required; and on mentioning the interview to Mr. Marsden, he said, "I am glad of what tell me; you me; he has either something in view for you, or is desirous of interesting the Prime Minister in your behalf. I know, from the little he has said to me, that he feels the ungracious, but unavoidable step he was compelled to take with regard to you, and that he would not be displeased to find an opportunity of making amends." Knowing, however, the situation in which "All the Talents" found themselves placed on assuming office, I was not very sanguine, though still persuading myself there must have been a kind motive for the step now taken by the First Lord of the Admiralty. In the mean time I could only remain quiet, as I had entirely given up all idea of returning to the Cape of Good Hope, and so I told Mr. Windham.

It was not long, however, before I received a note from Mr. Grey, enclosing a short letter to him from Lord Grenville, of which the following is a copy:

66

My dear Grey,

"Camelford House, 10th March, 1806.

"I have the pleasure of acknowledging your letter on the subject of Mr. Barrow. The particular circumstances of his case appear to entitle him to a proper and favourable consideration; and I do not see any more eligible mode than that suggested of his presenting a memorial to the King in Council.

Fortified by such an opinion from such a quarter, I lost no time in drawing up and sending a memorial of

my services to the King in Council, which, in the usual course, was referred to the Board of Admiralty, to be reported upon by their Lordships; and the Board, on the suggestion of Mr. Grey (now Lord Howick), recommended that a pension should be granted of 10007. a-year, to commence from the day of my retiring from the Admiralty, 'and to be abated from any place I might thereafter hold under the Government.

This information was conveyed to me by the following letter:

"Sir,

Admiralty, June 26th, 1806.

"I delayed answering your letter of the 23rd till the Board should have had an opportunity of deciding on the reference from the Council. I have now the pleasure of informing you that a pension of 1000l. a-year is recommended as a proper reward for your long services.

In gratitude for the kind feeling shown to me throughout, I am bound to acknowledge that the treatment I received at the hands of Lord Howick, from first to last, was most indulgent, considerate, and attentive; and that few men I believe would have acted, under all the circumstances, with that promptitude and marked generosity, which he was pleased to bestow on my case.

Of what occurred at the Admiralty during the eight months' reign of Lord Howick I know nothing. It commenced auspiciously by the report of Sir John Duckworth's successful action with a French squadron in the West Indies, the account of which came to the

Admiralty just fourteen days after his entry on the business of the office, to which he had succeeded by removal from the Foreign Office, to which he had been appointed on the death of Mr. Fox. In April, 1807, he became Earl Grey; and having continued about eight months, he resigned the government of the Navy to Mr. Thomas Grenville, who remained about five months, when both went out with the rest of the party, Lord Grenville being succeeded by the Duke of Portland.

The dissolution of the Grenville Government was rather sudden, and would appear to have been occasioned very much by mismanagement. On the 6th of March, 1807, Lord Grenville in the Lords, and Lord Howick in the Commons, gave notice of their intentions to bring in a bill for the relief of the Roman Catholics. As this measure had always been very obnoxious to the King, prudence at least would seem to have required that His Majesty should have been apprised of such notice being intended. An adjournment took place to enable them to do so; they had an audience for this purpose; but it was too late; and the following day they received an intimation from His Majesty, that he must provide himself with other ministers.

SECTION IV.

The EARL of MULGRAVE.

April 6, 1807-November 24, 1809.

Admiral JAMES GAMBIER.... First Naval Lord.

J. W. CROKER, Esq....

..First Secretary.

On the morning of the 5th of April, 1807, while a cart was standing before my door, taking in baggage and some furniture, Admiral Gambier stepped in and said, "Where are you going, Barrow?-not out of town, I hope?" I answered, "No: I am just about to take my little sick child to Jenkins's nursery grounds." "Because," said he, "I come to you from Lord Mulgrave, who desires to see you to-morrow morning at twelve o'clock, in Wimpole Street; and pray don't fail. I see you are busy, and so am I-so good bye." He then left me abruptly. What can Lord Mulgrave want with me? thought I. Having been some weeks in the country, I knew little or nothing of what was going on in the political world, and had only heard some rumours of "All the Talents" being on the eve of retiring; but of Lord Mulgrave I was utterly ignorant even to what party he belonged.

I took care to be in Wimpole Street at the hour appointed; and, when knocking at the door, my friend Lord Arden, passing by, called out, "I am very glad

to see you, Barrow, at that door," and walked on. On being shown into his Lordship's room, he said, "You will probably have heard that the King has been pleased to appoint me First Lord of the Admiralty; and one of my first acts is to offer you, as I now do, the re-appointment to the situation from which, in my opinion, you were unjustly removed; and I hope you will not refuse me." In making my sincere acknowledgments for his generous offer to one who was an entire stranger to him, I assured him that nothing could be more gratifying than the prospect of returning to a public situation that I had so much at heart; and it would be my object and my pride to deserve his good opinion. "But," he said, "I think it right to apprise you, that Mr. Marsden wishes to be relieved, and that it will not be in my power to place you in his situation, for the Cabinet has come to a resolution that the First Secretary of the Admiralty shall henceforth hold a seat in the House of Commons; and that yesterday Marsden's successor was actually named."

I begged to assure him that a seat in the House was no point of ambition with me, and that no consideration would induce me to accept one, even if accompanied with the offer of the First Secretaryship of the Admiralty. "But, if it be not an improper question, might I inquire confidentially who is the gentleman named to be my colleague?" "I will tell you, but it must be in strict confidence, for Marsden yet knows nothing of it— it is Mr. Wellesley Pole." I said, "He is an agreeable acquaintance, of great talent for business, and of an active turn of mind, and I am rejoiced in the prospect of having such a coadjutor."

He then said, "Mr. Marsden is nearly left alone,