^T. 29.] DEATH OF FOX. 375 



" Erskine has declared his intention of making 

 Jekyll and Edward Morris Masters in Chancery. * 

 These appointments will be very unpopular, and do 

 him a great deal of harm in his court. Upon the 

 whole, he seems to be losing ground very fast. 



" I told you the particulars of the intended conflict 

 and proposed renewal of hostilities between Jeffrey 

 and Moore ; but everything has been settled between 

 them by the negotiation of Homer and Eogers. And 

 Jeffrey is gone off in peace to superintend his October 

 Eeview. 



" I have now told you all the gossip, and have only 

 to add that I beg you will employ me during your 

 absence in any manner in which I can be of use to 

 you. There is one subject in particular which you 

 will allow me to mention, and which I ought to have 

 mentioned before : your sudden journey and voyage 

 may have involved you in some unexpected expenses; 

 and it may happen that you have pecuniary demands, 

 for which you may be not altogether prepared. If 

 this should be the case, I have money at my banker's, 

 and can without any inconvenience furnish you with 

 any reasonable sum for which you may have a tempo- 

 rary occasion. Now I trust that you will at once ac- 

 cept this offer, if it will be of the least service to you. 

 If it will not, excuse me for mentioning the subject. 

 Yours ever most truly, JOHN WHISHAW." 



* Jekyll was not made a Master in Chancery till June 1815, when 

 Lord Eldon, much against his will, was forced by the regent to appoint 

 him. Lord Eldon considered Jekyll most unfit for the office. See full 

 account of this in Twiss's Life of Eldon, ii. 266. 



