4/"0 CORRESPONDENCE. 



impediment to what must end in a better system ; but 

 the Catholic question is the first obstacle to anything ; 

 and I doubt, or rather disbelieve, the whole matter." 



FKOM: EARL GREY. 



" GOVERNMENT HOUSE, August 12, 1825. 



" MY DEAR BROUGHAM, I received your letter this 

 morning, and am willing to take one share, to show 

 my goodwill to the new university.* I cannot afford 

 more. I leave it to you to negotiate for this share, 

 either in my name or Howick's, as you may think 

 best. He would be more active and useful as a sup- 

 porter of the institution than I can be. 



" I do not see how an overture could come from 

 Canning to Lansdowne except with a prospect of 

 breaking up the Administration and forming a new 

 one, in which the Catholic interest would predominate. 

 I can conceive few events more improbable than this, 

 and therefore I agree with you in disbelieving the 

 whole matter. Should there be anything more in it, 

 I also agree with you in standing out of the way of 

 any arrangement which might favour a better system. 

 But I am out of the way in all events and in all 

 cases. 



" I hear reports again of a dissolution, but in this 

 country of boroughs I hear no reports of any prepara- 

 tions which indicate such an expectation on the part 

 of the friends of Government. Whenever a dissolution 

 takes place there will be a contest for Cornwall, in 

 which Mr Pendarvis is believed to be sure of success. 

 He is a stanch Whig; but Tremayne will probably go 

 to the wall. I have been told, but I do not know that 



* The London University. 



