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CORRIGENDA.

ART. I.-The Greville Memoirs, p. 45. 'Mr. Reeve gives lists of five
Cabinets, or Administrations, as he indiscriminately calls them; and
four of his lists are wrong.' We should have said that all five are
wrong. In his list of Lord Melbourne's second Cabinet (1835) as
originally constituted, he includes Lord Morpeth and omits Lord
Holland. In his list of Lord Melbourne's first Cabinet (1834) he
erroneously includes Mr. Poulett Thompson (afterwards Lord Syden-
ham) as well as Mr. Edward Ellice.

P. 50, line 3 from the bottom. For 'Green Room of the Garrick,'
read Green Room or the Garrick.'

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THE

QUARTERLY REVIEW.

ART. I.-The Greville Memoirs: a Journal of the Reigns of King George IV. and King William IV. By the late Charles C. F. Greville, Esq., Clerk of the Council of those Sovereigns. Edited by Henry Reeve, Registrar of the Privy Council. In 3 volumes. London, 1874. Second Edition.

WE

E approach the critical examination of the late Mr. Charles Greville's Journal with a sense of more than ordinary responsibility. It has attracted an unusual amount of attention: it has been widely circulated, at home and abroad: our estimate of it differs essentially from that of the great majority of our contemporaries in the Press; and as they have been, we think, unduly prodigal of commendation, the invidious duty is forced upon us of redressing the balance by dwelling more on the demerits than the merits of the book. It has raised, moreover, a question of no slight importance to society: a question which cannot be summarily set aside by assuming that, provided people are interested or amused, it matters little or nothing what feelings are wounded, what confidence is broken, or what reputations are assailed. The very first consideration forced upon us by the perusal was, whether many of the most popular passages ought to have been published for the next fifty years: whether many ought not to have been wholly obliterated or permanently suppressed. But before laying down and applying what we take to be the sound and received doctrine on these points, we must come to a precise understanding as to the position and character of the writer, the conditions or circumstances under which he wrote, and the moral or honourable obligations imposed upon him.

Only two meagre paragraphs are devoted to his biography by Mr. Reeve:

"Of the Author of these Journals it may suffice to say that Charles Cavendish Fulke Greville was the eldest of the three sons of Charles Greville (who was grandson of the fifth Lord Warwick), by Lady Charlotte Cavendish Bentinck, eldest daughter of William Vol. 138.- No. 275.

B

Henry,

Henry, third Duke of Portland, K.G., who filled many great offices of State. He was born on the 2nd of April, 1794. Much of his childhood was spent at his grandfather's house at Bulstrode. He was educated at Eton and at Christ Church, Oxford; but he left the University early, having been appointed private secretary to Earl Bathurst before he was twenty.

The influence of the Duke of Portland obtained for him early in life the sinecure appointment of the Secretaryship of Jamaica, the duties of that office being performed by deputy, and likewise the reversion of the Clerkship of the Council. He entered in 1821 upon the duties of Clerk of the Council in Ordinary, which he discharged for nearly forty years. During the last twenty years of his life Mr. Greville occupied a suite of rooms in the house of Earl Granville in Bruton Street, and there, on the 18th of January, 1865, he expired.'

He was born in a wing or side-building of Burlington House, Piccadilly, which had been lent to his father for a residence. He was admitted a student of Christ Church on the 24th December, 1810, on the nomination of Canon Dowdeswell, having entered as a commoner a few days before. He retained his studentship till December 24th, 1814,-as long as he could retain it without taking a B.A. degree; but he resided or kept only seven terms, from January 1811 to June 1812; when, being then in his nineteenth year, he became private secretary to Lord Bathurst. He also obtained a clerkship in one of the public offices; we believe, the Board of Trade. He always regretted that his father's circumstances did not allow of his remaining longer at the University. Once upon a time, pointing out to a lady the rooms he had occupied in his undergraduate days, he paused before a window from which he and two others had dropped after the college gates were closed, to reach a spot where a chaise and four was waiting for them. They dashed off to London to witness the execution of Bellingham, the assassin of Mr. Perceval. Having satisfied their curiosity, or love of excitement, they dashed back again, and were lucky enough to escape discovery.

His net income from his two offices exceeded 40007.; and as, with little or no private fortune, he died worth 30,0007, he was probably a gainer on the turf. He took to it very early in life, and was wont to relate that, having lost 3000l. which he was unable to pay, he applied to his uncle, the Duke, who readily lent him the money. As soon as he was in funds, he procured three new Bank of England notes of one thousand pounds each, and presented himself to discharge his debt. 'Oh, no, Charles, keep the money by all means. It will bring you

luck. I never meant it as a loan.'

Greville made some show of

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