[24] Elgin's letter of 8 October, 1852, criticizing Grey's book. The italics are my own. [25] Elgin kept very closely in touch with the sentiments of the Canadian press, French and English. See his letters _passim_. [26] Elgin-Grey Correspondence: Elgin to Grey, 4 May, 1848. [27] Elgin-Grey Correspondence: Elgin to Grey, 7 January, 1848. [28] _Ibid._: Elgin to Grey, 4 May, 1848. [29] See an interesting reference in a letter to Sir Charles Wood, written from India. Walrond, _op. cit._ pp. 419-20. [30] Elgin-Grey Correspondence: Elgin to Grey, 16 November, 1848. [31] Walrond, p. 105. [32] Mrs. Oliphant, _Life of Laurence Oliphant_, i. p. 120. [33] L. Oliphant, _Episodes in a Life of Adventure_, p. 56. [34] For Grey's mature position, see below, in Chapter VII. [35] Elgin-Grey Correspondence: Grey to Elgin, 27 July, 1848. [36] _Ibid._: Grey to Elgin, 20 July, 1849. [37] The letter, which may be found in Walrond's _Life of Lord Elgin_, pp. 115-20, ought to be read from its first word to its last. [38] Elgin-Grey Correspondence: Elgin to Grey, 7 October, 1849. [39] Kaye, _Papers and Correspondence of Lord Metcalfe_, p. 414. {230} CHAPTER VII. BRITISH OPINION AND CANADIAN AUTONOMY. While these great modifications were being made in the form and spirit of Canadian provincial government, corresponding changes were taking place in British opinion. In the present chapter, it is proposed to examine these as they operated during the first two decades of the Victorian era. But an examination of early Victorian imperialism demands, as a first condition, the dismissal of such prejudices and misjudgments as are implicit in recent terms like "Little-Englander" and "Imperialist." It is, indeed, one of the objects of this chapter to show how little modern party cries correspond to the ideas prevalent from 1840 to 1860, and to exhibit as the central movement in imperial matters the gradual development of a doctrine for the colonies, and more especially for Canada, not dissimilar to that which dominated the economic theory of the day under the title of _laissez faire_. {231}