[ Edward Harbord, Lord Suffield. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Suffield') to John Richardson of Heydon, containing a splendid assessment of the character of his friend the Lord Chancellor, Henry Peter Brougham, and reminiscences of Lord Eldon.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium In good condition, lightly aged. Laid down on the blank reverse of the second leaf is a frank (also signed 'Suffield'), addressed to 'Jn. Richardson Esqr. | Heydon | Aylsham | Norfolk' An excellent letter, containing a splendid assessment of Brougham's qualities, and a vivid reminiscence regarding his predecessor as Lord Chancellor, Lord Eldon. The identity of the book that is the subject of the letter is unclear. Suffield begins by reporting that Brougham has promised Suffield that he will 'attentively consider' Richardson's book. He explains how difficult it is to 'catch Ld. Bs. ear', and describes 'the throng, the busy anxious & generally consequential throng around him', before praising Brougham fulsomely: 'How any man can daily & hourly endure such intensity of thought as some of his duties require, interrupted & distracted as it frequently is by an infinite variety of important questions to be answered on the instant, how any man can endure this & retain his senses is to me wholly incomprehensible. Still he does endure it, his assiduity as a Judge, as my friend Docr. Lushington told me the other day, will if he continue it, kill half the profession, & in spite of all this he reads more than any of us. Books pamphlets & newspapers – he has read them all, he has even by this time I dare say read your scheme, his attention being called to it by the letter which I put into his hands. You shall hear from me again when I have again an opportunity of speaking to this extraordinary personage, & that opportunity I will make after allowing him a reasonable time to have read & considered your book,' He concludes with a reminiscence of 'old Chancellor Eldon', 'an agreeable man' with whom Suffield had 'only a slight acquaintance, yet during a dull debate I used to sit by him on the Woolsack, take snuff & chat with him pleasantly on any subject that occurred to me'. Returning to Brougham he states that he has 'long been in habits of intimacy' with 'the present Chancellor', yet he has 'not conversed with him five times, & then only on business of importance, since he came into office': 'I mention these things in order to convey to you some idea of the man we have to deal with, & to account for my not having sooner urged your book upon his immediate attention, I mean your last edition'.