Letter from Michael Bruce, London, to George Dawson-Damer, 1839 February 20 : autograph manuscript signed.

Relating news of the poor health of his wife, Lady Parker and congratulating Damer on his inheritance upon the death of his uncle; criticizing, at length and in detail, the politics and personality of Lord Durham and the controversial report that he wrote with Edward Gibbon Wakefield on British North America and which had recently been published; referring to [Charles] Babbage's feud with [Roderick] Murchison, the death of Miss [Letitia] Landon, and an amusing literary incident involving Lady Stepney; commenting on Lord Normanby succeeding Lord Gleneig, the offer of the Lord Lieutenancy of Ireland to the Duke of Sutherland and his opinion that "...the Duchess who is fond of all the Pomp & circumstances of Royalty will force her Husband to accept it. I do not envy the Man who will have to lie in the defiled nest of Normanby. I do not see any likelihood of a change of Government. Melbourne is omnipotent & the young Victoria has only eyes, ears & tongue for him - Joseph Surface alias Sir R. Peel is playing the old Fabian Game which if it can be continued much longer will lead to the dissolution of the great & powerful Conservative Party."