level with
Peter Pindar when he assailed Pitt's successor Addington (see SIDMOUTH,
VISCOUNT) on the ground that he was the son of a doctor.

While out of office with Pitt, Canning proved a somewhat insubordinate
follower. The snobbery and malignity of his attacks on Addington roused
considerable feeling against him, and his attempts to act as a political
go-between in ministerial arrangements were unfortunate. On the
formation of Pitt's second ministry he took the post of treasurer of the
navy on the 12th of May 1804. In office he continued to be
insubordinate, and committed mistakes which got him into bad odour as
untrustworthy. He endeavoured to persuade Lord Hawkesbury (see
LIVERPOOL, EARLS OF) to join in a scheme for turning an old friend out
of the India Office. Though his relations with Pitt began to be somewhat
strained towards the end, he left office on the minister's death on the
21st of January 1806.

Canning, who delivered the eulogy of Pitt in the House of Commons on the
3rd of February, refused to take office in Fox's ministry of "all the
talents." Attempts were made to secure him, and he was offered the
leadership of the House of Commons, under the supervision of Fox, an
absurd proposal which he had the good sense to decline. After the death
of Fox, and the dismissal by the king of Lord Grenville's ministry, he
joined the administration of the duke of Portland as secretary of state
for foreign affairs. He held the office from the 25th of March 1807 till
the 9th of September 1809. During these two years he had a large share
in the vigorous policy which defeated the secret articles of the treaty
of Tilsit by the seizure of the Danish fleet. As foreign secretary it
fell to him to defend the ministry when it was attacked in parliament.
He refused to tell how he became aware of the secret articles, and the
mystery has never been fully solved. He threw himself eagerly into the
prosecution of the war in Spain, yet his tenure of office ended in
resignation in circumstances which left him under deep discredit. He
became entangled in what can only be called two intrigues. In view of
the failing health of the duke of Portland he told his colleague,
Spencer Perceval, chancellor of the exchequer, that a new prime minister
must be found, that he must be in the House of Commons, that the choice
lay between them, adding that he might not be prepared to serve as
subordinate. In April of 1809 he had told the duke of Portl