JET. 44.] CANNING AND THE WHIGS. 441 



should object to meeting Canning there ; and I said, 

 on the contrary, I should be very glad to see him 

 again before he went to India. So I went, as I used 

 to do formerly. We had a great deal of conversation 

 together on Castlereagh's death, and he really talked 

 very properly with the right degree of feeling, and no 

 sort of cant or overdoing. He said that the King 

 certainly discovered Castlereagh/s madness on the 

 Friday, and said he would destroy himself. There 

 was a tone in his speaking of the King that seemed 

 particularly bitter. I should say he plainly showed, 

 and meant to show, that he felt the King to be his 

 personal enemy. 



" But if they ask him to stay, I take it for granted 

 he will, though it would be a very foolish thing ; for 

 they can't agree with him long, and he is likely to 

 be turned out a year hence, and not be able to go to 

 India then. Scarlett (who knows him much better 

 than I do) had a long talk with him about his own 

 plans, and he said he had not had the least communi- 

 cation on the subject this was on the 20th and that 

 if he had, he should only prefer remaining here out 

 of deference to his friends, and from public duty. In 

 other words, he expected a communication, and was 

 resolved to accept it if it was at all possible. Since 

 that time he must have heard something, for they say 

 that at Liverpool he has been saying, ' if the King 

 sent for him/ ' if he went to India/ &c. ; which looks 

 as if Lord L. had written to him, and he only waited 

 for the King agreeing to the project. For my part, I 

 cannot easily believe in the King letting him in ; and 

 it is at least clear the Chancellor must go if he does. 

 To be sure, it would be too good to have Peel in the 



