ough it had existed from the
preceding Wednesday. When he saw the King on Monday his Majesty
told him he looked very ill, and he replied that 'he did not know
what was the matter with him, but that he was ill all over.'
Nothing could exceed the consternation caused by the announcement
of his danger and the despair of his colleagues. From the first
there was no hope. He was aware of his danger, and said, 'It is
hard upon the King to have to fight the battle over again.' The
Cabinet met on Monday, and great unanimity prevailed among them.
They all agreed to stand by each other in the event of his death.
As soon as it happened Lord Lansdowne went down to Windsor and
saw the King. His Majesty spoke with great affection of Canning,
and said something of the difficulties in which he was again
involved. Lord L. replied that he had come down, as it was his
official duty to do, to announce to him the event; that nothing
could be further from his wish or intention than to elicit from
him any opinion as to the future, and he begged his Majesty would
not say one word upon that subject. The King said that the first
thing he should do would be to show every mark of respect to the
memory and attachment to the person of Canning, and that he
should therefore send for those of his Ministers who had been the
most closely connected with him in public and private life. He
sent immediately for Lord Goderich and Sturges Bourne, who went
down to him when Lord Lansdowne returned.

Yesterday I saw some letters from Mr. Arbuthnot[17] (Gosh) giving
an account of the break-up of the old Government, and of the
reasons by which they had been influenced in resigning. They were
three in number, very violent and indignant, defending the Duke
and attacking Canning, but they contained little more than has
since appeared and been made public. The only fact that appeared
to me of consequence was this: that Peel, though he had resigned
on different grounds, was indignant at the way in which the Duke
had been treated, and was resolved never to take office till full
reparation had been made to him; that Lord Bathurst had begged
Gosh (Mr. Arbuthnot) not to mention this, as it might do harm.
The next letter was a long tirade with a great deal of wrath and
indignation, such as might be expected. He says that they knew
Canning was negotiating with the Whigs while he was pretending
that he wished the old Government to go on; and that in the
course of the negotia