142 
Agricultural Worth ies. 
accession to power of the Grey Administration, in November, 
1830, until bis elevation to the peerage on the death of his 
father, in November, 1834. It was with the greatest diffidence 
that he consented, in the spring of 1830, to undertake the 
leadership of the Whig Opposition ; it was with still greater a-eluc- 
tance that, in the following November, he yielded to Lord Grey's 
entreaty that he would take office, and so became Chancellor 
of the Exchequer, with the leadership of the House of Commons. 
Mr. Charles Greville, whose information is derived, through 
Arbuthnot, from Lord Spencer himself, states that 
"when Lord Grey was sent for by King William to form an "Admini- 
stration, he went to Althorp, and asked him what place he would have. 
Althorp said he would not have any. Lord Grey said : ' If you won't take 
office with me, I will not undertake to form the Government, but will give 
it up.' ' If that's the case,' said the other, ' I must ; but if I do take office, 
I will be Chancellor of the Exchequer, and lead the House of Commons.' 
' Lead the House of Commons? ' said Lord Grey ; ' but you know you can't 
speak ! ' 'I know that,' he said, ' but I know I can be of more use to you 
in that capacity than in any other, and I will be either that or nothing.' " 
In a political article contributed to the Edinburgh Review 
in 184G, the authorship of which is attributed to his colleague, 
Earl (then Lord John) Russell, the following passage sums up 
the reasons for his remarkable success : — ■ 
" The state of public affairs led him to take an active part in the House 
of Commons, and although no one was ever so free from the Pharisaical 
profession of purity, yet the simplicity of his character soon made him under- 
stood, beloved, and trusted beyond any man in tbat assembly. This was 
the more remarkable, as his tongue was far from eloquent, and, although his 
arguments were sound and comprehensive, he was often so wanting in 
words as to be obscure, and unable to convey adequately his meaning. But 
the confidence of his friends, his party, and the country, supplied all 
deficiencies, and gave to his few and simple expressions as much influence 
over his audience as had ever been obtained by the most admired eloquence 
of our greatest orators. 
" He was plain in manner and in dress, 1 but a short intercourse disclosed 
the scholar, the gentleman, and the statesman ; for he possessed, with the 
entire absence of all artificial politeness, the most genuine courtesy of 
behaviour to all who approached him. His kindness of heart shone in the 
most casual, as in the most cordial, intercourse ; and while the intimacy of 
his friendship was a treasure reserved for few, the equanimity of his temper 
and the charity of his judgments extended to all who approached him in the 
conduct of affairs, or were opposed to him in political enmity. He had no 
1 Of t he plainness of Lord Spencer's attire, Mr. Albert Pell gives the follow- 
ing amusing illustration : " The tradition is that Lord Althorp used on Satur- 
days to jog along to Northampton market so plainly dressed, with the samples 
in his pocket, that on one occasion he was addressed with undue familiarity 
bv a stranger who overtook him. There was something in his manner, how- 
ever, which puzzled his companion, and which was further increased by 
observing from the gap above the topboots that this plainly dressed farmer 
wore silk stockings. On making inquiries he found lie had been on the road 
with the great Lord Althorp." 
