Can you fancy such folly and such profligacy? The fact is, I really believe he has got ... or that she made him believe it, and therefore compelled him to marry her. There is nothing but this sort of gossip stirring in town. The debates are most tedious, and the Houses very thin. I believe the Opposition as weary of it as we are. Phillimore will have some plague with his Marriage Bill, but I have no doubt will carry it, though the Chancellor is outrageous, making a prodigious noise about it, and sets up the Attorney-General to oppose it. W. H. FREMANTLE. The Lord Chancellor not only continued to set his face strongly against the Grenville portion of the Government; but there exists evidence that while doing so he began to look favourably upon Opposition. He accepted an invitation to dine at Holland House, and there met, as he acknowledges, Lords Holland, Grey, Lauderdale, and "several of the Opposition."[84] A step like this from such a man, is extremely suggestive, and rumours of sweeping changes in the Administration followed, as a matter of course. [84] See his letter to Lady Bankes, Twiss, vol. ii. p. 71. CHAPTER IX. [1822.] SIR WILLIAM KNIGHTON APPOINTED KEEPER OF THE KING'S PRIVY PURSE. HIS SENSE OF DUTY SOMETIMES OPPOSED TO THE KING'S INSTRUCTIONS. HIS IMPORTANT SERVICES IN LESSENING THE ROYAL EXPENDITURE. ARRESTS IN IRELAND. CANNING AND PEEL. LAMENTABLE DEATH OF THE MARQUIS OF LONDONDERRY. ESTIMATE OF THIS DISTINGUISHED STATESMAN. LETTER FROM THE KING ON THE SUBJECT. THE ROYAL VISIT TO SCOTLAND. SIR WALTER SCOTT'S RELIC. PROSPECTS OF THE GOVERNMENT. THEIR NEGOTIATIONS WITH MR. CANNING. HIS SPEECH AT LIVERPOOL. HE SUCCEEDS THE MARQUIS OF LONDONDERRY AS SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS. CHAPTER IX. Sir William Knighton was appointed Keeper of the King's Privy Purse, and was employed in the most arduous labour of endeavouring to arrange the private accounts of his Majesty. While putting these affairs into a satisfactory state, he was sometimes obliged to oppose the King's inclinations--on one occasion so as to excite his displeasure. But George the Fourth was not the less partial to his servant for maintaining what was right and proper under such circumstances, despite his master's disapproval; and after one unpleasant scene of this nature, his Majesty wrote him the following note: THE KING TO SIR WILLIAM KNIGHTON. Carlton House, July 11, 1822, Wednesday morning, Eight o'clock.