nfluenced, as multitudes of other
Englishmen were, by the rapid development of the French Revolution from
a reforming to an aggressive and conquering force. In a letter to his
friend Lord Boringdon (John Parker, afterwards earl of Morley), dated
the 13th of December 1792, he explicitly states that this was the case.
Enlightened self-interest was doubtless combined with honest conviction
in ranking him among the followers of Pitt. By the help of the prime
minister he entered parliament for the borough of Newtown in the Isle of
Wight in July 1793. His maiden speech, on the subvention to the king of
Sardinia, was made on the 31st of January 1794. It is by some said to
have been a failure, but he satisfied himself, and he soon established
his place as the most brilliant speaker on the ministerial side. It may
be most conveniently noted here, that his political patrons exerted
themselves to provide for his private as well as his official
prosperity. Their favour helped him to make a lucrative marriage with
Miss Joan Scott, who had a fortune of L100,000, on the 8th of July 1800.
The marriage was a very happy one, though the bulk of the fortune was
worn away in the expenses of public and social life. Mrs Canning, who
survived her husband for ten years, was created a viscountess in 1828.
Four children were born of the marriage--a son who died in his father's
lifetime, and was lamented by him in very touching verse; another a
captain in the navy, drowned at Madeira in 1827; a third son, Charles
(q.v.), afterwards created Earl Canning; and a daughter Harriet, who
married the marquess of Clanricarde in 1825.

The public life of Canning may be divided into four stages. From 1793 to
1801 he was the devoted follower of Pitt, was in minor though important
office, and was the wittiest of the defenders of the ministry in
parliament and in the press. From 1801 to 1809 he was partly in
opposition, partly in office, fighting for the foremost place. Between
1809 and 1822 there was a period of comparative eclipse, during which he
was indeed at times in office, but in lesser places than he would have
been prepared to accept between 1804 and 1809, and was regarded with
general distrust. From 1822 till his death in 1827 he was the most
powerful influence in English, and one of the most powerful in European,
politics.

In the spring of 1796 he was appointed under-secretary for the foreign
office, and in the election of that year he was returned