AFTER their return from the Continent in the late 1790s and a parliamentary inquiry in to the minor scandal of their marriage, Henry Richard Fox, third Baron Holland, and his wife Elizabeth (née Vassal), Lady Holland, moved into the property just outside London that became Holland House. From then until Fox’s death in 1840, the house was a social and political focus for Foxite or liberal Whiggism: ‘the last debate was discussed in one corner, and the last comedy of Scribe in another’ while Wilkie gazed with modest admiration on Reynolds’ Baretti; while Mackintosh turned over Thomas Aquinas to verify a quotation; while Talleyrand related his conversations with Barras at the Luxembourg or his ride with Lannes over the field of Austerlitz’. Under Lady Holland’s sometime imperious orchestration, every meal was an opportunity for wit and debate. Edinburgh contributor and ideologue, John Allen, resided there as the Hollands’ physician and major domo and Sydney Smith and James Mackintosh were regulars while living in London, as was the Italian exile Ugo Foscolo, who also wrote for the Edinburgh. Holland also enjoyed the power of patronage conferred upon him as a birthright, and used it to help launch a number of subsequently successful careers – amongst them Horner, Brougham, and Macaulay, all of them central to the Edinburgh enterprise.
W.C.
My Dear Allen
I am a little mortified at your never having made any answer to my earnest request that you would do Sismondi for the Review – when I am in a sanguine humour I venture to ascribe this silence to your having taken the matter into consideration, and being unwilling to answer till you had made up your mind – If this be really the case I certainly do not wish to beak up your deliberation – tho’ I must express my anxiety that it may end favourably – Pray let me know however how the matter stands and let me have the satisfaction at all events of knowing that I have not given you any offence or at least of knowing what it is –
We are miserably in the dark here about politics – not only foreign but domestic – as to France indeed I give no faith to any thing that comes from that quarter – being perfectly persuaded that nobody, even among those who are best informed on the spot knows much of the matter – or at least that there is on all sides so much ignorance as to make all representations of the fact depend almost entirely on the hopes and passions of the reporter – The policy of our govt however I suppose may be more certainly discovered – tho’ I am myself quite unable to guess how it tends – The nation so far as I can see is now considerably more toryish than their rulers – and [nothing but a crossed out] <were it not for the> fear of disgusting their best and surest supporters I should really expect the Prince and his ministers to take the side of liberty and justice — Pray illuminate me a little – and give me a notion of the scene that is to be disclosed at the meeting of parliament – the tone of the members and the grounds of opposition that are expected ——— Tell me what you think of my last observations on France – I meant them to be as dispassionate and free from faction as possible – and I hear they have been violently abused – I am afraid Lady Holland will never forgive me for the note about B[uonapart]. – but I thought myself bound to speak the truth – and not to overlook an inconsistency that I am persuaded does more mischief to the cause of liberty and the character of some of its defenders than anything else not immediately touching on <our> institutions —
Has our controversy with Lord Elgin made any sensation in London – and what is thought of his justification? – I am myself clearly of opinion that we should leave the settlement of it to Tweddel and his friends and interfere no more – except perhaps as judges when the parties have finished their pleadings —
If you will not engage for Sismondi is there anything else for which you will engage? – I have been shamefully idle myself and foresee a great dearth of good articles [-] if possible pray lend me a lift now — Our Jury court has at last begun its operations – we had out trial last week which went on very smoothly and I hope gave satisfaction – Adam summed up very well indeed – and did all the business in a very [ MS torn]
way – tho’ he made but an awk[ward MS torn]
opening —— Pray make my [ MS torn]
if possible and tell her it is imposs[ible MS torn]
anybody she praises as much as B. [ MS torn]
John Russell when you see him [ MS torn]
in my favour – tho’ they were unfor[ MS torn]
devotion – Write soon at any rate
Always most F[aithfully Yours]
F. Jeffrey
May I take the liberty of asking for
what articles in the Review I am still indebted [MS torn]
fear I have been extremely negligent [MS torn]
