JET. 44.] CANNING AND THE WHIGS. 443 



to be seen ; but when, in balancing all that may be 

 taken into the account on each side, we find on one, 

 banishment from his country, an abandonment of the 

 stage for which his talents are best calculated, separa- 

 tion from his friends and his connections, and the dan- 

 ger to his health at his age in a hot climate, I confess 

 I for one shall not be surprised at such a decision. 



" Neither do I think his game so bad as you seem 

 to imagine, always supposing his objects to be personal, 

 and not public. He has undergone a longer exclusion 

 from office than he intended ; and if he comes in now, 

 I have no doubt he will be careful how he quarrels 

 again with his new colleagues. They, on the other 

 hand, however they may dislike his admission, when 

 they feel the necessity of his support, will go con- 

 siderable lengths to obtain and to secure it. In this I 

 include the Chancellor himself, whose resentments are 

 not so strong as his love of office ; and my speculation 

 therefore is that he will be brougSt into an office in 

 the Administration, and that he will retain it longer 

 than you seem to imagine. His greatest danger will 

 be from himself. He has not hitherto been able to 

 bear prosperity ; and when the lead of the House of 

 Commons falls, as it must do (whether given to him 

 ostensibly or not), into his hands, if things go on 

 tolerably well, he may perhaps ride his colleagues a 

 little too hard. But I think it more probable that 

 the lessons he has received will have taught him self- 

 respect and moderation. 



" If this arrangement takes place, my belief is that 

 the Administration will be as secure as it was with 

 Londonderry. If, on the contrary, it is to be a pure 

 Court and Tory, with Peel the leader in the House of 



