an aversion to this place, and I rather give credit to it,
for Lord Conyngham told me he was going to fit up the Castle at
Windsor, as the King had taken a fancy to it, and now seemed to
prefer it to the Cottage. What this means I know not; I do not
think, notwithstanding, that she is out of favour, or even to have
lost ground, but that the strangeness of his conduct daily
increases.

Did you ever hear of anything half so absurd as the conduct of the
Speaker? He first wrote to Lord Liverpool to ask his opinion about
standing for the University, and having received a very cold
answer, declaring his wishes to be in favour of Lord Hervey, he
immediately declared himself with his _re_consideration
advertisement; afterwards Charles Wynn hit the blot which bad been
overlooked, or probably never looked for, in the case of Charles
Dundas when proposed by Sheridan, and who was objected to by Mr.
Pitt, as not being capable on account of not having previously
taken the oath at the table before the Speaker, which by the act
is necessary in every case but at the commencement of a new
Parliament. When Charles Wynn mentioned this, it set them all
aback, and after requiring a day to consider it, it ended by his
giving up; the consequences of all this has been that the
Solicitor-General has been driven from a certain success, and the
Government interest being divided between R. Grant and Lord Hervey,
it is not improbable that Scarlett may succeed.

I should judge from the language of Tierney on general points, that
he thinks the Government stronger and more likely to hold a firm
and vigorous language and line of conduct by the introduction of
Canning, than it was last year. I believe the latter is to name
Frederick Lamb[100] his Under-Secretary, and Lord Clanwilliam to
succeed Frederick Lamb.

The appointment of Lord Amherst, taking all things into
consideration, is, I believe, as good a nomination as could have
taken place; and as far as it regards our Board, I should think the
best, for he has no intrigue, and will act straightforward with us.
Canning is gone down to Walmer, and you may rest assured that it
will very soon end in his leading Lord Liverpool; if he can
persuade him to get rid of Vansittart, it would be the best
exercise he could make of such an influence.

Ever, my