heir own particular views,' and he pledged himself
to bring in another Corn Bill in the following session.
But these were almost the last words uttered by Canning
in Parliament.]

[14] [Lord Delawarr resigned of his own accord, Lord Errol
was obliged to resign, and Lord Macclesfield came over
and voted with Government on the second reading of the
Corn Bill.]

[15] [Lord Manners was still Lord Chancellor of Ireland, as
he had been since 1807. Mr. Doherty was made
Solicitor-General for Ireland on the 18th of June.]

[Page Head: THE ROYAL LODGE.]

June 17th, 1827 {p.098}

I was at the Royal Lodge for one night last Wednesday; about
thirty people sat down to dinner, and the company was changed
nearly every day. It is a delightful place to live in, but the
rooms are too low and too small for very large parties. Nothing
can exceed the luxury of the internal arrangements; the King was
very well and in excellent spirits, but very weak in his knees
and could not walk without difficulty. The evening passed off
tolerably, owing to the Tyrolese, whom Esterhazy brought down to
amuse the King, and he was so pleased with them that he made them
sing and dance before him the whole evening; the women kissed his
face and the men his hand, and he talked to them in German.
Though this evening went off well enough, it is clear that
nothing would be more insupportable than to live at this Court;
the dulness must be excessive, and the people who compose his
habitual society are the most insipid and uninteresting that can
be found. As for Lady Conyngham, she looks bored to death, and
she never speaks, never appears to have one word to say to the
King, who, however, talks himself without ceasing. Canning came
the day I went away, and was very well received by his Majesty;
he looked dreadfully ill. The only thing which interested me was
the account I heard from Francis Conyngham about Knighton. He is
seldom there, and when he comes scarcely stays above a night or
two. But he governs everything about the house, and cannot endure
anybody who is likely to dispute his empire. The King certainly
does not like him, is always happier when he is away, and never
presses him to stay or to return. When he is there he has
constant access to the King at all times and whenever he pleases.
He is on bad terms with Mount Charles, he bullies Lord Conyngham,
and he