JET. 31.] AND SIR JOHN MOORE. 4*5 



tinction between you and Fox on this matter. In 

 truth I always thought that the most scandalous piece 

 of injustice that ever was dealt out to a party, for 

 the mere dates must have convinced any man that 

 Fox's death had no more influence on the negotiation 

 than Pitt's, or any other persons. But I won't trouble 

 you further on this unimportant matter. 



" I write at present to mention my having learnt 

 with much surprise that the Hollands are going to 

 Spain in good earnest, a plan which I had all along 

 viewed as mere talk. Now it strikes me that such 

 a proceeding will not only hurt Lord Holland in- 

 calculably, but will seriously injure your party. As 

 for their returning to Parliament, that no one can 

 believe ; and certainly a more important session has 

 not been known as the next is likely to prove. 



" I can fancy nothing more certain than Canning's, 

 &c., gibing and referring to E. Adair's Peterburgh mis- 

 sion, every time there happens a difference between 

 our Government and the Juntas. Nor will the country 

 be slow to blame Lord Holland for whatever goes on 

 wrong in our communication with the Spaniards. 

 But leaving that out of view, I am persuaded, fond 

 as the people of this country may at present be of 

 Spain, that rambling over there under the present 

 circumstances will infallibly alienate their confidence 

 from Lord Holland, or rather, I should say, will pre- 

 vent them from viewing him as the steady and Eng- 

 lish sort of man whom they require for a statesman. 

 I think he will assuredly be damaged by it, and at 



