Autograph letter signed : Seville, to George Canning, 1809 Oct. 7.

Concerning the feud and ensuing duel between Canning and Lord Castlereagh; acknowledging receipt of his letter of September 21 "with the most severe regret. I never was more deeply hurt then when I heard of what had passed between you and Lord Castlereagh. Even if all that he has stated in his letter to you had been true, it would not have authorized him to call you out on any received principle of honor. No man, with any principle of honor, has a right to demand satisfaction on the sole ground of revenge. He does not even alledge insult or intentional injury. But in point of fact, I know that you never intended to conceal any part of the transaction relative to his removal from his knowledge, and that you believed Lord Camden had communicated it to him. He was most precipitate and inexcusable in his inattention to these points, and his conduct betrays a deep spirit of vengeance of which, I own, I did not think him capable. I am happy to hear not only from you, but from Bagot, that your wound is so little dangerous; but the whole affair is a sad addition to our public calamities;" thanking him for getting the King's permission for him to return to England; commenting on Canning's course to strengthen the Government; saying "I expected that you would find great obstacles to any change in the War Department either form the success or failure of the fatal (so I always thought it, as you know) expedition to the Scheldt. Your arrangements should have been forced upon plain and obvious principles many months ago; and the improved system of War forced at the same time; You know that this is no new Doctrine of mine; but all has been lost by management : I told you, that if you did not prepare for the D. of Portland's resignation, it would come upon you with confusion and ruin to the whole party; you should have strengthened the Government before that event actually happened; in that state, you would have been prepared to meet the crisis with temper and firmness. But the destructive habits of delay and the fashion of daily expedients, which have so long prevailed in England, precluded all previous arrangements; and an event, which well managed, might have afforded the means of permanent strength, has destroyed the foundations of your Government, and laid you at the feet of the Enemy;" commenting on the effect on Spain of the disorder in the English Government; expressing his regret over the "violence with which you have been treated and the dreadful event of your resignation from which I apprehend the most serious consequences to all our interests in every part of the World."