[Lord Canning [Charles John Canning, Earl Canning], Governor-General and first Viceroy of India.] Autograph Letter Signed to Lord Fitzgerald, as Under-Secretary to Lord Aberdeen at the Foreign Office, concerning Baron Brunow.

Showing signs of the early stirrings of the Great Game. See Canning's entry, and that of Fitzgerald, in the Oxford DNB. At the time of the letter Canning was serving in his first governmental appointment, as Under-Secretary to Lord Aberdeen in the Foreign Office, in Peel’s administration, while Fitzgerald was President of the Board of Control. The ‘Baron Brunow’ referred to in the letter is Russian Ambassador in London, Philipp Graf von Brunnow (1797-1895). 2pp, 12mo. On first leaf of a bifolium. Docketed on second leaf, ‘Lord Canning / respecting Baron Brunow Novr 11/41’. In fair condition, lightly aged, with small ink squiggle at top left of first page. Folded twice. Begins: ‘Dear Lord Fitzgerald / Lord Aberdeen does not think it at all necessary that you should avoid communication with Brunow. / He (Brunow) has talked of Persia and Affghanistan [sic] to Sir Rt. Peel as well as to Lord A, and has never said a word in wh[ich] they did not entirely agree with him.’ Signed ‘Canning’.