CANNING ' S RHYMING DESPATCH -. TO SIR C. BAGOT.
[To THE EDrroa OF THE "SrEcrirop..-1 SIB,—Your correspondent, " An Old Dip.," in the 42.,tectater of April 18th says that " it would be interesting to know the authority for any of the variations of Canning's oft-quoted rhyming despatch to Sir Charles Begot, our Minister in Hol- land." Copies of the despatches which passed between Can- ning and Begot are, as far as I know, only to be found in that learned, interesting, and useful work, Notes and Queries (see Vol. L, p. 438, of the 4th Series, 1868, and see also Vol. X., p. 270, of the 9th Series). "M. R.," the correspondent who sent the copies of the despatches to Notes and Queries, says : " Some years ago I received from a friend, who had seen the original despatches, the following copies of Canning's diplomatic jcu d'esprit, and the correspondence to which it gave rise. I enclose them, as the naivete of our Minister at the Hague greatly enhances the humorous success of the Foreign Secretary's whim." I am permitted by the courtesy of the editor of Notes and Queries to send you a copy of the celebrated despatch, which is as follows :—
" Separate, Secret; and Confidential.
(In Cypher.) Foreign Office, January 31st, 1826.
Sus,—In matters cf Commerce the fault of the Dutch is offer- ing too little and asking too much. The French are with equal advantage content—so we clap on Dutch bottoms just 20 per cent. Chorus, 20 per cent., 20 per cent. Chorus of English Custom House Officers and French Douaniers. English, We clap on Dutch bottoms just 20 per cent.' ; French, Vous frapperez Falk avec 20 per cent.' I have no other Commands from His Majesty to convey to your Excellency to-day.—I am with great truth and respect, Sir, Your Excellency's Most Obedient humble servant, (Signed) GEORGE CANNING.
H.E. the Rt. Honbie.
Sir Charles Begot, G.C.B., Hague."
Sir Charles Begot was unable to decipher the despatch as he had not the proper key, and he accordingly wrote a formal despatch on. February 3rd informing Canning of his diffi- culty. Canning sent another formal despatch headed "Secret and Separate," dated February 6th, to Sir Charles Begot, and enclosed in it " the cyphers and the decyphers T. and U." On receiving these Sir Charles Bagot was able to read the despatch, and be then wrote a private letter to "My dear Canning," dated February 14th, beginning, "You have fretted me to fiddlestrings," and he goes on to ex- plain how completely Canning's "mystification" had suc- ceeded. Mr. Marriott in his " George Canning and his Times " has taken the lines quoted in the Spectator from Sir Henry Lytton Bulwer's " Historical Characters," Vol. II., p. 422. Not a single line of this version is correct. The version quoted as " the correct text " by " An Old Dip." agrees with Robert Ball's version ; see his " Life of Canning " (1846), cap. 14, p. 345. This is also incorrect. It is obvious that the correct version is that quoted by me from Notes and Queries of 1868, and I need not, therefore, point out how superior it is to the others. Canning died on August 8th, 1827, and his despatch was written January 31st, 1826, so that his love of fun did not pass away with his youth. I trouble you with this long letter as you, Sir, are so great an advocate for accuracy in quoting, and as " Asa Old Dip." appears to be much interested in the subject.—I am, Sir, &c., [We are grateful to Sir Harry Poland for thus putting on record the exact version of the most famous and most often quoted of diplomatic jeux d'esprit.—ED. Spectator.]
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