94
SIR WOODBINE PARISH
unsuccessful. Having taken leave of the Emperor he
left Rio early in September. fig” C
On September 15 Lord Ponsonby, with his family
and suite, arrived at Buenos Ayres on H.M.S. Ranger;
four days later he presented his credentials to the
President, and Parish’s duties as Charge d’Affaires were
for the moment at an end. The war had put a stop to
such social intercourse as had previously existed in the
town, and the two representatives of Great Britain were
consequently more dependent on each other’s society
than they might otherwise have been. Though Parish
describes his chief as “ nearly 60, and having the remains
of a very handsome man,” his diplomatic career Was only
beginning, and did not end until he retired in 1850, after
being Ambassador in Vienna. Parish wondered at his
taking so comparatively unimportant a post as Buenos
Ayres when he was closely related to Lord Grey (who
had married Lord Ponsonby’s sister), and could conse-
quently command much influence at Court. But though
Lord Ponsonby told his colleague that an insufficient
income was the reason for his accepting the post, it is now
known that George lV. had his own reasons for sending
him to so remote a country. The King was undoubtedly
jealous of the attention Lady Conyngham gave Lord
Ponsonby, who in spite of his age was still a very good-
looking man, and was possessed of a warm affection for
the lovely ladyfwho, since the -accession of George lV.,
was all-powerful at Court. In a letter to Sir Charles
Bagotfl‘ Canning begged him to explain to Ponsonby,
who was then abroad, the necessity for his departure to
* See “ Canning and his Friends,” vol. ii., p. 305. Temperley says the
suggestion was made by Lord Liverpool.