Autobiography. Remarks. that it would not suit me to join him unless he meant to reconstruct his administration, and that I purposely abstained from mentioning the names of any persons whom I might have in view in saying so. "Croker called on me a few days afterwards, to try to persuade me to reconsider the matter. After talking for some time, he said: 'Well, I will bring the question to a point. Are you resolved or are you not to vote for Parliamentary Reforın?' I said, 'I am.' 'Well, then,' said he, there is no use in talking to you any more on this subject. You and I, I am grieved to see, will never sit again on the same bench together.' 6 "Melbourne, the two Grants, Binning, Littleton, Graham, Warrender, Denison, and one or two others, had met at my house a few days before to consider what we should do on the motion that Brougham was to make in favour of Parliamentary Reform, and I and the Grants and Littleton had quite determined to vote for it. "As soon as Lord Grey was commissioned to form a Government he sent to me." The total failure of this negotiation turned, as it would appear, on Lord Palmerston's declaration that he should vote for reform in Parliament. It was not of course known what reform, but the declaration was sufficient to show that the colours of the Canningites were changed with the times. They came into power with the Whigs, and were confounded with them ever after. I add but one short letter, written after entering Remarks. the Foreign Office, and which characteristically manifests the situation of a man entering for the first time that laborious department. To Laurence Sulivan, Esq., War Office. "MY DEAR SULIVAN, "Stanhope Street, Dec. 22, 1830. Letters. "I send you the note you wish for; I have been ever since my appointment like a man who has plumped into a mill-race, scarcely able by all his kicking and plunging to keep his head above water. "Yours affectionately, "PALMERSTON." In closing here the first volume of this biography, it may not be amiss to remark, that my main endeavour throughout it has been to bring the man whom I undertook to describe before the reader. In the next I shall have to speak of the statesman who exercised for so many years an important influence on public events, and whose life then becomes almost an European history. I shall thus be led into a fuller treatment of European affairs; and it so happens-a fact not without its peculiar interest at this time-that the first of those affairs is the creation of that prosperous little kingdom, the independence and neutrality of which we have lately manifested our determination to defend. APPENDIX. AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH ENTIRE, AS GIVEN TO ME. I LEFT Harrow at sixteen, and went for three years to Edinburgh. I lived with Dugald Stewart, and attended the lectures at the University. In those three years I laid the foundation of whatever useful knowledge and habits of mind I possess. In 1803 I went to St. John's, Cambridge. I had gone further at Edinburgh in all the branches of study pursued at Cambridge than the course then followed at Cambridge extended during the two first years of attendance. But the Edinburgh system consisted in lectures without examination; at Cambridge there was a half-yearly examination. It became necessary to learn more accurately at Cambridge what one had learned generally at Edinburgh. The knowledge thus acquired of details at Cambridge was worth nothing, because it evaporated soon after the examinations were over. The habit of mind acquired by preparing for these examinations is highly useful. Dr. Outram, my private tutor at Cambridge, more than once observed to me that, as I had always been in the first class at college examinations, and had been commended for the general regularity of my conduct, it would not be amiss to turn my thoughts to standing for the University whenever a vacancy might happen. My father died in April, 1802, and I lost my mother in January, 1805. The last misfortune delayed a few months the taking of my degree as master of arts, which it was usual at that time for noblemen to take as an honour, conferred with out examination, at the end of two years after admission. In January, 1806, Mr. Pitt died, and the University had to choose a new member, as well as the King a new minister. I was just of age, and had not yet taken my degree, nevertheless I was advised by my friends at St. John's to stand: the other candidates were Lord Althorp and Lord Henry Petty. I was supported by my own college, and by the exertions of the friends of my family; but the Pitt party in the University was broken up. Most men thought that the new Government would for many years have the disposal of the patronage as well as the command of the power of the country; and I stood at the poll where a young man circumstanced as I was could alone expect to stand; that is to say, last, and by a large interval the last of the three. It was an honour, however, to have been supported at all, and I was well satisfied with my fight. I continued to reside at Cambridge a few weeks, and then came to London. I tried to get into Parliament, but no opening presented itself. In November, 1806, Parliament having been dissolved, a general election took place. Lord Fitz-Harris and I stood for Horsham. The borough was burgage-tenure, and the right of voting disputed. There was a double return; each party petitioned, and the committee seated our opponents. Fitz |