The Creevey Papers
Thomas Creevey to Elizabeth Ord, 19 June 1827
“Brooks’s, 19th.
“. . . In my walk here I met Althorp . . . and asked him how things were going
on.—‘Very bad,’ says he.—‘What an
odd thing,’ says I, ‘that Robinson† should turn out so wretched in the
Lords.’—‘Yes,’ says
* Sir William
Knighton being the King’s physician and confidential adviser on many
things besides his health. † Mr. J.
Robinson, Chancellor of the Exchequer 1823-27, had been
made Viscount Goderich, and became Colonial and
War Secretary. |
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| 1827.] | WELLINGTON AND GREY. | 121 |
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he, ‘and what is worse,
Lansdowne is very little better, so
that Grey, acting the part he does, cuts
him to atoms.’—‘Do you suppose,’ says I,
‘it was the question of corn that made the great Opposition in the
Lords?’—‘No,’ says he, ‘it was
the question of Canning, and only
that; for you know no one can have any confidence in him.”
George Canning (1770-1827)
Tory statesman; he was foreign minister (1807-1809) and prime minister (1827); a
supporter of Greek independence and Catholic emancipation.
Charles Grey, second earl Grey (1764-1845)
Whig statesman and lover of the Duchess of Devonshire; the second son of the first earl
(d. 1807), he was prime minister (1831-34).
Frederick John Robinson, first earl of Ripon (1782-1859)
Educated at Harrow and St. John's College, Cambridge, he was a Tory MP for Carlow
(1806-07) and Ripon (1807-27), Chancellor of the Exchequer (1823-27), and prime minister
(1827-28) in succession to Canning.
John Charles Spencer, third earl Spencer (1782-1845)
English politician, son of the second earl (d. 1834); educated at Harrow and Trinity
College, Cambridge, he was Whig MP for Northamptonshire (1806-34) and chancellor of the
exchequer and leader of the lower house under Lord Grey (1830).
