<<ET. 32.] LORD WELLESLEY. 487 



orders, he expressly states in his letter to Baird that 

 notwithstanding his doubts of the resistance of the 

 Spaniards, he feels himself the more bound to give it 

 a trial, as he has just received a representation from 

 Frere against the retreat. . ., , I am, dear 

 Brougham, ever yours most truly, GREY." 



TO EAEL GBEY. 



" December 14, 1809. 



" MY DEAE LOED GREY, I have just seen Drum- 

 mond, who was with Lord Wellesley the night before 

 last on diplomatic business, and he talked for an hour 

 against the whole management of Spanish affairs, 

 which, he added repeatedly, ' I shall state in the 

 Parliament ' (cursed coxcomb !) This, however, is a 

 new proof that Canning and he are not one. The 

 Princess of Wales yesterday abused the Wellesleys 

 much another proof. They say only Perceval will 

 be in Parliament at the opening ; but that is saying 

 only their whole strength will be there. 



" I forgot to say t'other day, in answer to your last 

 letter, how well I remembered the passage in your 

 speech alluded to. I have repeated it a thousand 

 times in answer to the mountain ; but I think them 

 excessively unfair and even tricky in their way of 

 stating things, and one can't help recollecting that 

 when you were in office they said nothing of this 

 kind. 



" Creevey talks very moderately and candidly about 

 Wardle's affair. He seems to think the execrable 



