Let us turn from this little lecture to the Queen, honest and faithful

though it be, to the all-absorbing subject of Gossip, the Royal

Marriage--and first, and foremost, comes the Royal Wedding Cake, which

weighed nearly 300lbs. It was three yards in circumference and about 14

inches deep. This was the cake itself, which, according to a

contemporary account, "is covered with sugar of the purest white; on the

top is seen the figure of Britannia in the act of blessing the

illustrious bride and bridegroom, who are dressed, somewhat

incongruously, in the costume of ancient Rome. These figures are not

quite a foot in height; at the feet of His Serene Highness is the effigy

of a dog, said to denote fidelity; and, at the feet of the Queen is a

pair of turtle doves, denoting the felicities of the marriage state. A

Cupid is writing in a volume expanded on his knees, the date of the

marriage, and various other Cupids are sporting and enjoying themselves

as such interesting little individuals generally do. These little

figures are well modelled. On the top of the cake are numerous bouquets

of white flowers tied with true lover's knots of white satin ribbon,

intended for presents to the guests at the nuptial breakfast."

On 6 Feb. the Prince landed at Dover from Ostend, and on the 7th went to

Canterbury; on the 8th he reached London and Buckingham Palace; and, on

the 10th they were married at the Chapel Royal, St. James'; spent the

honeymoon at Windsor, and made their _rentree_ into society on 26 Feb.,

when they went, in State, to Drury Lane Theatre.

Duelling, although on the wane, was far from dead. I could have given

numerous instances of duels in the earlier part of this reign, but have

refrained, as they were of no particular interest; but the following is

an exception, as it relates to one who, in after years, was to make a

great name in history for himself.

_Times_, 4 March:

BOW STREET.--Shortly after the opening of the court yesterday

morning, and before any of the night charges had been disposed of,

Prince Louis Napoleon and Le Comte Leon, who is said to be the son of

Bonaparte, to whom he hears a striking resemblance, were brought

before Mr. Jardine, charged by Nicholas Pearce, inspector of the A

division, with having met at Wimbledon Common, and attempted to

commit a breach of the peace, by fighting a duel with swords and

pistols.

Lieut.-Col. Jeremiah Ratcliffe, 6th Dragoons, as second to the last

defendant, and Col. Charles Parquin, second to the Prince, together

with Count D'Orsay, and a servant, named Mertial Kien, with aiding

and assisting the principals in the intended combat.

Previous to the evidence being taken, two brace of pistols, with

powder flasks, and a pair of rapiers, were laid on the table for the

inspection of the magistrate.

Inspector Pearce, being sworn, said, about 2 o'clock this morning he

received information from Superintendent Baker, that certain parties

had an intention of meeting in a hostile manner on Wimbledon Common,

some of whom were to start from Fenton's Hotel and the others from

Carlton Gardens; in consequence of which I went into St. James's

Street, where I saw a post-chaise drive up to the door of the hotel,

about 7 o'clock, but I could not ascertain if any person had got into

it. After delaying a short time, it moved slowly on in the direction

of Piccadilly, followed by Col. Ratcliffe, and stopped again at

Tattersall's, where another person followed towards Hyde Park Corner.

The chaise was then driven westward, and I followed it on horseback;

but, previous to arriving at Hyde Park Corner, the defendant

Ratcliffe passed, on horseback, in Piccadilly.

Mr. Jardine: What hour might it be then?

Witness: It was then nearly 7 o'clock. On arriving at the Common, I

saw the entire party collected near to the Windmill, and the

post-chaise proceeding in that direction. Having dismounted, and

left the horse in the care of a countryman, I proceeded to where the

chaises were standing, and then I saw the defendants walking away,

from them, some yards down, to a hollow part of the ground, each

party apparently making arrangements about the duel. They then

stopped, and as I approached Col. Parquin, seeing two letters in one

hand, and the two swords produced, in the other, I took them from

him. At that time, the pistols produced, in a case, were lying on

the ground, near to another brace, which were wrapped up in paper.

Some conversation passed between Count D'Orsay and Col. Parquin,

which appeared to be whether the combat was to be fought with pistols

or with swords, and the Count asked me what I wanted; my authority

for interfering; and who it was that gave me information of the

circumstance. At that moment, Inspector Partridge, accompanied by

Sergt. Otway and other constables, came up, and, on Col. Ratcliffe

taking the pistols from the case, he was taken into custody. I

instantly went to him, and, shewing him my staff, told him I was an

officer, and that I was, in duty, bound to take him into custody, for

attempting to commit a breach of the peace. Count D'Orsay requested

to be told who it was who had given the information, and, on being

refused, the entire party were quietly conveyed to the station house.

Mr. Jardine: Have you since ascertained that the pistols contained

powder and balls?

Witness: Yes, Sir; there are balls in them, and caps upon them.

Colonel Ratcliffe declared there was no powder in the pistols, which

belonged to him, as could be seen; for it had been arranged that the

duel was to be fought with swords.

Mr. Jardine inquired if any of the defendants, who were foreigners,

and not sufficiently conversant with the English language, would wish

to hear the evidence read over to them in French?

Le Comte Leon replied in French, that he could not sufficiently

understand the evidence that had been given, but he was quite

satisfied that all the proceedings were perfectly legal and correct.

Prince Louis said, he was prepared, if required, to enter into an

explanation of the circumstances which gave rise to the offence with

which he was charged.

Mr. Jardine did not wish to hear any statement on either side, as his

duty was only to prevent a breach of the peace, and he hoped the

defendants were prepared with the sureties he would require, to

prevent further inconvenience.

Count D'Orsay said, he had come prepared with bail, which he thought

there could be no objection to.

Prince Louis requested that the two letters, which had been taken

from his friend, should be delivered up to him.

Mr. Jardine immediately delivered up the letters, saying he should

require the principals to enter into bail, themselves in 500 pounds

each, and two sureties in 250 pounds each, to keep the peace with all

Her Majesty's subjects, and particularly with each other, for the

next 12 months.

Count D'Orsay: One surety in 500 pounds, would, perhaps, answer as

well as two in 250 pounds each, if it meets with your approbation.

Mr. Jardine said he had no objection to such a course, and, if the

other defendants were prepared with bail, it might be taken.

Col. Ratcliffe said his surety was present.

Mr. Jardine: The bail I shall require is, that each of the other

defendants enter into his own recognizance in 100 pounds, and two

sureties in 50 pounds each, to keep the peace for the same period,

with the exception of the defendant Kien, who may put in his own

recognizances in 100 pounds.

Mr. Joshua Bates, of Portland Place, having offered himself as surety

for Prince Louis Napoleon and Col. Parquin, was accepted.

Mr. Fenton was accepted as bail for Le Comte Leon, and the Hon.

Francis Baring, M.P., became surety for Col. Ratcliffe and Count

D'Orsay.

The Chief Clerk having conducted the parties into the Magistrate's

private room, where they were furnished with the requisite notices,

returned to the Court to take directions respecting the disposal of

the weapons and other articles which were found upon the defendants

on their being taken into custody.

Mr. Jardine said he could make no order about them, but he thought

that, as the defendants had put in bail, there could be very little

apprehension of their committing a similar offence, if they were

restored to their proper owners.

It appeared that the two letters had been written by the Comte Leon

to his cousin, as he was styled, demanding that he would retract

certain expressions respecting their relationship, which he was

alleged to have made use of; and, his not complying, gave rise to the

quarrel.

On the 10th of April the offer of Messrs. Grissell and Peto was

accepted, to erect the Nelson Column in Trafalgar Square, within two

years, for a sum of 17,860 pounds.

There is a curious police case as to the habits and customs of

Noblemen's servants, which may be interesting to my readers. It was

brought before the Magistrate at Queen Square on 14 April, when the

House Steward of the Earl of Galloway applied for summonses against

the footmen attending the carriages of Viscount Melbourne, the

Marquis of Normanby, the Marquis of Lansdowne and Lord Tankerville,

for assault and damage.

It appeared from the statement of the applicant, that the servants

attending the carriages of peers, to the House of Lords, have a

waiting room, which they call their Club room, and that they have

formed themselves into a society, governed by one of their body, whom

they call their "Constable." They have a set of rules, dated as far

back as 1759, obedience to which is strictly enforced under pain of

certain fines.

On Friday evening, the coachman of the Earl of Galloway set his

lordship down at the House of Lords, with orders to wait. The

footman, who was, it appears, a new comer, was, on entering the club

room, called upon to pay a fine, or "footing" of two shillings, to be

spent in beer, but he replied that he had no money about him; and, on

their insisting on its being paid, he left the room, and got on the

carriage box, with the coachman, but the "members," headed by their

Constable, with his staff of office, pursued him, insisted upon his

coming down, and were about to pull him off the box, when the

coachman told them that his fellow servant had no money with him,

but, if they would go, he would be answerable that it should be paid.

They, however, insisted that it should be spent in their Club, and

that the new servant should be present.

Mr. Burrell: How many were there of them?

Applicant said there were, he understood, 10 or 12, but it was only

intended to proceed against the four ringleaders. The coachman,

finding that they were determined to have his fellow servant off the

box, drove on a little way, and, on returning to his place, Lord

Normanby's carriage ran against his, and seriously damaged it. The

footman was, at length, dragged from the box, and very roughly

handled: his foot was hurt. The coachman was also struck with the

long "staff" carried by the "constable."

Samuel Linturn, the footman, corroborated this statement.

The summonses were granted.

It was stated that Lord Normanby, at once, offered to make good the

damage done, but this the Earl of Galloway declined, having

determined that the whole matter should be publicly investigated by a

magistrate.

Two days afterwards, four footmen in the employ of Lords Melbourne,

Lansdowne, Normanby and Tankerville appeared to answer the summonses.

The complainant, in the course of his evidence, said that he had been

to the House of Lords on several previous occasions, but had never

been asked for anything, nor did he even know of the existence of

such a room. Turk asked him whose servant he was, but he refused to

tell him. Turk, at the time, had, in his hand, a pointed stick,

which he called a staff; he made no demand for money then, but went

away, and the complainant got on the box with the coachman, who took

the coach to the stand. Turk, accompanied by several others, then

came up. The Marquis of Bute's footman said he would pay the fine,

or footing, and placed two shillings on the footboard of the carriage

for that purpose. This did not satisfy them. Several persons,

amongst whom were the defendants, got upon the coach, and swore that

if he did not come down, they would pull him down. There were

several police about, and, although he called upon them for

assistance, they would not come.

Both he and the coachman told them that he had no money, and the

coachman said he would secure them payment, if they would go and

drink the beer, but they insisted upon the complainant's presence in

the "club." He still refused, and then they brought a long pole,

which they called a "horse." The coachman drove up Abingdon Street

to avoid them, but several of the carriages drew out of the rank, and

followed them, and, as the coachman turned to regain his station,

Lord Normanby's carriage was driven against him, and the Earl of

Galloway's carriage sustained considerable damage; it was forced on

the footway, and was obliged to stop, upon which, several of the

footmen ran, and seized the horses by their heads. The defendants

dragged the complainant off the box; one had hold of his foot, and

another, who seized upon his greatcoat, tore the buttons from it, and

from his gaiters and breeches. They then placed him upon the pole,

which they called "putting him on horseback."

They then rode him into the room mentioned, where Lord Holland's

footman sat as chairman, and decided that he should pay two

shillings. He borrowed the money from Lord Lansdowne's servant, and

was about to leave the room, but he was forced to resume his seat, as

he was told he could, from the room, easily hear when the carriage

was called, and that "he must sit and drink his beer." He was also

told that he was now sworn in, and had only to kiss the staff, which

was presented to him, but he refused to do it. He was detained

three-quarters of an hour, against his will. His foot was hurt, and

the coachman was injured by a blow from the "staff."

The coachman corroborated the evidence, and the defendants were fined

ten shillings each.

On the 29th April, there was an uproar in the Italian Opera House, which

might have expanded into another O.P. riot of 1809. The Impresario, M.

Laporte, had not engaged Tamburini, because his terms were too high, and

the singer's friends were highly indignant. On this evening, at the

conclusion of the opera of _I Puritani_, several voices began calling for

M. Laporte, with shouts of "Tamburini!" Poor M. Laporte appeared and

began a speech in which he sought to excuse himself, but it was drowned

by a torrent of groans and hisses, which came, principally, from the

occupants of the "omnibus" box. {128} M. Laporte so clearly perceived

this, that, in a few minutes, his speech to the audience merged into a

private conversation with its occupants. The noise increased, and M.

Laporte declared that he was not to be "intimidated," a word which roused

the "omnibus" party to perfect fury. He retired, and the curtain rose

for the ballet, in which a new dancer was to have made her appearance.

The noise, now, became terrible; yells, hisses, and all sorts of uncouth

sounds were blended in frightful discord. The dancers, perceiving all

attempts at a performance were in vain, and, at the same time, being

afraid to quit the stage, sat quietly, all round.

Again and again Laporte came forward, and tried to bring matters to a

settlement, and once he ventured to say, that, as manager, he had a right

to engage performers at his own discretion, and that he was not to be

responsible to an audience--which, it is needless to say, added fuel to

fire. Then he told them his engagements would not allow him to employ

Tamburini, which meant ruin to him, but it only provoked more noise.

Then he appealed to their better feelings by telling them of the many

years he had catered for their amusement, and this did bring him some

support, for cries of "Shame," "No Tamburini," and "No Intimidation,"

were heard, but this only had the effect of dividing the audience, and

increasing the hubbub.

Once again poor Laporte came forward, and talked of engaging Tamburini on

"Conditions." This word upset all, and the Tamburinists asked: "Will you

engage him? Yes, or No?" Laporte said he would make proposals, and, if

those proposals, etc. This would not do; "Yes, or No?" said his

persevering interrogators. "Say 'No,'" said his supporters. He began

talking about terms. "Same terms as last year," shouted all the

"Omnibus" party, upon which he retired, without proposing anything

satisfactory. Everyone was getting tired, when, at last, a gentleman, in

a box opposite the "Omnibus," stepped over the front of his box on to the

stage, and was followed by a party; the "Omnibus" party entered the stage

from the opposite side, and, at one o'clock, the Tamburinists had taken

possession, and waved their hats triumphantly, on the stage, as the

curtain fell.

It was this episode that the Rev. R. H. Barham has immortalized in his

_Ingoldsby Legends_, under the title of "A Row in an Omnibus (box),"

beginning:

Doldrum the Manager sits in his chair,

With a gloomy brow and dissatisfied air,

And he says, as he slaps his hand on his knee,

'I'll have nothing to do with Fiddle-de-dee!

'--But Fiddle-de-dee sings clear and loud,

And his trills and his quavers astonish the crowd.

Such a singer as he,

You'll nowhere see,

They'll all be screaming for Fiddle-de-dee!

'--Though Fiddle-de-dee sings loud and clear,

And his tones are sweet, yet his terms are dear!

The glove won't fit!

The deuce a bit.

I shall give an engagement to Fal-de-ral-tit!'"

CHAPTER XIII.

The Mulready Envelope--Plans of Royal Exchange decided on--Fire at York

Minster--Queen shot at by Oxford--Oxford in Bedlam--Scientific

Agriculture--Electro-metallurgy--Embossed envelope--Sale of Louis

Napoleon's effects.

On the 1st of May, the Post Office issued the long expected postal

envelope designed by W. Mulready, R.A., and the opinion of _The Times_

may be taken as the expression of most people's feelings about it.

_Times_, 2 May.--"We have been favoured with a sight of one of the

new stamp covers, and we must say we never beheld anything more

ludicrous than the figures or allegorical device by which it is

marked with its official character--why not add embellished?

Cruickshank could scarcely produce anything so laughable. It is,

apparently, a spirited attempt to imitate the hieroglyphic which

formed one of the ornaments to _Moore's Almanack_; Britannia is

seated in the centre, with the lion couchant (Whiggish) at her feet;

her arms are extended, scattering little flying children to some

elephants on the left; and, on the right, to a group of gentlemen,

some of whom, at all events, are not enclosed in _envelopes_, writing

on their knees, evidently on account of a paucity of tables. There

are, besides, sundry figures, who, if they were to appear in the

streets of London, or any of our highways, would be liable to the

penalties of the Vagrant Act for indecent exposure. Under the

tableland by which these figures are supported, some evidence of a

laudable curiosity is depicted, by three or four ladies, who are

represented reading a billet doux, or valentine, and some little

boys, evidently learning to spell, by the mental exertion which their

anxious faces disclose. One serious omission we must notice. Why

have those Mercuries in red jackets, who traverse London and its

environs on lame ponies, been omitted? We must admit that, as they

have been, recently, better mounted, that is one reason why they

should not appear in this Government picture."

But the reader can judge how far this description is borne out.

[Picture: Mulready envelope]

As a matter of fact, it was so universally disapproved of by the public,

and was the object of so much ridicule, as to necessitate the destruction

of nearly all the vast number prepared for issue. To do this, a machine

had to be specially constructed; the attempt to do the work by fire, in

close stoves (fear of robbery forbade the use of open ones), having

absolutely failed. They are now somewhat scarce, but are extensively

forged. It was satirized and laughed at by all, and a contemporary

criticism, which has been reproduced in _The Philatelist_, vol. vii., p.

145, is very amusing:

"Britannia is sending her messengers forth

To the East, to the West, to the South, to the North:

At her feet is a lion wot's taking a nap,

And a dish-cover rests on her legs and her lap.

To the left is a Mussulman writing a letter,

His knees form a desk, for the want of a better;

Another believer's apparently trying

To help him in telling the truth, or in lying.

Two slaves 'neath their burden seem ready to sink,

But a sly-looking elephant 'tips us the wink';

His brother behind, a most corpulent beast,

Just exhibits his face, like the moon in a mist.

On each is a gentleman riding astraddle,

With neat Turkey carpets in lieu of a saddle;

The camels, behind, seem disposed for a lark,

The taller's a well-whisker'd, fierce-looking shark.

An Arab, arrayed with a coal-heaver's hat,

With a friend from the desert is holding a chat;

The picture's completed by well-tailed Chinese

A-purchasing opium, and selling of teas.

The minister's navy is seen in the rear--

They long turned their backs on the service--'tis clear

That they now would declare, in their typical way,

That Britannia it is who has done it, not they.

A reindeer and Laplander cutting through snow,

The rate of their progress (down hill) seems to show.

To the right, is the King of the Cannibal Islands,

In the same pantaloons that they wear in the Highlands

Some squaws by his side, with their infantile varments,

And a friend, in the front, who's forgotten his garments.

Frost, Williams and Jones {132} have this moment been hook

And are fixing the day they would choose to be cook'd.

There a planter is giving and watching the tasks

Of two worthy niggers, at work on two casks.

Below, to the left, as designed by Mulready,

Is sorrow's effect on a very fat lady;

While joy at good news may be plainly descried,

In the trio engaged on the opposite side."

[Picture: Left--Lord Monteagle and Mr. Baring, Britannia, Lord

Palmerston. Right--O'Connell and the Duke of Wellington]

There were very many pictorial satires on this unfortunate wrapper, but

none bore so near a resemblance to it as the accompanying illustration by

John Doyle (H.B. Sketches, 26 May, 1840, No. 639). Lord Palmerston, as

Britannia, is dispatching Mercuries with fire and sword, to the east,

typical of the wars in Egypt and China. On the other hand, he sends a

flight of Cupids to Father Mathew, the apostle of Temperance, who was

then doing such good work in Ireland, whilst a man is knocking the bung

out of a whisky barrel. Beneath this group is O'Connell, who is roaring

out "Hurrah for Repeal!" to the horror of the Duke of Wellington, who is

behind him. On the left is Lord Monteagle, late Chancellor of the

Exchequer, ill in bed; whilst his successor, Mr. Baring, reads to him the

result of his policy: "Post Office deliveries in the quarter, 272,000

pounds! Total deficiency in the year, to be made up by new taxation,

2,000,000 pounds!"

On 7 May, the Gresham Committee met to decide on the two plans for the

New Royal Exchange, one prepared by Mr. Cockerell, R.A., and the other by

Mr. Tite, President of the Architectural Society, which was in favour of

the latter by 13 votes to 7. The works were immediately proceeded with.

Talking of one fire seems to lead on to another, for on 20 May, York

Minster was for the second time visited with a conflagration--this time,

however, it was caused accidentally, and not the work of an incendiary.

The following extract from a letter dated York, 21 May, gives a graphic

account of the fire, and is of especial interest, as being from the pen

of a spectator.

"You may hear the rumour of the alarming and truly awful calamity

that has occurred in this city, before you receive this. I have

witnessed it, and shall hold the recollection as long as my memory

exists. About 20 minutes to 9 last evening, I was told the Minster

was on fire. I ran out, immediately, towards it, and stood by it,

just as the flames had issued from the top part of the south-west

tower, at a height that an engine could not have played upon. The

fire continued to rage until it had entire possession of the upper

part; flames issuing from every window, and piercing the roof. To

describe the feelings under which I witnessed the devouring flames

preying upon a national monument, which every man must look upon with

admiration, requires a pen more descriptive than mine. Grief, awe,

wonder and admiration were the emotions with which I regarded the

destruction of this venerable church. I soon obtained admission into

the nave of the Cathedral, and observed the first falling down of the

burnt embers. The flames illumined the interior with more than

mid-day brightness; the light, pouring through the crevices, threw a

brilliancy over the scene which imagination cannot paint. The fire,

at this time, was wholly confined to the tower.

"After the space of half an hour, the flooring of the belfry in the

tower began to be forced by the falling bells and lighted beams. At

this period, my nerves were strung to the highest excitement. The

noise was extraordinary. The shouting of the firemen, the roaring of

the flames rushing up the tower with the rapidity of a furnace

draught, sounded in the high and arched space, awful and terrific.

The falling masses of wood, and bells, sounded like the near

discharge of artillery, and were echoed back from the dark passages,

whose glomy shade, and hollow responses seemed mourning at the

funeral pile that burned so fiercely. In one hour, the tower was

completely gutted, and masses of burning timber lay piled against the

south-west door. The upper and under roof, composed principally of

fir timber, covering the nave, as far as the centre tower, had, by

this time, become fired, and burned with extraordinary rapidity. The

firemen, by a well-managed direction of the water, prevented the

flames passing through the west windows of the centre tower, and

continued their exertions at that spot, until the whole of the roof

had fallen in, and lay, in the centre of the aisle, a sea of fire.

"The west doors had, now, become nearly burnt through, and planks

were brought to barricade them, and prevent the rushing of air to fan

the embers to flame, which might have communicated to the organ, and

thence, throughout the whole pile of buildings.

"At 1 o'clock, this morning, I again entered the Cathedral, and then

concluded there was no further danger of destruction. The tower is

standing, also the walls and pillars of the nave; and, beyond that,

the building, I am happy to state, is saved.

"The fire is supposed to have originated from a clock maker, who has

been, for some time past, occupied in repairing the clock in that

tower, who might accidentally, have dropped a spark from a candle."

The repairs in 1829, when the Cathedral was fired by the fanatic, John

Martin, cost 65,000 pounds, which was raised by subscription, and it was

estimated that the cost of the present repairs would amount to about

20,000 pounds.

* * * * *

I know of no other general topic of conversation in May, but, in June,

there was one which set every one in the United Kingdom, and the whole

civilized world, a talking.--THE QUEEN HAD BEEN SHOT AT!!! A little

after 6 p.m. the Queen and Prince Albert left Buckingham Palace for their

before-dinner drive, and had barely got one-third up Constitution Hill,

when a young man, who had been walking backwards and forwards, as the

carriage came near, and was nearly opposite him, turned round, and,

drawing a pistol from his breast, fired at the carriage, which, however,

went on its way. The man then looked back, to see whether any person was

standing near enough to prevent him, and drew another pistol, which he

discharged at the carriage. Prince Albert ordered the postillions to

drive on, and they went as far as Hyde Park Corner, and thence to the

Duchess of Kent's mansion in Belgrave Square, and, after staying there

some little time, drove to Buckingham Palace, where the Queen was

received by crowds of her subjects, cheering vociferously. To say that

she was not affected by the incident would not be true, but she soon

recovered from its effects.

The person who shot at her was a little undersized boy (5ft. 4in.), about

18, named Edward Oxford, a publican's barman, out of work, and as "Satan

finds work for idle hands to do," this boy must needs buy two pistols,

bullets, powder and caps, and begin practising shooting. Whatever made

it enter into his wicked little head to shoot at the Queen, no one knew,

but he did, and was speedily in the hands of the police. He was examined

and re-examined, and finally tried at the Central Criminal Court on 9

July, the trial lasting two days. The defence was the plea of insanity,

and, as no bullets could be found, the jury brought in a verdict of

"Guilty, he being, at the time, insane"; and, in accordance with such

verdict, the judge sentenced him to be imprisoned during Her Majesty's

pleasure.

On the day after being shot at, the Queen and Prince Albert took their

wonted drive in the Park, amidst the shouts of crowded thousands, and the

next day, she, in State, received the congratulations of the Houses of

Lords and Commons, the latter having the first audience. At two o'clock,

the state carriage of the Speaker entered the court, followed by 109

carriages filled with members of the House of Commons; never before, it

was said, was the Speaker followed by so numerous a _cortege_, on the

occasion of presenting an address. As soon as the carriages of the

Commons had left the court, the procession of the Lords began to enter,

the barons first, then the other peers, rising in rank to the royal

dukes. They wore all their stars and garters, and made a brave show.

We get a glimpse of Oxford in prison in a paragraph of the _Times_, 28

Feb., 1843, copied from a Sunday paper.

"As numberless strange and conflicting rumours have been propagated,

relative to the treatment experienced by Edward Oxford, in his place

of incarceration, the curiosity of the visitor on this head was,

naturally, great, especially as it is generally understood that those

who are favoured with permission to visit Bethlehem, are not allowed

to see Oxford. This is not, however, the fact. In a compartment of

the establishment, principally allotted to those who are supposed to

have committed heinous crimes in moments of madness, Edward Oxford is

confined. He is not separated from the other unfortunate persons who

reside in that division of the building, but is allowed free

intercourse with them. Among his comrades are Mr. Pierce, surgeon,

who shot his wife whilst labouring under a paroxysm of madness

produced by jealousy; and Captain Good, whose favourite phantasy is

the assumption of the attribute of Majesty. There is, in the same

division of the establishment, a very diminutive man, who imagines

himself to be Lord John Russell. He amuses himself, nearly all day

long, with knitting. Captain Good is fond of smoking, and Pierce

hovers over the fireplace (a stove) all day. Oxford diverts himself

with drawing and reading. He told the visitor, who furnished us with

this account, that he had taught himself to read French with ease,

during his incarceration, but that he was unable to speak the

language, for want of an opportunity of studying the pronunciation.

He said that he was terribly tired of his sojourn at Bethlehem, and

that he wished he could obtain his liberty, even though he should be

placed under _surveillance_ during the remainder of his life. The

visitor remarked that there was no such thing as _surveillance de

police_ in England. To which Oxford replied that he was perfectly

acquainted with that fact; and that the condition upon which he thus

desired his liberty, was rather an imaginary one, than a strictly

legal and feasible one. Upon another question being put to him, he

said he knew he had been placed in Bethlehem under an impression that

he was mad, but that he was, really, very far from being mad. He

exhibited some of his drawings, which were uncommonly well executed,

and evinced a natural talent for the art. There were a view of

Abbotsford, a horse's head, a portrait of the Virgin Mary, and one or

two other designs, which were, really, most tastefully sketched and

shaded. He appeared pleased when complimented on his proficiency in

the art of drawing, and observed that he was self-taught. In

manners, he is modest, civil and unassuming, and certainly exhibits

not the slightest symptom of insanity. We know that medical

jurisprudence admits that it is very difficult to determine the exact

line of demarcation where sound sense stops, and insanity commences;

but he, who has visited a receptacle for the insane, will speedily

observe the strange state and appearance of the eyes of those whose

intellects are unhinged. This appearance cannot be mistaken either

in lucid or rabid intervals; it is still perceptible, although, of

course, in a greater or lesser degree. Now, the visitor to

Bethlehem, on the occasion here refered to, particularly observed the

eyes of all the inmates; and those of one only showed not the

least--not the most remote symptoms of insanity. This one individual

was Edward Oxford. He appears in his conversation, his manners, his

countenance and his pursuits, as sane, collected, and intelligent as

possible. Of course, the deed for which he is now in durance was not

touched upon; nor was any information relative to that subject sought

of the turnkeys, or keepers. With respect to food, Oxford is not

treated one atom better than his fellow sufferers; the diet of the

inmates of the hospital is plentiful and good, but no favour is shown

to any particular individual, with regard either to quality, or

quantity. Oxford appears to enjoy very excellent health; and he is

remarkably clean and neat in his person."

He was, afterwards, removed to Broadmoor, and I have been told, although

I cannot vouch for the fact, that he was liberated some years ago, and

sent to Australia.

Early in July, we begin to hear of a higher style of farming than that

previously in use, as we find the _Dumfries Courier_ advocating the use

of nitrate of soda as a manure, but, yet, are cautious on the

subject.--"An extensive trial of it will be necessary before any proper

judgment can be pronounced. It is, as yet, unknown whether its effects

are lasting, and until this is ascertained, caution must be used."

Another thing, too, was just beginning to attract

attention--Electro-metallurgy. True it is that Wollaston applied the

principle of the Voltaic pile to the deposition of one metal upon another

in 1801, and it was further developed by Bessemer (1834), Jacobi and the

Elkingtons in 1838, and Spencer in 1839, but for practical utility it was

still in its infancy, and we can see how far it had advanced, in the

following extract from a German Paper: "Munich, 22 July, 1840.--Much is

at present said in the public papers respecting the imitations of medals,

reliefs, etc., by means of a galvanic deposition of copper. This art,

called Galvano plastic, first discovered by Professor Jacobi of St.

Petersburg, and brought to greater perfection by Mr. Spencer, of

Liverpool, and by Professor Von Kebel, of Munich, may justly be classed

as one of the most useful of modern inventions; and, from its great

importance, its employment in technical operations must soon become

general. Indeed, some persons in England, perceiving the great influence

which this invention is destined to have on manufacturing industry, are

already applying it to the production of buttons, arabesques, and various

ornaments in Copper. Herr G. A. Muller, mechanician of Leipsic, has

recently called attention to the application of Galvano plastic to

typography. He has, however, been, in some measure, anticipated by the

experiments made in 1839, in Rosel's printing office, in Munich; where,

by following the methods of Jacobi and Spencer, the lines of copperplate

were produced in relief. Wood cuts were, also, converted into metallic

plates, which, to say nothing of the advantage of the solidity of the

metal, far exceeded the effect of the most perfect casting. The

experiments for making stereotype plates in copper have, also, been

successful. In short, the invention has now reached that stage which

must secure for it the attention of all practical men."

Mulready's postal wrapper having been killed by universal derision: in

July was produced an envelope with an embossed head of the Queen thereon,

and these could be bought until the close of her reign.

Prince Louis Napoleon, previously to his ill-starred expedition to

Boulogne, had left instructions for his furniture and jewellery to be

sold; and sold they accordingly were by Christie and Manson on 21 Aug.,

and Mr. Bernal and other _virtuosi_ went to the sale to see what

Napoleonic relics they could pick up. Among these were two silver cups,

with the eagle and initial of Queen Hortense, 5 pounds 10/- and a casket

of camei, formerly the property of the Empress Josephine, was divided

into 22 lots, one of which was a pair of earrings, the gift of Pius VI.

to Josephine during the first campaign in Italy, in 1796, sold for 46

pounds 4/-, and the original marble bust of Napoleon, when Consul, dated

1804, by Canova, fetched 232 pounds 11/-.

On 28 Aug. Prince Albert received the freedom of the City of London; and,

on 11 Sep., he was made a Privy Councillor.

CHAPTER XIV.

Lord Cardigan and the "Black bottle" case--Lord Cardigan's duel with

Lieut. Tuckett--Steam to India--Nelson Column--Mormonism--"The Boy

Jones"--Napoleon's body transferred to France.

About this time the Earl of Cardigan made himself particularly

conspicuous before the public, and the commencement of it was the famous

"black bottle" question, and I well remember that that useful utensil

was, for many years, called a "Cardigan." My Lord was Colonel of the

11th Hussars, "Prince Albert's Own," and it so happened that, on the 18th

May, 1840, when the Inspecting Officer dined with the mess, Captain

Reynolds of "Ours" ordered, at mess, a bottle of Moselle, which, instead

of being decanted, was served in its original envelope, a proceeding

which gave offence to the aristocratic taste of the Colonel, and,

according to a statement which was published in many newspapers:

"The following morning Capt. Jones delivered the following message to

Capt. Reynolds: 'The Colonel has desired me, as president of the mess

committee, to tell you that you were wrong in having a black bottle

placed on the table, at a great dinner like last night, as the mess

should be conducted like a gentleman's table, and not like a tavern,

or pothouse,' or words to that effect. Capt. Reynolds received the

message with astonishment, but without remark, and, subsequently,

waited on the Earl of Cardigan, and complained of it, but received no

satisfactory answer.

"A short time afterwards, Capt. Reynolds met Capt. Jones in the

mess-room, and, in the presence of two officers, said to him:

'Captain Jones, I wish to speak to you about the message you brought

me this morning. In the first place, I do not think you were

justified in giving it at all; as a brother captain, having no

possible control over me, it would have been better taste if you had

declined to deliver it.' He replied: 'I received it from the

Commanding Officer, and, as such, I gave it; and, if you refuse to

receive it from me, I shall report it.' Capt. Reynolds replied: 'Do

not misunderstand me, Captain Jones; I have received, and do receive

it; but the message was an offensive one; and I tell you, once for

all, that, in future, I will not allow you, or any man, to bring me

offensive messages.' Capt. Jones said: 'If I am ordered to give a

message, I shall give it.' Capt. Reynolds said: 'Well, you may do as

you please; but if you bring me improper messages, you must take the

consequences.' Capt. Jones replied, 'he should certainly do so,' and

left the room.

"The two captains who were present (one not an officer of the

regiment) proved that Capt. Reynolds' manner was quiet and

inoffensive. Capt. Jones reported the conversation; and, soon

afterwards, Capt. Reynolds was summoned to the orderly room; where,

in presence of Major Jenkins, the adjutant, and Capt. Jones, Lord

Cardigan thus addressed Capt. Reynolds, in no very agreeable tone, or

manner: 'If you cannot behave quietly, Sir, why don't you leave the

regiment? This is just the way with you Indian officers; you think

you know everything; but I tell you, Sir, that you neither know your

duty, nor discipline. Oh, yes, you do know your duty, I believe, but

you have no idea whatever of discipline, and do not, at all, justify

my recommendation.' Capt. Reynolds remained silent; when Lord

Cardigan added, 'Well, I put you in arrest.'

"Capt. Jones then offered Capt. Reynolds his hand, upon which, Capt.

Reynolds, turning towards him, said, 'No, Capt. Jones, I will not

shake hands with you; nothing has passed which renders it necessary.

I have no quarrel with you, and I deny having insulted you, and see

no reason why I should shake hands with you, or the contrary.'

"Lord Cardigan said, 'But I say you have insulted Capt. Jones.'

Capt. Reynolds quietly replied, 'I have not, my Lord'; upon which

Lord Cardigan said, 'Well, I put you under arrest, and shall report

the matter to the Horse Guards.' Capt. Reynolds said, 'I am sorry

for it;' and retired.

"The matter was reported to the Horse Guards, after Capt. Reynolds

had been in close arrest three days. Lord Hill sent a memorandum,

recommending Capt. Reynolds to acknowledge the impropriety of his

conduct towards Lord Cardigan, and to declare his readiness to resume

friendly intercourse with Capt. Jones. This recommendation Capt.

Reynolds obeyed; but he still refused to shake hands with Capt.

Jones, which would seem to imply a previous quarrel, or to drink wine

with him within any specified time.

* * * * *

"On the 9th of June, Gen. Sleigh went to Canterbury; had all the

officers of the regiment brought before him, and, without any

investigation, read to them a letter from Headquarters, condemning

Capt. Reynolds's conduct in very strong language; approving of that

of Lord Cardigan, throughout, in every particular, stigmatizing Capt.

Reynolds's motives as pernicious and vindictive, and refusing a

court-martial, because many things would be brought to light which

would not be for the good of the Service.

"Capt. Reynolds then requested that he might be brought to a

court-martial for the offences for which he had now been charged.

This was also refused, as it was stated Lord Hill had determined it

should be considered as settled. And, as if this was not enough,

Gen. Sleigh told Capt. Reynolds that he had forfeited the sympathy of

every officer of rank in the Service.

"Capt. Reynolds applied for copies of all letters referred to in this

statement, which are not given at length, and was refused them."

He still kept in the regiment, which, perhaps, was unwise on his part, as

the sequel shows. Early in September, an evening party was given by the

Earl of Cardigan, to which, as usual, several officers of the regiment

were invited. In the course of the evening, a young lady casually

observed, aloud, that she "did not see Capt. Reynolds there." The Earl

of Cardigan, who happened to be near, heard the remark, and replied, "Oh,

no; he is not one of my visitors." The words were uttered without any

marked expression, and did not, at the time, attract particular

attention. They were, however, carried to Capt. Reynolds, who,

conceiving that the expression was calculated to affect him as a

gentleman, wrote a letter to the Earl of Cardigan, to know if the

expression had been used, and in what sense. This letter remained

unanswered, and the consequence was, that Capt. Reynolds, stung with this

apparently further slight, was induced to send a second and a stronger

letter, couched in terms which could bear no other interpretation than

that of a challenge.

On receiving this letter, the Earl of Cardigan consulted with his

friends; and, after fairly considering the matter, it was determined to

submit the letters with the whole of the circumstances connected with the

case, to the consideration of the Colonel of the regiment, Prince Albert.

The Prince, on receiving the papers, laid them before the

Commander-in-Chief, Lord Hill, for his opinion thereon, when it was

resolved, by the latter, to let the matter come fairly before the public,

in the shape of a court-martial, which was, shortly afterwards, held at

Brighton. This court confined itself chiefly to the consideration of the

second letter written by Capt. Reynolds, which they conceived to be

couched in a spirit so insubordinate, ungentlemanly, and insolent, as to

afford the writer no sort of excuse, or palliation for his conduct, on

the alleged grounds of previous provocation on the part of his commanding

officer, and they adjudged that Capt. Reynolds should be cashiered (Oct.

20).

It certainly was not from a wish not to fight a duel that Lord Cardigan

thus acted with regard to Capt. Reynolds (and no one who remembers his

heading the charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava, can question his

courage), for he challenged and fought with Lieut. Tuckett, on 12th Sep.;

a duel which was thus reported in the papers:

In consequence of the Earl of Cardigan having ascertained that certain

letters published recently in the _Morning Chronicle_, reflecting, as his

lordship supposed, on his character as an officer and a gentleman, were

written by Lieut. Tuckett, late of the same regiment (11th Hussars), the

noble lord sent him, through Captain Douglas, of the 11th, a challenge,

which was at once accepted, and Capt. Wainwright (half-pay) was the

friend selected by Mr. Tuckett to arrange the preliminaries. An apology

was demanded by the noble lord, to which the reply was, that if he would

deny the allegations contained in the letters referred to, it should be

given. Lord Cardigan declared that certain portions of those letters

were true, but that the greater part were calumnies. On this, the

apology was refused, and a meeting was the consequence. It took place on

the afternoon of the 12th Sep., on Wimbledon Common. The first shot was

ineffectual, on both sides; but, on the second fire, Mr. Tuckett received

his adversary's ball in the back part of the lower ribs, which traversed

round to the spine. The ball was extracted, and Mr. Tuckett, after a

time, recovered.

Subsequently, warrants were issued, and Lord Cardigan and his second were

brought before the Bench of Surrey Magistrates, at Wandsworth; and after

several examinations, Lord Cardigan was committed for trial on the charge

of "Shooting at Capt. H. Tuckett with a pistol, with intent to murder, or

do him some bodily harm"; and his second, for aiding and abetting him.

The charge was laid under "An Act to amend the Laws relating to Offences

against the Person" (1 Vic., c. 85, s. 3), which makes the offence set

forth in the charge, a felony, punishable, at the discretion of the

Court, with transportation beyond the seas, for the term of his, or her,

natural life, or for any term not less than fifteen years, or to be

imprisoned for any term not exceeding three years.

He was tried in the House of Lords, on 16 Feb., 1841, by his peers, and

the case against him broke down through a technicality. His counsel, Sir

William Follett, pointed out that the prosecution had failed in proving a

material part of their case, inasmuch as no evidence had been given that

Captain Harvey Garnett Phipps Tuckett was the person alleged to have been

on Wimbledon Common on the 12th September last, and whose card only bore

the name of Captain Harvey Tuckett. The peers present returned a verdict

of "Not guilty," with the exception of the Duke of Cleveland, who added

"Not guilty, legally."

The use of steam at sea was beginning to assert itself. It was only two

years since, that I had to chronicle the voyages of the _Sirius_ and the

_Great Western_ across the Atlantic--now we have the first steamship to

India, sailing on 25 Sep. She was called _The India_, and was 1,200 tons

and nearly 400 horse-power. She sailed for Calcutta, calling at the Cape

of Good Hope, where she was to stop five days. It was expected that she

would complete her voyage, including stoppages, within 75 days.

On 30 Sep. the foundation stone of the Nelson Column in Trafalgar Square

was laid, without ceremony. It was a large block of Dartmoor granite,

weighing 14 tons; and, on 16 Oct. the tenders for building the new Royal

Exchange were settled. They varied very considerably, and the contract

was given to the lowest, that of Messrs. Webb, of Clerkenwell, whose

tender was 2,000 pounds under the architect's estimate.

About this time we begin to hear of Mormonism in England; not that it was

absolutely new, for, on 20 July, 1837, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde,

Willard Richards, Joseph Fielding and others, landed at Liverpool, on the

first mission sent out by the Mormons. Three days after landing they

began preaching at Preston, and met with such remarkable success that,

within the next eight months, at the expiration of which time, Kimball

and Hyde returned to America, they had converted and baptised about 2,000

people. But the sect was uncommon, as we may see from the following

extract from the _Leeds Times_, copied into the _Times_ of 31 Oct.:

"A NEW SECT.--One of the most recent developments of fanaticism is

the appearance of a new sect, in different parts of England, entitled

_Latter Day Saints_. We believe that it made its first appearance in

Hertfordshire and Leicestershire, from which counties great numbers

of its members have lately emigrated to the United States. The sect

has extended to Lancashire and Yorkshire; and, by the labours of its

preachers, is now travelling northward into Durham and

Northumberland. The _Latter Day Saints_ assume to do many

extraordinary things. Among other accomplishments peculiar to those

who believe in the new doctrines, they are declared to possess the

power of casting out devils, or curing the sick by laying hands on

them, of resisting the operation of the deadliest poisons, of

speaking with new tongues, and of working miracles of various kinds.

They state that no ministers, now on earth, preach the Gospel, but

themselves, and that, only to them have the supernatural gifts of the

Church been vouchsafed. The Kingdom of God, they say, is only open

to those who have been baptised by immersion. In addition to the

Bible, they state they are in possession of another work, of equal

authority, entitled _The Book of Mormon_, the original of which was

found engraved on brass plates, in the central land of America.

Finally, they consider this is the last generation of mankind, and

that they have been sent into the world, expressly to prepare the way

for the Son of Man!"

Has my reader forgotten THE BOY JONES? He turns up again in this

chronicle, for, on Wednesday, the 2nd of December, the inmates of

Buckingham Palace were, shortly after midnight, aroused by an alarm being

given that a stranger had been discovered under the sofa in Her Majesty's

dressing-room, and the officers of the household were quickly on the

alert. It was soon ascertained that the alarm was not without

foundation, and the daring intruder was immediately secured, and safely

handed over to the tender mercies of the police. The report of the

occurrence spread very rapidly, and created the most lively interest in

London, as it was feared that the consequent alarm might be attended with

the most dangerous effects to the health of the Queen, who had been

confined only eleven days previously. Happily, neither mother, nor child

suffered in any way.

The facts, as far as can be gathered--the examination being a private

one, conducted by the Privy Council--seem to have been as follows:

Shortly after midnight, one of Her Majesty's pages, accompanied by other

domestics of the Royal household, was summoned into Her Majesty's

dressing-room, which adjoined the bed chamber in which Her Majesty's

accouchement had taken place, by Mrs. Lilly, the nurse, who thought she

heard a noise. A strict search was made; and, under the sofa on which

Her Majesty had been sitting, only about two hours' previously, they

discovered a dirty, ill-looking fellow, who was immediately dragged from

his hiding place, and given into custody. The prisoner was searched, but

nothing of a dangerous nature was found upon him, and the police, at

once, recognised their captive as the Edward Jones, who had, two years

previously, entered the palace in such a mysterious way. He is described

as being very short for his age, seventeen, and of a most repulsive

appearance; but he was, apparently, unconscious of this defect, as he

affected an air of great consequence, and repeatedly requested the police

to address him in a becoming manner; also behaving with the greatest

nonchalance at his examination before the Privy Council, the next day.

His first version of the matter was this: On Monday night, the 30th of

November, he scaled the wall of Buckingham Palace, about half-way up

Constitution Hill; he then proceeded to the Palace, and gained an entry

through one of the windows. He had not, however, been long there, when

he considered it unsafe for him to stay, as so many people were moving

about; and he left by the same manner as he entered. The next day,

Tuesday, about nine o'clock in the evening, he again effected an entrance

by the same means as before. He then went on to state that he remained

in the Palace the whole of Tuesday night, all Wednesday, and up to one

o'clock on Thursday morning, when the inquisitive youth was captured. He

was not satisfied with this dull and prosaic account of his entry; but,

on the following day, he tried to invent something marvellous, and

alleged that he ascended the roof of the Palace, and got down the

chimney; but there were no marks of soot on his person, and his first

story was, doubtless, the correct one.

The greatest mystery attending the affair was, how he could have found

his way to the room adjoining that in which Her Majesty slept, without

being observed. The delinquent stated that, during the day, he secreted

himself under different beds, and in cupboards, until, at length, he

gained an entrance into the dressing room; he, moreover, alleged that he

sat upon the throne, that he saw the Queen, and heard the Princess Royal

cry, but his story was such a romance, that no reliance could be placed

upon it. He was extremely reticent as to the cause of his intrusion into

the Palace, the only explanation which he vouchsafed, on being arrested,

was, that he wanted to see what was going on in the Palace, that he might

write about it, and, if discovered, he should be as well off as Oxford,

who fared better in Bedlam, than he, Jones, did out of it. Even the

stern discipline of the treadmill, to which he was promptly consigned,

failed to extract anything more out of him; his only remark, when

interrogated, being that he had got into the scrape, and must do the best

he could.

His father stated that, in his belief, his unfortunate son was not of

sound mind; but the medical evidence went to show that, though his head

was of a most peculiar formation, he was not insane. The Council,

therefore, came to the decision that it would be better to inflict

summary punishment, and he was committed to the House of Correction for

three months, as a rogue and vagabond.

If he is to be believed, he fared remarkably well whilst in his royal

residence, as he said he helped himself to soup and other eatables from a

room, which he called the "Cook's Kitchen," but no dependence whatever

could be placed on his word.

Prince Albert was taking leave of Her Majesty for the night, when the

miscreant was discovered; and the Prince, hearing a noise proceeding from

the adjoining apartment, opened the door, and ascertained the cause; but

it was not made known to the Queen till the following day, so as to

prevent any undue alarm on her part.

It is needless to say that this event excited the greatest interest, and

engrossed public attention, nothing else being talked of. The punishment

was considered far too light to deter a repetition of the offence, which

opinion was subsequently justified. Such an occurrence, of course, was

considered fair material for the humourists of the day to exercise their

wit upon, and there are many allusions to it in the _Age_ and _Satirist_

of the period; but, as their remarks are not always conceived in the best

taste, they are better left in the obscurity in which they now dwell.

Perhaps, however, this little couplet from the _Satirist_ may be

excepted:

"Now he in chains and in the prison garb is

Mourning the crime that couples Jones with darbies." {151}

It was Jones's extraordinary powers of finding an entrance into the

Palace that caused Samuel Rogers to declare that he must be a descendant

of the illustrious In---i---go.

On the 15 Dec. the remains of the Emperor Napoleon, which had been

removed from St. Helena, were laid, with great pomp, into the tomb

prepared for them at the Invalides, Paris; and, contrary to all

expectation, there was no disturbance on the occasion.

CHAPTER XV.

Death of Scott, "the American Diver"--Prince Albert's ducking--Monster

cheese--"The Boy Jones"--"Tracts for the Times," Tract XC--Earl of

Cardigan flogs a soldier on Sunday--Dispute as to the discovery of

Electric Telegraph--Sale of Shakspere autograph--The Census--Astley's

burnt--Behaviour of "gentlemen."

The first bit of gossip of this year was the tragic death of Sam Scott,

"the American diver," who was born at Philadelphia, and, at an early age,

entered the American navy. His extraordinary courage and prowess as a

diver rendered him very popular, and, after quitting the naval service,

he travelled about the Union exhibiting. He, subsequently, visited

Canada, and made some tremendous leaps from the banks of the St.

Lawrence, and the lakes which intersect that country; but his _chef

d'oeuvre_ was leaping from a precipice below the Falls of Niagara, where,

according to his own statement, he jumped the amazing distance of 595

feet, into the water, which he accomplished without injury or

inconvenience!

He was performing in England in 1838, and came to London in the latter

part of 1840; and we now hear of him as issuing a "Challenge to the World

for 100 Guineas! Monday next, Jan. 11, 1841, and during the week, Samuel

Scott, the American diver, will run from Godfrey's White Lion, Drury

Lane, to Waterloo Bridge, and leap into the water, forty feet high from

the bridge, and return back within the hour, every day during the week,

between one and two o'clock." There were about 8,000 or 10,000 people

assembled to see the feat, which was to be performed from a scaffolding

overhanging the river. Here he swung by a rope noose round his chin, and

afterwards, with his head downwards and one of his feet in the noose. He

then again hung suspended by his chin, but the noose slipped, and he was

hanged in sight of all that huge crowd. This fatal accident created a

great impression at the time.

I do not know the Evening paper from which the following "small beer"

chronicle is copied into the _Times_ of 12 Feb., but it purports to be an

"authentic account" of an accident to Prince Albert: "It appears that His

Royal Highness was walking in the Royal gardens, in company of Her

Majesty, the only attendant present being the Hon. Miss Murray, one of

the Maids of Honour in waiting upon the Queen. It not being understood

by Col. Bouverie and Lieut. Seymour that His Royal Highness intended to

skate, they were not, as usual, in attendance on the Prince, who had left

the Palace, with Her Majesty, without their knowledge. After walking for

a short time with the Queen, on the margin of the lake, His Royal

Highness put on his skates, and left Her Majesty, who remained watching

the movements of the Prince from the gardens. He had not been on the ice

more than two or three minutes, when, as he was proceeding at a rapid

rate towards the spot where the Queen was standing, and had reached

between three or four feet of the water's edge, the ice suddenly broke,

and, instantaneously he was immersed, head over ears, in the water. His

Royal Highness immediately rose to the surface, when Her Majesty, with

great presence of mind, joined her hand to that of the Hon. Miss Murray

(telling her to stand firm, and to betray no fear), and, extending her

right hand to the Prince, dragged him to the shore. Her Majesty

manifested the greatest courage upon the occasion, and acted with the

most intrepid coolness. As soon as the Prince was safe on dry land, the

Queen gave way to the natural emotions of joy and thankfulness at his

providential escape.

"The Prince then lost no time in proceeding to the Palace, where a warm

bath was immediately prepared, and His Royal Highness, within an hour

afterwards, was sufficiently well to receive the King of the Belgians,

upon His Majesty's arrival from Claremont. The ice in the centre of the

lake being nearly a foot in thickness, some surprise has been created

that the accident should have occurred; but it appears that the keepers

appointed to attend on the numerous and various aquatic birds which are

preserved in the gardens of the palace, had broken the ice along the

sides of the lake to enable them to take the water during the frost.

These portions had again become slightly frozen over, since they were

broken at an early part of the morning. This was unknown to the Prince,

or the Queen, and, hence, the accident occurred. There was no person

present, at the time, connected with the gardens, to point out his danger

to His Royal Highness. Yesterday morning, the Prince was suffering from

the effects of a slight cold; but, beyond this, His Royal Highness has

sustained no inconvenience."

On the 10th Feb. the Princess Royal was christened.

On 19 Feb. the Queen had a monster cheese presented to her, "on which

occasion, she was pleased to express her satisfaction." It was made from

the morning's milking of 737 cows, prepared by the labour of 50 dairy

women, at West Pennard, Somersetshire, and it weighed 11 cwt. It was

octagon in shape, and its upper surface was decorated with the Royal

Arms, surmounted with a wreath of roses, thistles and shamrocks.

Unfortunately, although it had been made over two years, it was not

considered to be fit to eat for another eighteen months.

_Ecce iterum_ the irrepressible BOY JONES! Prison evidently had no

terrors for him; for, no sooner was he liberated from Tothill Fields, on

2 Mar., than he, almost immediately, set to work to repeat his former

escapades. On the day previous to his liberation, he was visited by Mr.

Hall, a magistrate, who tried to persuade him to go to sea; but Jones

made certain conditions which could not be acceded to, and he did not go.

This gave an opportunity for the _Satirist_ to come out with the

following appropriate lines:

"The impudent urchin, whom sure the devil owns,

And Government wants to send into the Navy;

Will not go to sea--and 'tis cunning of Jones,

Who, thus, may avoid his relation, Old Davey."

He was then delivered into the care of his parents, with strict

injunctions to them to watch his actions; and, for some days, his conduct

was unexceptionable; he frequently attended a Methodist chapel, and

expressed his intention of joining a teetotal society. But the charms of

notoriety were too strong for him; and, again, he was drawn, as it were

by a magnet, to Buckingham Palace. Indeed, it possessed such attractions

for him, that, when required to pledge himself, before leaving prison,

not to visit the Palace again, he said he would not promise, as his

curiosity was so great.

On 15 March, shortly after 1 a.m., the sergeant of police on duty at the

Palace imagined, as he was going along the Grand Hall, that he saw

someone peeping through the glass door, and this turned out to be the

case; for, on his approach, Jones ran up against him, and was, of course,

immediately secured. In consequence of his previous visits, two extra

policemen had been appointed, whose duty it was, on alternate nights, to

watch all the staircases and interior of the building, and it was owing

to this arrangement that Master Jones was stopped early in his career, on

this last occasion.

Like most boys, Jones had a keen appreciation of a feast, all the more

enjoyable because irregularly come by; and, when he was arrested, he was

found to have been sitting at his ease in one of the royal apartments,

regaling himself with some cold meat and potatoes, which he had conveyed

upstairs in his handkerchief. On being questioned how he obtained an

entrance, his reply was, "the same way as before"; and he boasted,

moreover, that he could, at any time he pleased, get into the palace; but

he was extremely taciturn, and refused to satisfy curiosity, more

particularly on this point.

What he confessed at his examination by the Privy Council is not known,

as the proceedings were in private, reporters being excluded, and the

public were left in possession of only the above bare facts. He

persisted that the only motive for his intrusion was to hear the

conversation at Court, and to write an account of it; but this plea of

simplicity did not save him from a repetition of his old sentence of

three months imprisonment in the House of Correction, with the

uncomfortable addition, this time, of hard labour. Perhaps the best

punishment for this juvenile addition of Paul Pry would have been that

suggested by the _Satirist_, in the following paragraph: "As the urchin

Jones, in a letter to his father, stated that his reason for entering the

Queen's house was to 'seek for noose, in order to rite a book,' it is a

matter of general regret that, instead of magnifying the affair into Home

Office importance, the young rogue was not accommodated with a rope's

end." His visit, however, necessitated the appointment of three

additional sentries at the palace.

What became of him afterwards, nobody knows and nobody cares, but, one

thing is certain, he was _persuaded_ to go to sea, and _Punch_ (born 17

July) devotes a page (vol. i., p. 46) to "The Boy Jones's Log," a portion

of which is as follows:

"This mellancholly reflexion threw me into a poeticle fitte, and

though I was werry uneasy in my _stommik_, and had nothing to rite on

but my _chest_, I threw off as follows in a few 2nds, and arterards

sung it to the well-none hair of 'Willy Reilly':--

"Oakum to me, {156} ye sailors bold,

Wot plows upon the sea;

To you I mean for to unfold

My mournful historie.

So pay attention to my song,

And quick-el-ly shall appear,

How innocently, all along,

I was in-weigle-ed here.

"One night, returnin home to bed,

I walk'd through Pim-li-co,

And, twigging of the Palass, sed,

'I'm _Jones_ and In-i-go.'

But afore I could get out, my boys,

Pollise-man 20A,

He caught me by the corderoys,

And lugged me right a-way.

"My cuss upon Lord Melbun, and

On Jonny Russ-all-so,

That forc'd me from my native land,

Across the waves to go-o-oh!

But all their spiteful arts is wain,

My spirit down to keep;

I hopes I'll soon git back again,

To take another peep."

To follow Chronology compels me to turn suddenly from gay to grave

topics. In September, 1833, Newman commenced the _Tracts for the Times_,

which, according to its advertisement, had the object of "contributing

something towards the practical revival of doctrines (such as the

Apostolic Succession, and the Holy Catholic Church) which, although held

by the great divines of our Church, have become practically obsolete with

the majority of her members." Keble and others joined him at once, as

did Pusey as soon as the state of his health permitted, together with

nearly all the advanced thinkers at Oxford. These Tracts, issued from

time to time, caused a mighty upheaval in the Church of England, which

was known as the "Tractarian movement," the effects of which have lasted

to this day, as may be witnessed in the vast extension of Church

building, the larger attendance and more devout behaviour of

congregations, the brighter and more ornate services, which are so great

a contrast to the general sleepiness both of pastor and flock which then

existed.

Some of these Tracts went farther than people were, as yet, able to

follow, they were "strong meat for babes," and the publication of Tract

XC., by Newman, on the Thirty-nine Articles, brought things to a climax,

and on 15 March, the Vice-Chancellor and the Heads of Houses met to

censure the publication; they came to the resolution: "That modes of

interpretation, such as are suggested in the said Tract, evading rather

than explaining the sense of the Thirty-nine Articles, and reconciling

subscription to them, with the adoption of errors which they were

designed to counteract, defeat the object, and are inconsistent with the

due observance of the Statutes of the University." They only expressed

their opinion which was all they could do, but Newman avowed the

authorship of the Tract, and whilst he was still unconvinced of his

error, he wrote, "I am sincerely sorry for the trouble and anxiety I have

given to the members of the Board, and I beg to return my thanks to them,

for an act which, even though founded on misapprehension, may be made as

profitable to myself, as it is religiously and charitably intended."

At this time, neither the writers of the Tracts, nor their readers, had

any intention of severing themselves from the Church of England, their

sole endeavours were to wake it from the torpor into which it had fallen;

and, had there been any tolerance on the other side, such men as Newman,

Manning, and others, would have been kept to the Church, for they merely

enunciated doctrine and practices which are now almost universal.

The old flint-lock Brown Bess was still in use in the Army, although

percussion arms were introduced in 1840; but we read (13 Ap.) that "the

exchange of flint for percussion cap guns to the Army, will cost, this

year, 130,000 pounds."

That amiable gentleman, the Earl of Cardigan, was still making himself

notorious. This time it was flogging a soldier on Easter Sunday, after

Church; and the very first question asked in the House of Commons, when

it met after the Easter recess, was by Mr. Hume, relating to it. Mr.

Macauly replied that: "Whatever other imputations there might be cast on

Lord Cardigan, a disposition for the infliction of corporal punishment

was not one which could justly be thrown on him. From inquiries which he

had made, he had found that, since 1839, up to the recent case, there was

not an instance of the infliction of corporal punishment in this

regiment. The charge, however, for which he was justly liable to public

censure, was the immediate infliction of punishment, on a Sunday, after

Divine Service. Such a proceeding was clearly contrary to the religious

feelings and habits of the people of this country, and could not be

reconciled with either good sense, or good feeling." Lord Hill, the

Commander-in-Chief, only felt "surprised" at Lord Cardigan's conduct; but

the _Times_ of 24 Apl. had a most scathing leading article on the

subject, winding up with "we trust some independent member of the House

of Commons will take an early opportunity of cutting the Gordian knot,

and move an address to the Crown for the removal of the Earl of Cardigan

from the Lieut.-Colonelcy of the 11th Hussars." {159}

The Electric Telegraph being now a _fait accompli_, the honour of the

discovery was disputed between Cooke and Wheatstone--both claiming it.

It was settled by arbitration, the referees being Marc Isimbard Brunel,

the eminent civil engineer, and Professor Daniell, the inventor of the

Galvanic battery which bears his name, and their Solomonian judgment was

as follows: "While Mr. Cooke is entitled to stand alone, as the gentleman

to whom this country is indebted for having practically introduced and

carried out the Electric Telegraph as a useful undertaking, promising to

be a work of national importance; and Professor Wheatstone is

acknowledged as the scientific man, whose profound and scientific

researches had, already, prepared the public to receive it as a project

capable of practical application; it is to the united labours of two

gentlemen so well qualified for mutual assistance, that we must attribute

the rapid progress which this important invention has made during the

five years since they have been associated."

On 24 May was sold by auction an undoubtedly authentic signature of

Shakspere, attached to a deed, thus described in the catalogue:

"Shakspere's autograph affixed to a deed of bargain and sale of a house

purchased by him, in Blackfriars, from Henry Walker, dated March 10,

1612, with the seals attached." The poet is described as "Wm.

Shakspeare, of Stratforde upon Avon, in the countie of Warwick,

gentleman"; and the premises thus: "All that dwelling house, or tenement,

with the appurtenance, situate and being within the precinct, circuit and

compasse of the late black ffryers, London, sometymes in the tenure of

James Gardiner, Esqre., and since that time, in the tenure of John

Ffortescue, gent, and now, or late being in the tenure or occupacon of

one William Ireland, or of his assignee or assignees; abutting upon a

streete leading down to Pudle Wharffe on the east part, right against the

King's Majesties Wardrobe; part of wch said tenement is erected over a

great gate leading to a capitall messuage, wch sometyme was in the tenure

or occupacon of the Right Honourable Henry now Earle of Northumberland."

The deed, at the commencement is stated to be "betweene Henry Walker,

Citizen and Minstrell, of London, of thone partie, and William

Shakspeare, of Stratforde upon Avon, in the countie of Warwick,

gentleman; William Johnson, Citizen and Vintner, of London; John Jackson

and John Hemyng, of London, of thother partie"; and that the property was

absolutely sold to all four, "theire heires and assigns for ever." The

deed is regularly entered in the Rolls' Court Sir F. Madden (continues

the catalogue) states in his "Observations on the autograph of

Shakspere," in Florio's translation of _Montaigne's Essays_, which was

sold in 1838: "There are five acknowledged genuine signatures in

existence, exclusive of the one which forms the subject of this

communication. Of these, three are attached to his will in the

Prerogative Court, executed the 25th March, 1615-16; the fourth is

written on a mortgage deed, dated 11 March, 1612-13; of a small estate

purchased by Shakspere, of Henry Walker, in Blackfriars; and the fifth,

on the counterpart of the deed of bargain and sale of the said property,

dated 10 March, 1612-13; and, speaking of the last, Sir F. Madden says,

at p. 14: 'What has become of this document?' a query which the

auctioneers say is answered. Of these six signatures, three to the will

are in Doctors' Commons (two of them much injured by the hands of the

lovers of Shakspere); the one in _Montaigne's Essays_ is now in the

British Museum; what has become of the mortgage deed is quite unknown:

this, then, is the only autograph of Shakspere ever likely to be offered

for sale." After many and very animated biddings it was eventually

knocked down to Mr. Elkins for 165 pounds 15s. These two deeds are now

in safe keeping, one being in the British Museum, the other belonging to

the Corporation of the City of London. The authenticity of the signature

in _Montaigne's Essays_ is open to discussion. At the same sale was sold

"the Shakspere Cup," made from the mulberry tree said to have been

planted by Shakspere, carved on the sides with a medallion of Shakspere,

and his Coat of Arms. This was for nearly 30 years in the possession of

Munden, the actor, and it realised 21 pounds. In the British Museum is a

beautifully-carved casket, made of the same wood, which, together with

the freedom of Stratford-on-Avon, was given to Garrick by the Corporation

of the town in 1769.

The decennial Census, which began in 1801, was, according to the Act 3

and 4 Vic., c. 29, taken of the number of individuals who slept in the

respective houses in each parish, throughout England and Wales, on the

night of Sunday, 6 June. Scotland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of

Man were also taken, but Ireland was not; and the following return

includes only such part of the Army, Navy, and Merchant Seamen, as were,

at the time of the Census, within the Kingdom on shore:

Males. Females. Total.

England 7,321,875 7,673,633 14,995,508

Wales 447,533 463,788 911,321

Persons ascertained 4,003 893 4,896

to have been

travelling by

railroads and canals

on night of 6 June

Scotland 1,241,276 1,379,334 2,620,610

Islands in the 57,598 66,481 124,079

British Seas

Total 18,656,414

On 8 June, Astley's Amphitheatre was burnt down, one life being

sacrificed, and causing a monetary loss of over 30,000 pounds. This

calamity so affected the proprietor, Mr. Ducrow, that he lost his reason,

and died soon after, on 28 Jan., 1842.

Here is another little story of the behaviour of gentlemen in those days,

copied from the _Times_, 11 June:

"WINDSOR, 10 June. Yesterday evening there was a large party

consisting of the officers of the 60th Rifles, and several of the 1st

Life Guards, at the mess of the infantry barracks, in Sheet Street,

in consequence of several promotions which have recently taken place

in the Rifles, occasioned by vacancies caused by the decease of the

Hon. Col. Molyneux. The festivities of the evening were kept up till

past 12 o'clock, when a large party sallied forth for 'a spree.'

They first proceeded to the extensive canvas amphitheatre of Mr. Van

Amburgh, in the Bachelor's Acre, but, there, they were, fortunately,

kept at bay by several of Mr. Van Amburgh's men, before they had

committed any excesses. The knockers, bell handles and brass plates

from several doors in the neighbourhood were then wrenched off, and

the whole party then made for a well-known gambling house (which has

been tolerated in this town for upwards of twelve months), at No. 4,

Augusta Place, where they were immediately admitted. What took place

there before the row commenced, or what was the occasion of the havoc

and destruction which almost immediately afterwards ensued, I have

not been able to ascertain. However, they had not been there more

than half an hour before there was a scene of the greatest confusion

throughout the whole house, causing alarm and terror, from the noise

which was created, around the entire neighbourhood. The police were

sent for soon after 1 o'clock, previously to which a portion of the

60th Rifles, who were on guard at the Castle, had been despatched to

the scene of action, and whom the police met on their return to the

guard room. Upon the Superintendent, Sergeant and several policemen

entering the house (which they found empty, with the exception of one

of the gamblers, who, it appeared, had secreted himself) they found

scarcely one piece of furniture left whole. The green baize was torn

from the billiard and other tables, the doors of the different rooms

broken down, the windows, with the sashes and frames, broken to

pieces; all the lamps smashed, chairs and tables dislocated, the

fanlight over the front door gone, and the balustrades upon the

stairs torn away. At this time, the whole of the party had gone off;

and, as for the proprietors of the gaming house, they were glad to

effect their escape, across the garden, into a large piece of waste

land, called the Lammas. It was expected that some complaint would

have been lodged before the borough magistrates, to-day, at the Town

Hall; but no application was made to the Bench on the subject during

the hours of business. A large brass plate, which had been wrenched

from a garden gate, was found, this morning, by the police, in the

infantry barracks, where there are sundry knockers and bell handles

awaiting to be identified and returned to their respective owners."

{163}

The following incident is very little known, and is copied from the

_Salopian Journal_ of 3 July: "It is known to many of our readers that

the Whig-Radical faction in Shrewsbury, despairing (as the event has

proved) of winning the election by fair and honest means, have resorted

to the infamous trick of publishing anonymous slanders against Mr.

Disraeli, one of the Tory Candidates. He rebutted the slanders so

promptly and effectually, that, at last, the opposite party resolved to

try the desperate expedient of publishing them with a name attached, as a

sort of guarantee. Accordingly, a letter, repeating these slanders,

"with additions," appeared in the _Shrewsbury Chronicle_ on Friday,

signed by a barrister, who had been employed by the Radical candidates to

manage their part of the contest. Mr. Disraeli, without any loss of

time, issued a handbill commenting on conduct which appears to us at once

ungentlemanly and unprofessional, and plainly designated the barrister's

statements as 'utterly false.' This handbill appeared early in the

forenoon of Friday, and, at an advanced hour of the afternoon, a

gentleman waited upon Mr. Disraeli with a hostile message from his

calumniator. He found Mr. Disraeli in company with his lady, and

communicated that he had business of importance to settle with him. A

challenge from the barrister was then handed to Mr. Disraeli. About an

hour afterwards, Mr. Jonathan Sheppard having learnt that such a

transaction had taken place--and it is certain that the information had

not come from the challenged party--waited upon the Mayor, and, upon his

information, our worthy Chief Magistrate called upon both parties to

enter into recognizances to keep the peace. How far Mr. Disraeli would

have been justified in meeting a person who had acted as the barrister

had acted, is a question which need not be discussed here."

CHAPTER XVI.

Story of an Irish informer--Steam Cars--Sale of Vauxhall Gardens--First

Jewish Baronet--New Railways opened--High tide--Fire at the Tower--Birth

of Prince of Wales--His patent as such--The Thames at length

tunnelled--Antiquities found in Royal Exchange.

We have known something about Irish crime, but the following true tale

takes a lot of beating. On the last day of the Clonmel Assizes, in July,

Judge Torrens heard a case of arson, in which the prisoners, who were

four in number, were all acquitted, after a trial which lasted eight

hours.

The principal witness for the prosecution was an approver, named Lysaght;

and, in all the annals of informers, it would be extremely difficult to

find a parallel to this same Lysaght. Indeed, the admission by the Crown

of the testimony of such a miscreant, in the matter of life or death,

appears to be highly reprehensible, as the following abstract of his

evidence will plainly evince:

John Lysaght examined: I remember the time when Walsh's house was

burnt. Anthony Ryan came to me before the house was burned to borrow

a gun. I brought it to him on a Monday night, and he told me to come

with him to McCarthy's house, who wanted to see me. I went to

McCarthy's, and near his place was an old house, in which some of our

party were assembled. McCarthy brought some bread and spirits, and

we took share of it. McCarthy asked me if I would go with the men to

frighten Walsh, and burn the house. I promised to do so, and he then

furnished us with powder and ball; we went down to the river side,

and McCarthy gave his pistols and 7/6 in money to Anthony Ryan. He

gave me some powder, flax, and something like saltpetre, and showed

me, by putting some powder into the pan, and snapping it, how the

flax was to be lighted. McCarthy then parted with us, and we, after

eating the bread and meat, went to Walsh's. I lighted the tow, and

Paddy Ryan put the fire into the roof. I and two of the party then

went and stood sentry near the road. After a time, I heard a noise,

and ran back to give an alarm. We then left, and went by Toom

homewards, and separated near Marshall's gate; this was about three

or four in the morning. I and Paddy Ryan had shot guns, Ned Ryan had

a long one, Darby Ryan a bayonet on a pole, and the two Ryans had

McCarthy's pistols. We left the house after it was in flames. I

knew a man named Bryan Noonan; he is dead.

Judge Torrens: Was it you murdered Noonan?

Witness: No. I joined in it.

Mr. Hatchell: How many men did you murder before this?

Witness: None.

You say it was Anthony Ryan went to you to get the gun?--It was.

He has, since, been transported?--Yes.

You went with the party to the burning for the love of

amusement?--They induced me to go with them, but did not force me; I

was not very unwilling to go after getting the liquor; but, when I

brought the gun, had no such intention.

Did you load the gun before you went out?--I did.

Had you liberty to carry a gun?--Yes, from a magistrate, Mr. Coates,

who is since dead.

Were you ever tried before you committed the murder on

Noonan?--Indeed I was; I was tried before, for posting a threatening

notice, but it was no such thing.

Were you not sentenced to be transported?--I was.

Did you not fire shots at the same time?--Yes.

Judge Torrens: And the reward you gave the Government for bringing

you back was murdering Noonan

Mr. Hatchell: Was not your brother Caravat tried?--Yes.

You say you were only present at the murder of Noonan; now, was it

not you who knocked down the unfortunate man with the butt-end of a

blunderbuss?--Yes, the very first. (Sensation.)

And you don't call that murdering the man?--We were all murdering

him.

Were you not one of the men who carried him into the ditch to hide

the body?--I was.

Where is your brother, the Caravat?--I don't know.

Was he at the burning of Walsh's house?--No.

Did you know Leonard, the smith?--I did.

Did you see him killed?--I saw him struck, but was not looking on at

his killing.

Did you give him a blow then?--I did not strike a blow at the man.

Did you give a blow that day?--Yes, when myself was struck.

Do you remember Wat Hayes?--Yes.

You attacked him, but he shot you off?--No, he did not.

Was not one of your companions shot by Mr. Hayes?--No, but a man near

me.

Now, tell me, did he not kill one of your friends?--Oh, he had a

party against us, and waylaid us.

Did you remember Jemmy Hughes, who was killed with a hatchet?--I did.

Were you not looking at his murder?--Oh, no; he was married to my

first cousin.

Were you not taxed with the murder?--The whole country knew who was

in that affair.

You recollect David Hickey, who was killed at Bilboa?--I was in the

fair.

You were of the party?--I was looking at him.

That was your third murder.

A Juror: His fifth murder.

Did you rob Michael Rogers?--No, but I got the course of law, and was

acquitted.

You knew Mick Griffin, Lord Stradbroke's herd?--I heard he was shot.

Was your brother Caravat accused of this business?--No, I never heard

of it.

Did you not say you would put a rope about McCarthy's neck?--I did

not. I remember when Kennedy was put out of possession. McCarthy's

cattle and premises were burned after this, but the country say it

was himself did it. I never asked a farm of Lord Stradbroke, but my

father or brothers might. I never heard that McCarthy prevented us

getting the farm, on the ground of our being so bad.

Do you remember you and your uncle carrying away a woman?--I do.

Your uncle was transported?--He was.

So you have been guilty of one abduction, five murders, and one

burning; what else did you do? Would you suggest any other crime in

the catalogue, of which you were not guilty?

Judge Torrens: Did you commit a rape?--No.

Mr. Hatchell: Were any of your brothers convicted of a rape?--Yes.

Were you not charged with holding the unfortunate woman while your

brother committed the rape?--No, but another brother was.

Judge Torrens: Did you steal cattle?--No.

Mr. Hatchell: That would be too shabby an offence. When you came to

Walsh's house, you lifted one of the Ryans up in the roof?--Yes.

And you lit the fire?--I did.

Did you know there were women in the house?--I partly guessed there

were.

Did you mind how many innocent people might have been burned?--I did

not care. (Great sensation.)

Judge and Counsel, with great disgust, ordered the wretch off the

table.

In these days of Motor Cars, any gossip about their progenitors must be

of interest. On 7 Aug., a steam carriage, carrying 16 persons, belonging

to the General Steam Company, was tried between the York and Albany,

Regent's Park, and the Manor House at Tottenham--i.e., along the Camden

Road to Finsbury Park--doing the distance in rather less than

half-an-hour. Another ran on 13 Sep. from Deptford to Sevenoaks, about

21 miles, in 2 hours 37 minutes, but there were small accidents by the

way. Later on in the month the first-named carriage performed about

Windsor, Frogmore and Dachet, and frequently reached a speed of 18 to 20

miles an hour; and on Oct. 1 it was shown to the Queen and Prince Albert,

the latter expressing himself highly pleased with it. It then only did

16 miles an hour.

On 9 Sep. Vauxhall Gardens, which had been a place of amusement since the

time of Charles I., were sold for 20,000 pounds. In _Punch_ of 14 Aug.

we find a sad account of a last visit:

"Impelled by a sense of duty, we wended our way to the 'Royal

property,' {169a} to take a last look at the long expiring gardens.

It was a wet night--the lamps burnt dimly--the military band played

in the minor key--the waiters stalked about with so silent,

melancholy a tread, that we took their towels for pocket

handkerchiefs; the concert in the open _rain_ went off

tamely--dirge-like, in spite of the 'Siege of Acre,' which was

described in a set of quadrilles, embellished with blue fire and

maroons, and adorned with a dozen double drums, thumped at intervals,

like death notes, in various parts of the doomed gardens. The

_divertissement_ was anything but diverting, when we reflected upon

the impending fate of the 'Rotunda,' in which it was performed.

"No such damp was, however, thrown over the evolutions of 'Ducrow's

beautiful horses and equestrian _artistes_,' including the 'new grand

_entree_ and calvacade of Amazons.' They had no sympathy with the

decline and fall of the _Simpsonian_ {169b} empire. They were

strangers, interlopers, called in, like mutes and feathers, to grace

the 'funeral show,' to give a more graceful flourish to the final

exit. The horses pawed the sawdust, evidently unconscious that the

earth it covered would soon be 'let on lease for building ground';

the riders seemed in the hey-day of their equestrian triumph. Let

them, however, derive from the fate of Vauxhall a deep, a fearful

lesson!--though we shudder as we write, it shall not be said that

destruction came upon them unawares--that no warning voice had been

raised--that even the squeak of _Punch_ was silent! Let them not

sneer, and call us superstitious--we do _not_ give credence to

supernatural agency as a fixed and general principle; but we did

believe in Simpson, and stake our professional reputation upon

Widdicomb! {170a}

"That Vauxhall Gardens were under the special protection of, that

they drew the very breath of their attractiveness from, the

ceremonial Simpson, who can deny? When he flitted from walk to walk,

from box to box, and welcomed everybody to the 'Royal property,'

right royally did things go on! Who would _then_ have dreamt that

the illustrious George {170b}--he of the Piazza--would ever be

'honoured with instructions to sell'? that his eulogistic pen would

be employed in giving the puff superlative to the Elysian haunts of

quondam fashion--in other words--painting the lily-gilding refined

gold? But, alas! Simpson, the tutelar deity, departed ('died,' some

say, but we don't believe it), and, at the moment he made his last

bow, Vauxhall ought to have been closed; it was madness--the madness

which will call us, peradventure, superstitious--which kept the gates

open when Simpson's career closed--it was an anomaly, for, like Love

and Heaven, Simpson was Vauxhall, and Vauxhall was Simpson!

"Let Ducrow reflect upon these things--we dare not speak out--but a

tutelar being watches over, and giveth vitality to his arena--his

ring is, he may rely upon it, a fairy one--while _that_ mysterious

being dances and prances in it, all will go well; his horses will not

stumble, never will his clowns forget a syllable of their antiquated

jokes. Oh! let him, then, whilst seriously reflecting upon Simpson

and the fate of Vauxhall, give good heed unto the Methuselah, who

hath already passed his second centenary in the circle!

"These were our awful reflections while viewing the scenes in the

circle, very properly constructed in the Rotunda. They overpowered

us--we dared not stay to see the fireworks, 'in the midst of which

Signora Rossini was to make her terrific ascent and descent on a rope

three hundred feet high.' She _might_ have been the sprite of Madame

Saqui; {171} in fact, the 'Vauxhall Papers,' published in the

gardens, put forth a legend which favours such a dreadful

supposition. We refer our readers to them--they are only sixpence

apiece.

"Of course, the gardens were full, in spite of the weather; for what

must be the callousness of that man who could let _the_ Gardens pass

under the hammer of George Robins, without bidding them an

affectionate farewell? Good gracious! we can hardly believe such

insensibility does exist. Hasten then, dear readers, as you would

fly to catch the expiring sigh of a fine old boon companion--hasten

to take your parting slice of ham, your last bowl of arrack--even

now, while the great auctioneer says 'going.'"

On 24 August Sir J. L. Goldsmid was made a Baronet, and was the first

Jewish gentleman who ever received that title. Perhaps it is not

generally known that an honour, not much inferior, had, once, very nearly

fallen to the lot of a brother Israelite. At one of those festive

meetings at Carlton House, in which George IV. sometimes allowed a few of

his most favoured subjects to participate, Mr. Braham was introduced to

sing his then newly-composed song, "A Bumper of Burgundy," when the

gratified monarch, rising from his chair, was, with difficulty,

restrained from conferring immediate knighthood on the flattered

musician.

* * * * *

Three well-known railways were opened this year; the Great Western, from

London to Bristol, on 30 June; the London and Blackwall, on 2 Aug.; and

the London and Brighton, on 21 Sep.

On 18 Oct. was a remarkably high tide in the Thames, which did an immense

amount of damage. This, and another event were celebrated in a

contemporary ballad, beginning:

"There's lately been a great high tide,

Nor can it be surprising,

When everything is getting dear,

That water should be rising,"

and after dealing with that event in a very witty manner, it went on:

"The Tower of London, envying

Father Thames's notoriety,

Resolved to have a 'flare up'

And be talked of in society;

Ten thousand guns were fired at once,

With very few escapers,

But, though no one heard the great report,

There was one in the papers."

This terrible conflagration was first noticed about half-past ten, on the

night of 31 Oct., by a sentinel on duty on the terrace near the Jewel

Office, whose attention was attracted to a glimmering light under the

cupola of the Round, or Bowyer Tower--which was close to the Armoury, in

which was deposited an immense amount of stores, such as muskets, etc.,

and many priceless trophies of war. When the sentinel found the light

increased, he gave the alarm by firing his musket, and the whole of the

garrison, officers and men, turned out; but the fire had got so great a

hold that, before a sufficient supply of water could be obtained, the

entire roof of the Armoury was in flames.

Unfortunately, it was low tide in the Thames, and, although the

fire-engines soon arrived, and there were the Garrison and 250 policemen

to render assistance, the flames spread rapidly; so fast, indeed, that

the only things then got out and saved, were the Duke of York's sword and

belt, and a beautiful Maltese gun.

The grand staircase of this Armoury was considered one of the finest in

Europe, and the following is a contemporary description of it. "In a

recess on the landing was a platform supported on eight brass six-pounder

guns, taken at Waterloo, and which served as pillars. On this was a

splendid trophy, consisting of arms and weapons, ancient and modern,

comprising nearly 200 varieties, and nearly all differing in form or

pattern. In the centre was a marble bust of William IV. Upon the walls,

at the sides, were two large stars, formed of swords, and their brass

scabbards, bayonets and pistols, one representing the Star of the Garter,

and the other of the Bath. Also two figures in gilt suits of armour on

ornamented pedestals. The rails of the stairs and the cornice of the

ceiling were ornamented with architectural figures, curiously formed with

arms. Below, upon pedestals, were two very striking groups, one

representing a knight in gilt armour, preparing for action, attended by

his esquire, who was in the act of buckling on his spurs, and a pikeman,

with his 18 feet pike. The other group was a knight in a handsome suit

of bright armour, of the time of Elizabeth, in action, having seized a

banner from the enemy, waving his followers on. On each side of the

entrance door was a knight in a suit of gilt armour, and two others,

similarly clad, stood on brackets. The whole of these were destroyed,

with the exception of the Waterloo cannon."

The fire was soon perilously near to the Jewel Office, which was

scorching hot--yet Mr. Swifte, the keeper of the jewels, saved the whole

of the Regalia, down to the minutest article, and was earnestly begged to

retire and leave the last thing, a huge silver wine fountain, to its

fate, but he would not, and this, also, was salved.

"Then Mr. Swifte was nothing slow

The Crown and Jewels saving;

And to get the great Wine Cooler out,

Great danger he was braving.

Now, Mr. Swifte, of all the wine,

Should now be made the ruler,

For while the fire was getting hotter,

He was getting _the Wine Cooler_."

There was an awful scare as to the chance of the store of gunpowder

catching alight--but 400 barrels of powder, and 200 boxes of grenades and

ball cartridges, were removed to the magazine, and the remainder was

thrown into the moat.

On the 8th Dec. the general public were allowed to inspect the ruins, and

to purchase mementos of the fire; the prices were, 6d. for half-a-dozen

gun-flints, and the same amount for a few burnt percussion caps; pieces

of fused iron and arms went at prices varying from 1s. to 20s., the

latter, the maximum price. For many years I had a fused cavalry pistol,

and some calcined flints which were very pretty. The fused cannon were

sold as old metal.

On the 9 Nov. His Majesty Edward VII. was born, and, on the 8th Dec. was

created Prince of Wales. His patent is as follows:

"Victoria, by the grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great

Britain and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith.

"To all Archbishops, Dukes, Earls, Viscounts, Bishops, Barons,

Baronets, Knights, Justices, Provosts, Ministers, and all other our

faithful subjects, greeting--

"Know ye, that we have made and created, and by these our letters

patent, do make and create, our most dear Son, the Prince of the

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (Duke of Saxony, Duke of

Cornwall and Rothsay, Earl of Carrick, Baron Renfrew, Lord of the

Isles, and Great Steward of Scotland), Prince of Wales and Earl of

Chester; and to the same, our most dear Son, the Prince of the United

Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, have given and granted, and by

this our present Charter do give, grant and confirm, the name, style,

title, dignity and honour of the same Principality and Earldom, and

him, our said most dear Son, the Prince of the United Kingdom of

Great Britain and Ireland, as has been accustomed, we do ennoble and

invest with the said Principality and Earldom, by girting him with a

sword, by putting a coronet on his head, and a gold ring on his

finger, and, also, by delivering a gold rod into his hand, that he

may preside there, and may direct and defend those parts. To hold to

him and his Heirs, Kings of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and

Ireland, for ever, wherefore we will, and strictly command for us,

our heirs, and successors, that our said most dear Son, the Prince of

the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, may have the name,

style, title, state, dignity, and honour of the Principality of

Wales, and Earldom of Chester aforesaid, unto him and his heirs,

Kings of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, as is above

mentioned.

"In witness whereof, we have caused these, our letters, to be made

patent. Witness ourself at Westminster, this 8th day of December,

1841.

By the QUEEN herself.

"Edmunds."

We read in the _Times_ of 25 Nov., anent the Thames Tunnel, that "a

thoroughfare was, yesterday, effected in this work, and made use of, for

the first time, by the whole of the directors, and some of the original

subscribers, who had assembled upon the occasion. The shield having been

advanced to the shaft at Wapping, a considerable opening was cut in the

brickwork, and it was through this the party, who had met at Rotherhithe,

were enabled to pass, thus opening the first subterranean communication

between the opposite shores of the river. Upon their arrival at the

shaft, the party was greeted by the workmen with most hearty cheers. A

curious and interesting incident was connected with the event; a few

bottles of wine, preserved since the dinner given on the occasion when

the foundation stone was laid, with the understanding that it was to be

drunk only when it could be carried under the Thames, having been opened

and enjoyed by the company, to the health of Her Majesty and the infant

Prince. It was remarked, too, as a singular coincidence, that a seal on

one of the corks bore the impress of the Prince of Wales's feathers, a

circumstance that caused some merriment. The engineer, Sir I. Brunel,

appeared highly gratified at the happy result of his past anxiety and

arduous labour. The shield will continue its advance, until it has

afforded space for the formation of the remainder of the tunnel, which is

expected to be completed in about three weeks."

By the end of the year the foundations of the New Royal Exchange were dug

out and concreted, and, as it was always anticipated that some important

discoveries might take place in the course of the excavation, proper

arrangements were made on the commencement of the work, that any articles

of interest which might be disinterred, should be secured for the Gresham

Committee. In the Specification for the Works, issued in 1840, the

Contractor and Excavator were required, in taking out the soil, to

deliver up "any plate, coins, antiquities, or curiosities, whether in

metal, or otherwise, or any carved stones, or carvings in marble,

pottery, terra cotta, or tesserae, which may be found in the course of

the excavations; it being understood that all such matters, or things,

are to be taken up with all requisite care, and are to remain the

property of the Gresham Committee."

They found a portion of a Roman building, but the greatest haul was in an

old gravel pit, some 50ft. by 34, filled with hardened mud, in which were

contained considerable quantities of animal and vegetable remains,

apparently the discarded refuse of the inhabitants of the vicinity. In

the same depository were also found very numerous fragments of the red

Roman pottery, usually called "Samian Ware," pieces of glass vessels,

broken terra-cotta lamps, parts of amphorae, mortaria, and other articles

made of earth, and all the rubbish which might naturally become

accumulated in a pond in the course of years. In this mass likewise

occurred a number of Imperial Roman coins, several bronze and iron

styles, parts of writing tablets, a bather's strigil, a large quantity of

caliga soles, sandals and remains of leather, all of which can now be

seen in the highly interesting Museum of the Corporation of the City of

London, at the Guildhall.

CHAPTER XVII.

Foundation of Royal Exchange laid--Medal connected therewith--Father

Mathew's miracle--Christening of the Prince of Wales--King Edward

VII.--Hard work of the King of Prussia--The Earthquake in London--The

Queen drinking "grog"--Photography-Talbotype--Sale at Strawberry

Hill--Presents to the King of Prussia.

The first event of note in this year was the laying, by Prince Albert, of

the foundation stone of the Royal Exchange, on 17 Jan., with all the pomp

at the command of the City authorities. The usual coins, etc., were

deposited in a cavity, together with a Latin inscription, engraved on

zinc, of which the following is a translation: "Sir Thomas Gresham,

Knight, erected, at his own charge, a building and colonnade for the

convenience of those persons who, in this renowned Mart, might carry on

the commerce of the World, adding thereto, for the relief of indigence,

and for the advancement of literature and science, an Almshouse and

College of Lecturers, the City of London aiding him, Queen Elizabeth

favouring the design; and, when the work was complete, opening it in

person with a solemn procession. Having been reduced to ashes with

almost the entire city, by a calamitous and wide spreading conflagration,

they were rebuilt in a more splendid form by the City of London and the

Ancient Company of Mercers, King Charles II. commencing the building on

23 Oct., A.D. 1667; and, when they had been again destroyed by fire, on

the 10th Jan., AD. 1838, the same Bodies, undertaking the work,

determined to restore them at their own cost, on an enlarged and more

ornamental plan; the munificence of Parliament providing the means of

extending the site, and of widening the approaches and crooked streets,

in every direction; in order that there might, at length, arise, under

the auspices of Queen Victoria, built a third time from the ground, an

Exchange, worthy of this great Nation and City, and suited to the

vastness of a Commerce extending to the circumference of the habitable

Globe. His Royal Highness of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Consort of Her

Sacred Majesty, laid the first stone on 17 Jan., 1842, in the Mayoralty

of the Rt. Hon. John Pirie. Architect, William Tite, F.R.S. May God,

our Preserver, ward off destruction from this building, and from the

whole City."

After the manner of the City of London, a medal was struck to commemorate

the event, having on the obverse a profile portrait of Prince Albert,

with the legend "Albertus ubique honoratus," the reverse having a view of

the western portico of the Exchange. On 13 Jan. Mr. Roach Smith

exhibited at the Society of Antiquaries a medalet, found on the site of

the Exchange, evidently struck to commemorate Queen Elizabeth's patronage

of the original building, as it bore the Tudor Arms surrounded with the

inscription "Anglioe Regina ubique honorata."

Father Mathew was still doing his grand work in Ireland, but there is a

story told about him in the _Limerick Chronicle_, copied into the _Times_

of 17 Jan., that is too good to be omitted: "The Rev. Mr. Mathew arrived

in this city, last evening, by the Cork mail, _en route_ to Loughrea, and

put up at Moore's hotel. Immediately after his arrival became known,

hundreds of persons visited him at the hotel, where he administered the

pledge. One circumstance which came within public observation, we may

mention here, as illustrative of the effects of breaking the temperance

pledge:--A man, named Moynehan, a teetotaller, who worked at the Butter

Weigh-house, got drunk on Christmas Eve, and the next day, became

paralysed, his left arm, side and thigh being perfectly inanimate. He

was removed to Barrington's Hospital, and remained there under the care

of the surgeons, without improvement, until last evening, when his

friends, having heard of Father Mathew's arrival in town, went to the

hospital, and brought him out of his bed, on a man's back, to where the

Rev. Mr. Mathew was staying; a crowd had collected round the door, when

the unhappy invalid was carried into his presence, and the reverend

gentleman administered to him the pledge again, in a kind and impressive

manner, and the man instantly stood up, was assisted by his friends to

dress; and, to the astonishment of all, walked up William Street to his

home, followed by a crowd of people."

On 25 Jan., the Prince of Wales was christened in St. George's Chapel,

Windsor, by the name of Albert Edward, and on 20 Jan. appeared a letter

in the _Times_ from "A Conservative":

"Sir.--We learn from the _Times_ of to-day, that the Prince will be

called Albert Edward.

"It is natural, indeed, that the illustrious father, and still more,

that the illustrious mother, should prefer Albert Edward to Edward

Albert.

"But as I pray God that the boy may live to be King, to whatever

period his mother's life may be graciously extended, so I trust that

he may have every qualification for popularity as well as goodness,

and, amongst others, an old, and beloved, and accustomed _English

name_.

"And what so fit as Edward? Who more beloved, or glorious, than

Edward the Confessor--Edward I.--Edward III.--Edward VI.? A Catholic

Saint--a law-giver--a conqueror--a Protestant Reformer?

"The Princess Alexandrina Victoria was known by her second name

before she ascended the throne. So, I trust, may the young Prince be

known as Edward, Prince of Wales, to the people, hereafter, Edward

VII."

We all know how this gentleman's aspirations have been verified.

The King of Prussia was one of the Sponsors, and spent a few days after

the christening in England. Poor man! how they did make him work!

On the 26th he had to be at the presentation of new colours to the 72nd

Highlanders, and, in the afternoon, he visited Eton College.

27th.--Came to London by railway, and held a Court at Buckingham Palace,

where he received the _Corps Diplomatique_ and the Corporation of the

City of London. On his return to Windsor, he visited Hampton Court.

28th.--Again came to London, visited the Zoological Gardens, lunched with

Sir Robert Peel, and, afterwards, went to the Chapel Royal, Whitehall,

and the National Gallery--dining at Windsor.

29th.--Saw a review in the Home Park, then went to London, and dined with

his Minister, Chevalier Bunsen, in Carlton Terrace.

The 30th was Sunday, so the poor man was trotted off to St. Paul's

Cathedral to hear the Bishop of London preach. Lunched at the Mansion

House, visited the King of Hanover's apartments in St. James's Palace,

and Stafford House; attended afternoon service at the Royal German

Chapel, St. James's; visited the Duchess of Gloucester, in Piccadilly,

and returned to Windsor.

After this rest on the 30th, he visited Newgate Prison, when he was

received by the Lady Mayoress, Mrs. Fry, the Quaker philanthropist, the

Sheriffs, etc., and thence proceeded to lunch with Mrs. Fry, at Upton,

near Barking; at six he went to Drury Lane Theatre, and saw _The Two

Gentlemen of Verona_; dined with the Duke of Sutherland at Stafford

House, and slept at Buckingham Palace.

Next day, 1 Feb., at 10 a.m., he visited the Royal Society, Society of

Antiquaries and the Geological Society. Thence he went to the British

Museum, taking Mr. Solly's collection of pictures _en route_; and after

spending three hours at the Museum, he lunched with the Duke of Sussex at

Kensington Palace. In the evening, he underwent a dinner and concert

given by the Duke of Wellington at Apsley House.

Early in the morning of the 2nd, he sat to Mr. Hayter for his portrait in

a picture of the Christening. At 8.30 he embarked at Hungerford Wharf,

on a steamer, bound for the Thames Tunnel; after visiting which, he went

to the Tower of London. At 12 he returned to Buckingham Palace, where he

received addresses from the Bishop and Clergy of the Diocese of London;

the members of King's College, London; the Society for Promoting

Christianity among the Jews; the Prussian subjects resident in London;

and the German Lutheran clergy. He also received deputations from the

Bible Society, the Church Missionary Society, the Imperial Continental

Gas Company; and gave audience to the Prince of Capua, etc.; visited the

Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth; dined with the Duke of Cambridge;

saw the _Merry Wives of Windsor_ played at Covent Garden, and afterwards

attended an evening, party at Cambridge House.

On the 3rd he was present at the Queen's Opening of Parliament, then

received a deputation from the general body of Protestant Dissenters; and

visited the Queen Dowager, Earl of Jersey, the Dowager Duchess of

Richmond, the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Wellington; winding up

with dining with the Queen.

On the 4th they let him go--he paid a visit to the Queen at 9.30, went to

Woolwich and saw a review of Royal Artillery, lunched there, visited

Plumstead Marshes and the Arsenal, took leave of Prince Albert, and

everyone else, and went off to Ostend.

About this time was a curious craze, which took strange hold on the

people, that London was to be destroyed on the 16th of March, a belief

which seems to have been founded on two metrical prophecies, dated

respectively A.D. 1203 and 1598, said to be in the British Museum, where,

however, I have failed to find them; the former is:

"In eighteen hundred and forty-two

Four things the sun shall view;

London's rich and famous town

Hungry earth shall swallow down;

Storm and rain in France shall be,

Till every river runs a sea;

Spain shall be rent in twain,

And famine waste the land again;

So say I, the Monk of Dree,

In the twelve hundredth year and three."

The other is fathered on the famous astrologer, Dr. Dee:

"The Lord have mercy on you all,

Prepare yourselves for dreadful fall

Of house and land and human soul--

The measure of your sin is full.

"In the year One, Eight, and Forty-two,

Of the year that is so new,

In the third month, of that sixteen,

It may be a day or two between.

"Perhaps you'll soon be stiff and cold,

Dear Christian, be not stout and bold;

The mighty Kingly proud will see

This comes to pass, as my name's Dee."