e, that he possessed the art of saying
exactly what was necessary and passing over those topics on which
it was not advisable to touch, his fertility and resources
inexhaustible. He thought him the finest speaker he had ever
heard; though he prided himself extremely upon his compositions,
he would patiently endure any criticisms upon such papers as he
submitted for the consideration of the Cabinet, and would allow
them to be altered in any way that was suggested; he (the Duke)
particularly had often 'cut and hacked' his papers, and Canning
never made the least objection, but was always ready to adopt the
suggestions of his colleagues. It was not so, however, in
conversation and discussion. Any difference of opinion or dissent
from his views threw him into ungovernable rage, and on such
occasions he flew out with a violence which, the Duke said, had
often compelled him to be silent that he might not be involved in
bitter personal altercation. He said that Canning was usually
very silent in the Cabinet, seldom spoke at all, but when he did
he maintained his opinions with extraordinary tenacity. He said
that he was one of the idlest of men. This I do not believe, for
I have always heard that he saw everything and did everything
himself. Not a despatch was received that he did not read, nor
one written that he did not dictate or correct.

[Page Head: COUNCIL AT WINDSOR.]

August 20th, 1827 {p.108}

There was a Council at Windsor Castle on Friday last, which was a
very curious scene. What I saw puzzled me very much till matters
have since been explained to me.

On Tuesday morning Drummond, Lord Goderich's private secretary,
came to me at my office and told me the Council would be held on
Friday, and that Herries was to be appointed Chancellor of the
Exchequer and was going down that day with Lord Goderich to
Windsor. Accordingly when I arrived at the Castle I found Herries
in the room, and I asked him if he was to take an oath as
Chancellor of the Exchequer, because there was none in the
oath-book for Chancellor, but one for the Treasurer of the
Exchequer, and whether he was to take that. He said he did not
know, upon which I asked Wynn if he knew. He did not; when we all
agreed to wait till Lord Bexley came,[19] and enquire of him what
he had done. When Lord Bexley arrived we asked him, and he said
that Herries would only be sworn then as a Privy Councillor, and
must take the oath of Chancellor of Exchequer in the