JET. 42.] PRELIMINARIES. 379 



should take, but kept it most carefully concealed from 

 all but Denman. It was decisive of our success. I 

 suddenly entered entirely and fully into the Queen's 

 whole case. I thus gained the incalculable advantage of 

 at once delaying the proceeding, and the further bene- 

 fit of a difference of opinion being disclosed among the 

 ministers by the speech of Canning, which I foresaw 

 the absolute impossibility of his avoiding, and which 

 he could not make without showing that he differed 

 with his colleagues. The speech was shabby enough, 

 as was his subsequent one on Wilberforce's motion; his 

 plain object being to avoid a breach with the King, 

 and to aid by all means a result which might save his 

 honour towards the Queen, and not make his resig- 

 nation of office necessary. However, at a subsequent 

 stage his conduct was straightforward, manly, and in 

 every respect creditable to him. The Duke, who, with 

 every one else, was taken by surprise not a creature 

 but Denman being aware of my design- was unable 

 to force on the proceeding. If he had had the least 

 suspicion of my intention, he certainly would have 

 pressed on the division on Castlereagh's motion, and 

 the secret committee would have been named either 

 that night or the night after ; but probably that night, 

 as the Duke never did things by halves. After my 

 speech this was quite impossible. 



The King expressed himself as to my conduct in 

 the cause somewhat differently to different people, but 

 never ceased to abuse me generally. The following 

 letter shows the language he held to Lord St Vincent. 

 It is from his confidential physician, with whom he 

 had been on intimate terms many years, both what he 

 called afloat and on shore : 



