JET. 32.] PROPOSED COALITION. 463 



loss of Canning, which can only be supplied in one 

 way viz., by Canning repenting and agreeing in some 

 patchwork with Melville or Wellesley. My convic- 

 tion of his baseness is so entire that this would not 

 surprise me, nor would it, I own, greatly spleen me. 

 I dread infinitely his being joined with the opposition, 

 and am the more alarmed, because I hear that Lady 

 Holland is intriguing very busily to bring this about. 

 When I recollect her bitter hatred of him, this amuses 

 me greatly. She is much under Lord Gr. Leveson's in- 

 fluence, and I doubt that he and Frere will endeavour 

 (if it's Canning's plan to join the Whigs, or to threat- 

 en such a junction) to make some offer come from 

 Holland House. I wish you would keep yourself and 

 the Hollands on their guard against any such danger. 

 If anything were wanting to expose Canning's utter 

 shabbiness, his late conduct is sufficient. It is a fact 

 that he was dirty enough to take Lord G. Leveson's 

 seat in the Cabinet as the price of holding his tongue 

 about Castlereagh for three or four months. This 

 seems ground for impeachment with respect to the 

 public ; but what shall we say of his duplicity, his vile 

 falsity towards Castlereagh in this whole business ? 

 Believe me ever most faithfully, H. BROUGHAM." 



PROM EARL GREY. 



" HOWICK, October 10, 1809. 



" MY DEAR BROUGHAM, I received your letter 

 last night, and now enclose, according to your desire, 

 in this and another cover, copies of Perceval's letter, 



