and MP for Calne (1831-32) and Tavistock (1833-34). He was
an antiquary and member of the Society of Dilettanti.
Elizabeth Fox, Lady Holland [née Vassall] (1771 c.-1845)
In 1797 married Henry Richard Fox, Lord Holland, following her divorce from Sir Godfrey
Webster; as mistress of Holland House she became a pillar of Whig society.
James Maitland, eighth earl of Lauderdale (1759-1839)
Scottish peer allied with Charles James Fox; he was author of
An
Inquiry into the Nature and Origin of Public Wealth, and into the Means and causes of
its Increase (1804) and other works on political economy.
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).
