CANNING, GEORGE, was born ou the 11th of April 1770, in the parish of Maryleboue, London. His descent on the paternal side was from an ancient family, his ancestors having figured at different periods at Bristol, in Warwickshire, and in Ireland.
Canning's father died in 1771, when his son was only a year old. Hia mother, who was afterwards twice married, lived to see her son occupy a high post in the government. The expense of his education was defrayed in part by his paternal uncle, a merchant in the city of London. George Canning was first sea to Hyde Abbey school, near Winchaater, whence he was removed to Eton. He had begun to write English verses when very young, and at Eton, in his sixteenth year. he formed the plan of a periodical work called ' The Microcosm,' which was written by himself and three schoolfellows, and published at Windsor in weekly numbers from November 1786 to August 1787. In October 1787 Mr. Canning was entered as a student of Christ Church, Oxford, where he gained some academical honours by his Latin poetry, and cultivated that talent for oratory which he had begun to display at Eton. At Oxford he made the acquaintance of Mr. Jeukinson, afterwards Earl of Liverpool, who is auppoaed to have been of service to him in the political career on which he mitered immediately after leaving college. His college vacations were chiefly passed in the house of Mr. Sheridan, who introduced him to Burke, Fox, Lord John Townsend, the Duchess of Devonshire, and other leading persons, who were almost exclusively of the Whig party iu politics. It has generally been stated that it was by the advice of Sheridan that Mr. Canning, who had entered of Lincoln's Inn, gave up the study of the law, and devoted himself to a political career. From his intimate connexion with Sheridan it was expected that he had fully adopted that gentleman's political opinions, and would join the opposition ; but Mr. Canning accepted the proposals of the Tory party, and was brought into parliament by Mr. Pitt in 1793. Here his first care was to make himself well acquainted with the forma and usages of the House of Commons, and he prudently refrained from speaking during the first session that he sat in parliament. In January 1794 he first ventured to address the house ; and although he rather too obviously imitated the atyle and manner of Burke, ho showed such powers as commanded respect and general attention. The subject of the debate on which he spoke was a treaty (coupled with a subsidy from England) with the king of Sardinia to enable his majesty to resist the invasion of Piedmont by the French. During that session
and the session of 1795 Mr. Canning spoke frequently, and at times was left by Mr. Pitt to bear the brunt of a formidable debate. At this time he aupported the temporary suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act, and declared himself against parliamentary reform, a declaration which he repeated on aeveral occasions up to the latest period of his career.
In 1796 Mr. Canning became under-aecretary of state, and at the general election in that year he was returned for the treasury borough of Wendover, Bucks. In 1798 he exerted himself in favour of Mr. Wilberforaa motion for the abolition of the slave•trade; and in a speech which produced a very considerable effect in the house, he replied to Mr. Tierney's motion for recommending George IIL to make peace with the French republic, then in the full career of conquest and spoliation. In the autumn of 1797 Mr. Canning, in oonjunction with Mr. John Hookham Frere, Mr. Jenkinson, Mr. George Ellis, Lord Clara, Lord Mornington (afterwarda Marquis of Wellesley), and one or two other social and political friends, started a paper styled ' The Anti-Jacobin; the object of which was to attack the journalists and other writers of the day who advocated or were supposed to advocate the doctrinea of the French revolution. Mr. Gifford was appointed editor of this weekly paper, but Canning wrote the prospectus, and from its commencement in November 1797 to ita close in 1793, he contributed largely to it. Some of the best of the poetry, burlesques, and jeuxeresprit were from his pen. (` Poetry of the Anti-Jacobin,' 1 vol. 8vo.) When the subject of the Irish union was brought before parliament, Mr. Canning repeatedly spoke at great length and with much effect in support of that measure. In 1799 he was appointed one of the commissioners for managing the affairs of India. In 1800 he married Joanna, the youngest daughter of General John Scott of Balcomie, an (Meer whalrd required great wealth. This union made bite perfectly lorleprodest of Ore. for hia eira's lecture. exceeded 100,0001. On the diesslatiow of Mr. Pitt', cabinet in 1501 Canning retired with the rest, and for roe& successive serioos his declamation, wit, and keenness of irony, lent a formidable strength to the opposition arrayed against the Addington adminlatration. Oo Mr. Pitt's return to office in 1804, Mr. Cansuog was named treasurer of the navy.