r Grace to vote in
favour of Mr. Canning's motion whenever it came into the House of
Lords, and being conformable to my former votes and opinions, I
should with pleasure have ranged myself under the standard of the
party with which I had so long acted, had not a storm arisen in
Wales on that question, in consequence of Sir Robert Williams's
vote in the House of Commons, which I own to your Grace staggered
my intention very much. It was plainly told me, that if I did not
put water in my wine, all my popularity there would sink to the
ground, and an opposition declared which would put me to great
expense, and a very doubtful issue; and that it depended on my vote
to allay the storm, especially as Sir Robert had raised it. At the
head of these ultra anti-Catholics stand the Bishop of the diocese
(Magendie), and all the parsons to a man, and Mr. Ashton Smith,
Lord Kenyon, and Sir Robert Vaughan, and hundreds who look up to
Lord Eldon and Mr. Peel, and who think that the King is hostile to
the Catholics. I hope, therefore, I may be permitted to absent
myself as I have few days to live, and those few I can pass with
tolerable goodwill in my own _natale solum_, if I do not provoke
their ardent feelings on a point which they have opinions like
those of the University of Oxford. In my general support of
Government under your standard, my Taffies are rejoiced, but upon
the Catholic question they are raving mad.

Hoping the Duchess is well, and your Grace, I am, my dear Lord
Duke, with Lady B----'s joint best remembrances,

Your ever faithful,

W. B.

This is the last communication the writer addressed to his friend, as
he died suddenly, at the age of sixty-nine, at Englefield Green, on the
3rd of June.

THE RIGHT HON. CHARLES W. WYNN TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

Dropmore, May 29, 1822.

MY DEAR B----,

My uncle Tom writes to Lord Grenville: "My sister just tells me
that she met Canning last night at Burlington House, who told her
that he should write to you to-day to tell you that the Catholic
question was put off in the House of Lords, in consequence of the
death of Lord Grey's mother. I had heard from several people
yesterday that it was not put off; and so much satisfaction was
expressed at the day not being disturbed, that I am persuaded this
new change will be extre