[ Jacob Bosanquet, East India Company director. ] Three Autograph Letters, two signed, to his son George Jacob Bosanquet, largely on public affairs, one giving a long account of an interview with newly-appointed Foreign Secretary George Canning.

The three items in fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. All three addressed to 'My dear George' and one with valediction from 'your affectionate Father'. The letters are described below in reverse chronological order. ONE: AL. 3 October 1822. 8pp., folio. A long letter, on two bifoliums, half of which describes an interview between Bosanquet and the new Foreign Secretary and future Prime Minister George Canning, in which Bosanquet presses his son's case for preferment within the diplomatic service (George was at the time attached to the British Embassy in Paris, and would rise to the post of chargé d'affairs at Madrid, 1828-1830). Bosanquet begins by stating that he has had the meeting with 'Mr Canning' [George Canning (1770-1827)], and 'was received with apparent great cordiality. I congratulated him on his late appointment [as Foreign Secretary, on 13 September] & told him that as I considered Lord Londonderry [i.e. Castlereagh, the previous Foreign Minister, who had committed suicide on 12 August 1822] as the real minister of the country he had I considerd [sic] stept into his shoes & that he had a great & important business to perform but that I might say I felt that he stood in an awful & difficult situation - that the winds would blow very hard in the next year & that if through his means we could weather the storm (alluding to his song upon Pit [sic] being the man who had weathered the storm) all the nation would be indebted to him - This seeme'd to please him much'. He tells Canning that 'the country was in the most wretched state that the agriculturalist had lost at least 1/3d, I thought half of their capital that considering this capital was at least 3 hundred millions it was a fearful moment'. As the conversation proceeds Canning states that they 'think alike upon this subject'. He drops his 'preliminary discourse' and states to Canning 'many points relative to Turkey'. Canning introduces Bosanquet to Sir Joseph Planta (1787-1847), with whom he intends to 'settle the subject'. Bosanquet tells him that he has 'lost a friend in Lord Londonderry - that he had plac'd you in your present situation & I had hopes he would have protected you in it', and that he hopes Canning will do the same. Canning 'seemed to draw up more than I expected upon this'. He enumerates the 'load of applications & remembrances' he has received, stating that they cannot 'all be satisfied'. Bosanquet continues to press his son's case, stating that he does not 'ask for a life of idleness' and that he is 'not fitted for such a slave as I knew any inferior retainer of Government was'. As the conversation proceeds Canning discusses one of the Paris attaches - 'I have forgot his name that had been recommended by Sir Charles Stewart [sic, for Sir Charles Stuart (1779-1845), British Ambassador in Paris and hence George's boss]- he was the person I imagine whom you supposed Sr. Charles would have taken to Vienna if he had you there'. The 'conference' with Canning over, Bosanquet speaks to Planta, whom he finds 'a most Gentlemanly person - he speak [sic] plain - which I like - He was almost the right hand of Lord Londonderry & will I dare say be so to any person who fills the office of Foreign secretary - he has risen by his merit alone & is very unlike Hamilton [i.e. William Richard Hamilton, see next letter]'. He tells his son he realises that there is nothing to give him 'much pleasure in this long detail', and advises him to 'stay as long as you can be useful at Paris - What will be the result of all Political measures that are going & will go on no person can tell or foresee - I have been trusted and was consulted when it was thought I could be of use & it may be the case again'. He concludes in praise of Castlereagh, and with a little domestic news. TWO: ALS. 31 January 1822. 5pp., 4to. With a further page of mathematical calculations. The first part of the letter concerns an untraced pamphlet 'suppos'd to be written by Mr Hamilton [William Richard Hamilton (1777-1859), antiquary and diplomat] under the immediate superintendence of Lord Londonderry', which he is sending him. Bosanquet is critical of this, which he regards as 'evidently the ministers manifesto'. 'Hamilton is I understand certainly to go to Naples [as envoy] I wish I could hear of your going somewhere.' He continues on the topics of his 'chimney business' and 'an agricultural meeting at Hertford on Fryday [sic]'. THREE: ALS. 2 May 1822. 4pp., 4to. He is forwarding the answer of 'Thomas' to questions he posed him on the subject the recipient posed to him in a letter. Regarding the economic crisis in England he writes: 'Here we are struggling with difficulties of every kind, of which agricultural distress is the most prominent | Whether it will lead to any thing like parliamentary reform I dont know - but I should not be at all surpris'd if it were to prepare the way for something & I think our constitution is something like a stocking, if a stitch runs & is not stopt immediately there is no saying where the will end. | We know by the example of Dr. Jno Stocking that a silk stocking may be darn'd into a worsted one or vice versa.' He has just returned from a 'Bank [of England] meeting where it has been resolv'd that one of their privileges should be given up viz "that no banks shall be established with more than 6 partners" - as far as relates to 60 or 65 miles from London when now the number of partners will be unlimited'. He discusses this with reference to 'the monopoly of the old Lady in Leaden Hall Street [i.e. the East India Company]'.