JET. 32.] CANNING'S POSITION. 479 



lieving it, after what you have told me about the sick 

 and wounded. 



"I am very anxious to see Canning's amended 

 statement. Lady Grey desires to be kindly remem- 

 bered to you. I am, dear Brougham, ever yours most 

 truly, GREY/' 



TO EAEL GEEY. 



"TEMPLE, November 29, 1809. 



" MY DEAR LORD GREY, I wrote you a few lines 

 relative to Wardle's business. I find the impression 

 very general against him, which, from my dislike of 

 him and his whole gang, I do not at all lament. He 

 seems to be a shuffling fellow as well as a great cox- 

 comb, and his political conduct is of the very worst 

 description, founded on trick and quackery, and ulti- 

 mately doing good only to the ministry by weaken- 

 ing all effectual opposition. 



" Talking of shuffling naturally brings to one's mind 

 Canning. It is confidently said that his letter to 

 Lord Welles] ey, lying for him at the office, will pre- 

 vent Lord Wellesley from joining the ministry. I 

 don't quite think so, though I cannot help fancying 

 that Lord Wellesley's taking office is not quite so 

 certain as the ministers suppose. He has not seen 

 their whole case, for he has had it only from them- 

 selves, and must find them much weaker than they 

 represent themselves. If this does not make him 

 shy of joining them, it will at any rate, one should 

 think, make him extravagant in his terms, and lead 

 to more squabbling and bargaining. 



