TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:
—Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.
—There are two symbols of a pointing finger; they have been rendered
as [hand].
—Where an adequate character is not available, superscripts have been
rendered as word^[superscript].
[Illustration]
THE DAWN
OF
THE XIXTH CENTURY
IN
ENGLAND
A Social Sketch of the Times
BY
JOHN ASHTON
AUTHOR OF
_“Social Life in the Reign of Queen Anne,” “English Caricature and
Satire on Napoleon I.,” “Old Times,” &c_
_WITH 114 ILLUSTRATIONS DRAWN BY THE AUTHOR
FROM CONTEMPORARY ENGRAVINGS_
THIRD AND POPULAR EDITION
London
T. FISHER UNWIN
PATERNOSTER SQUARE
MDCCCXC
[Illustration]
PREFACE.
THAT Sir Walter Scott, when he called his novel “Waverley; or,
’Tis Sixty Years Since,” thought that the time had come, when the
generation, then living, should be presented with a page of history,
which would bring to their remembrance the manners and customs of their
grandfathers, must be my excuse for this book.
For, never, in the world’s history, has there been such a change in
things social, as since the commencement of the Nineteenth Century; it
has been a quiet revolution—a good exemplar of which may be found in
the Frontispiece, which is a type of things past, never to be recalled.
The Watchman has long since given place to the Police; the climbing
boy, to chimney-sweeping on a more scientific plan; and no more is
“Saloop” vended at street corners; even the drummer-boys are things of
the past, only fit for a Museum—and it is of these things that this
book treats.
The times, compared with our own, were so very different; Arts,
Manufactures, Science, Social Manners, Police, and all that goes to
make up the sum of life, were then so widely divergent, as almost
to make one disbelieve, whilst reading of them, that such a state of
things could exist in this Nineteenth Century of ours. In the first
decade, of which I write, Steam was in its very babyhood; locomotives,
and steamships, were only just beginning to be heard of; Gas was a
novelty, and regarded more as an experiment, than the useful agent we
have since found it; whilst Electricity was but a scientific toy, whose
principal use was to give galvanic shocks, and cause the limbs of a
corpse to move, when applied to its muscles.
Commerce was but just developing, being hampered by a long and cruel
war, which, however, was borne with exemplary patience and fortitude by
the nation—England, although mistress of the seas, having to hold her
own against all Europe in arms. The Manners, Dress, and Food, were all
so different to those of our day, that to read of them, especially when
the description is taken from undoubtedly contemporary sources, is not
only amusing, but instructive.
The Newspapers of the day are veritable mines of information; and,
although the work of minutely perusing them is somewhat laborious and
irksome, the information exhumed well repays the search. Rich sources,
too, to furnish illustrations, are open, and I have availed myself
largely of the privilege; and I have endeavoured, as far as in my power
lay, to give a faithful record of the Dawn of the Nineteenth Century in
England, taken absolutely from original, and authentic, sources.
JOHN ASHTON.
[Illustration]
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
PAGE
Retrospect of Eighteenth Century—Napoleon’s letter to George
III.—Lord Grenville’s reply—French prisoners of war in
England—Scarcity of provisions—Gloomy financial outlook—Loan
from the Bank of England—Settlement of the Union with Ireland 1
CHAPTER II.
Accident at a Review—The King shot at, at Drury Lane
Theatre—Behaviour of the Royal Family—Biography of
Hadfield—His trial and acquittal—Grand Review of Volunteers
on the King’s birthday—The bad weather, and behaviour of the
crowd 8
CHAPTER III.
High price of gold—Scarcity of food—Difference in cost of
living 1773-1800—Forestalling and Regrating—Food riots in the
country—Riot in London at the Corn Market—Forestalling in
meat 16
CHAPTER IV.
Continuation of food riots in London—Inefficiency of
Police—Riots still continue—Attempts to negotiate a
Peace—A political meeting on Kennington Common—Scarcity of
Corn—Proclamation to restrict its consumption—Census of the
people 23
CHAPTER V.
The Union with Ireland—Proclamations thereon—Alteration of
Great Seal—Irish Member called to order (footnote)—Discovery
of the Planet Ceres—Proclamation of General Fast—High price
of meat, and prosperity of the farmers—Suffering of the French
prisoners—Political dissatisfaction—John Horne Tooke—Feeding
the French prisoners—Negotiations for Peace—Signing
preliminaries—Illuminations—Methods of making the news
known—Ratification of preliminaries—Treatment of General
Lauriston by the mob—More Illuminations—Manifestation of joy
at Falmouth—Lord Mayor’s banquet 32
CHAPTER VI.
Disarmament and retrenchment—Cheaper provisions—King applied
to Parliament to pay his debts—The Prince of Wales claimed
the revenues of the Duchy of Cornwall—Parliament pays the
King’s debts—Abolition of the Income Tax—Signature of the
Treaty of Amiens—Conditions of the Treaty—Rush of the English
to France—Visit of C. J. Fox to Napoleon—Liberation of the
French prisoners of war 45
CHAPTER VII.
Proclamation of Peace—Manner of the procession,
&c.—Illuminations—Day of General Thanksgiving—General
Election—A dishonoured Government bill—Cloth riots in
Wiltshire—Plot to assassinate the King—Arrest of Colonel
Despard—Trial and sentence of the conspirators—Their fate 55
CHAPTER VIII.
Strained relations with France—Prosecution and trial of Jean
Peltier for libel against Napoleon—Rumours of war—King’s
proclamation—Napoleon’s rudeness to Lord Whitworth—Hoax on
the Lord Mayor—Rupture with France—Return of Lord Whitworth,
and departure of the French Ambassador 65
CHAPTER IX.
Declaration of War against France—Napoleon makes all the
English in France prisoners of war—Patriotic Fund—Squibs on
the threatened invasion—“The New Moses”—Handbill signed “A
Shopkeeper”—“Britain’s War-song”—“Who is Bonaparte?”—“Shall
Frenchmen rule over us?”—“An Invasion Sketch” 74
CHAPTER X.
Invasion Squibs continued—“The Freeman’s Oath”—“John
Bull and Bonaparte”—“The Eve of Invasion”—“A Biography
of Napoleon”—“Britons, strike home”—Enrolment of
400,000 Volunteers—Napoleon at Calais—Apprehension of
vagrants, and compulsorily recruiting the Army and Navy
with them—Patriotism of the nation—Preparations in case
of reverse—Beacons—Spies—The French prisoners—Emmett’s
rebellion in Ireland—Its prompt suppression—General
Fast—Relief of the Roman Catholics 89
CHAPTER XI.
Caricatures of the Flotilla—Scarcity of money—Stamping
Spanish dollars—Illness of the King—His recovery—General
Fast—Fall of the Addington Ministry—Debate on the Abolition
of the Slave Trade—Beacons—Transport—Election for
Middlesex—Reconciliation between the King and the Prince of
Wales 104
CHAPTER XII.
Doings of Napoleon—His letter to George III.—Lord Mulgrave’s
reply—War declared against Spain—General Fast—Men voted
for Army and Navy—The Salt Duty—Withdrawal of “The Army of
England”—Battle of Trafalgar and death of Nelson—General
Thanksgiving 112
CHAPTER XIII.
Nelson’s funeral—Epigrams—Death of Pitt—His funeral—General
Fast—Large coinage of copper—Impeachment of Lord
Melville—The Abolition of the Slave Trade passes the House
of Commons—Death and funeral of Fox—His warning Napoleon of
a plot against him—Negotiations for peace—Napoleon declares
England blockaded 120
CHAPTER XIV.
Passing of the Slave Trade Bill—Downfall of the
“Ministry of all the Talents”—General Fast—Election for
Westminster—Death of Cardinal York—Arrival in England of
Louis XVIII.—Copenhagen bombarded, and the Danish Fleet
captured—Napoleon again proclaimed England as blockaded 132
CHAPTER XV.
Gloomy prospects of 1808—King’s Speech—Droits of the
Admiralty—Regulation of Cotton Spinners’ wages—Riots in the
Cotton districts—Battle of Vimiera—Convention of Cintra—Its
unpopularity—Articles of the Convention 136
CHAPTER XVI.
General Fast—The Jubilee—Costume—Former Jubilees—Release
of poor prisoners for debt—Jubilee Song—Jubilee
literature—Poetry—King pardons deserters from Army and Navy 146
CHAPTER XVII.
Common Council decide to relieve Small Debtors—Festivities at
Windsor—Ox roasted whole—How it was done—The Queen and Royal
Family present—Division of the ox, &c.—A bull baited—Fête at
Frogmore—Illuminations—Return of the Scheldt Expedition 153
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Scheldt Expedition—The Earl of Chatham and Sir Richard
Strachan—The citizens of London and the King—General
Fast—Financial disorganization—Issue of stamped dollars—How
they were smuggled out of the country—John Gale Jones and
John Dean before the House of Commons—Sir Francis Burdett
interferes—Publishes libel in _Cobbett’s Weekly Political
Register_—Debate in the House—Sir Francis Burdett committed
to the Tower 159
CHAPTER XIX.
Warrant served on Sir Francis Burdett—He agrees to
go to prison—Subsequently he declares the warrant
illegal—His arrest—His journey to the Tower—The mob—His
incarceration—The mob attack the military—Collision—Killed
and wounded—Sir Francis’s letter to the Speaker—His
release—Conduct of the mob 168
CHAPTER XX.
Good harvest—Thanksgiving for same—List of poor
Livings—Another Jubilee—Illness and death of the Princess
Amelia—Effect on the King—Prayers for his restoration to
health—Funeral of the Princess—Curious position of the Houses
of Parliament—Proposition for a Regency—Close of the first
decade of the XIXth Century 177
CHAPTER XXI.
The roads—Modern traffic compared with old—The stage
coach—Stage waggons—Their speed—Price of posting—The
hackney coach—Sedan chairs—Horse riding—Improvement in
carriages 182
CHAPTER XXII.
Amateur driving—“The Whip Club”—Their dress—“The Four
in Hand Club”—Their dress—Other driving clubs—“Tommy
Onslow”—Rotten Row 189
CHAPTER XXIII.
“The Silent Highway”—Watermen—Their fares—Margate hoys—A
religious hoy—The bridges over the Thames—The Pool—Water
pageants—Necessity for Docks, and their building—Tunnel at
Gravesend—Steamboat on the Thames—Canals 195
CHAPTER XXIV.
Condition of the streets of London—Old oil lamps—Improvement
in lamps—Gas—Its introduction by Murdoch—Its adoption in
London by Winsor—Opposition to it—Lyceum and other places lit
with it—Its gradual adoption—The old tinder box—Improvements
thereon 201
CHAPTER XXV.
Great fires in London—Number of Insurance Companies—Rates of
insurance—Fire-engines and firemen—Scarcity of water—Supply
of water to London—The streets—Their traffic—Shops—Watering
the roads 210
CHAPTER XXVI.
Daily life of the streets—The Chimney Sweep—Mrs.
Montagu—Instances of the hard life of a “climbing
boy”—The Milkmaid—Supply of milk to the Metropolis—“Hot
loaves”—“Water cresses”—whence they came—Other cries 216
CHAPTER XXVII.
The Postman—His dress—The Post Office—Changes of site—Sir
Robert Vyner—Rates of postage and deliveries—Mail
coaches—Places of starting and routes—Number of houses in
London—Description of them—Their furniture 228
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Food—Statistics as to quantity of meat consumed—Scarcity
of fish and game—Supply of latter to London—Venison—A
brewer’s dinner—Beer—Quantity brewed—Wine—Its price—Supply
of vegetables—Sardines and Harvey’s Sauce—Scarcity of
wheat—Forestalling—Rice from India—Bounties given for its
shipment 235
CHAPTER XXIX.
Parliamentary Committee on the high price of provisions—Bounty
on imported corn, and on rice from India and America—The
“Brown Bread Bill”—Prosecution of bakers for light
weight—Punishment of a butcher for having bad meat—Price of
beef, mutton, and poultry—Cattle shows—Supply of food from
France—Great fall in prices here—Hotels, &c.—A clerical
dessert 243
CHAPTER XXX.
Men’s dress—The “Jean de Bry” coat—Short coats fashionable at
watering-places—“All Bond Street trembled as he strode”—Rules
for the behaviour of a “Bond Street Lounger” 250
CHAPTER XXXI.
“The three Mr. Wiggins’s”—The “Crops”—Hair-powdering—The
powdering closet—Cost of clothes—Economy in hats—Taxing
hats—Eye-glasses—“The Green Man” at Brighton—Eccentricities
in dress 256
CHAPTER XXXII.
Ladies’ dress—French costume—Madame Recamier—The classical
style—“Progress of the toilet”—False hair—Hair-dresser’s
advertisement—The Royal Family and dress—Curiosities of
costume 263
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Diversions of people of fashion—Daily life of the
King—Children—Education—Girls’ education—Matrimonial
advertisements—Gretna Green marriages—Story of a wedding
ring—Wife selling—“A woman to let” 275
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Gambling—Downfall of Lady Archer, &c.—Card playing in
the Royal Circle—Card money—High play—Play at the
Clubs—Lotteries—The method of drawing them—Horse
racing—Turf and horses better than now—Curious names of
race horses—Ladies Lade and Thornton—Lady Thornton’s
races—Tattersall and Aldridge 285
CHAPTER XXXV.
Cock-fighting—Its illegality—Public recognition
of it—Description of company at a cock-fight—High
stakes—Bull-baiting—Debate thereon in the House of
Commons—Prize-fighting—Famous pugilists—George IV. as a
patron of the Ring—Attempts to put down prize-fighting—Female
physical education—Cudgel-playing, and other sports 295
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Hunting then, and now—Hunting near the Metropolis—The Epping
Hunt—Fishing—Shooting then, and now—Guns—Methods of proving
gun barrels—Big charges—Introduction of the Percussion
Cap—Size of bags—Colonel Thornton’s bet 305
CHAPTER XXXVII.
A Cockney’s account of the First of September—Pigeon
shooting—Out-door games—Cricket—High stakes—Lord’s cricket
ground—Trap and ball—Billiards—Life of Andrews the billiard
player 313
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
The Theatre—Number of theatres in London—Famous actors and
actresses—Disturbances at a theatre—Master Betty, “The Infant
Roscius”—His country experience—Puffs preliminary—His first
appearance in London—Crowds to see him—Presented to the King
and the Prince of Wales—Acts at Drury Lane—His subsequent
career 322
CHAPTER XXXIX.
Betty’s imitators—Miss Mudie, “The Young Roscia”—Her
first appearance in London—Reception by the audience—Her
fate—Ireland’s forgery of “Vortigern and Rowena”—Fires among
the theatres—Destruction of Covent Garden and Drury Lane 333
CHAPTER XL.
The O. P. Riots—Causes of—Madame Catalani—Kemble’s
refutation of charges—Opening of the theatre, and
commencement of the riots—O. P. medals, &c.—“The house that
Jack built”—A committee of examination—Their report—A
reconciliation dinner—Acceptation of a compromise—“We are
satisfied”—Theatre re-opens—Re-commencement of riots—The
proprietors yield, and the riots end 339
CHAPTER XLI.
“The Pic-nic Club”—Its supporters—Its entertainment—Its
short life—Automata and wool pictures—Almack’s—Pidcock’s
Menagerie—“The Invisible Girl”—Vauxhall—Sir Roger de
Coverley—Price of admission, &c.—Ranelagh Gardens 354
CHAPTER XLII.
Music—Composers of the time—Mrs. Billington—Her
salaries—Mdlle. Mara—Mrs. Crouch—Incledon—Braham—Chamber
music—Musical societies—Commemoration of Dr.
Arne—Competition of pipers—Dancing—The Valse 361
CHAPTER XLIII.
Painting—“The Royal Academy of Art”—The principal
private Picture Galleries—Benjamin West—James
Barry—Fuseli—Opie—Minor artists—Turner—Sir
Thomas Laurence—Morland—Sale of his
pictures—Sculptors—Engravers—Boydell—“The Exhibition of
Paintings in Water Colours”—Its members—“The Associated
Artists in Water Colours”—Literature—List of literary persons
of the decade—Five-volume novels—Decyphering papyri—Major
Ouseley’s Oriental Library—The Pope and the Lord’s Prayer—The
Alfred Club 369
CHAPTER XLIV.
The Press—_Morning Post_ and _Times_—Duty on newspapers—Rise
in price—The publication of circulation to procure
advertisements—Paper warfare between the _Times_ and the
_Morning Post_—The British Museum—Its collection, and bad
arrangement—Obstacles to visitors—Rules relaxed—The Lever
Museum—Its sale by lottery—Anatomical Museums of the two
Hunters 379
CHAPTER XLV.
Medical—The Doctor of the old School—The rising lights—Dr.
Jenner—His discovery of vaccination for smallpox—Opposition
thereto—Perkins’s Metallic Tractors—The “Perkinean
Institution”—His cures—Electricity and Galvanism—Galvanizing
a dead criminal—Lunatic Asylums—Treatment of the insane—The
Hospitals 385
CHAPTER XLVI.
The Royal Society and the Royal Institution—Scientific
men of the time—Society of Arts—Other learned
Societies—Ballooning—Steam—Steamboats—Locomotives—Fourdrinier
and the paper-making machine—Coals—Their price—Committee of
the House of Commons on coal—Price of coals 394
CHAPTER XLVII.
The Navy—Sailor’s carelessness—“The Sailor’s Journal”—The
sailor and “a dilly”—Dress of the sailors—Rough life both for
officers and men—Number of ships in Commission—Pressing—A
man killed by a press-gang—Mutinies—That of the
_Danäe_—Mutiny on board the _Hermione_, and cold-blooded
slaughter of the officers—Mutiny in Bantry Bay—Pay of the
officers—French prisoners of war 402
CHAPTER XLVIII.
The Army—Number of
men—Dress—Hair-powder—Militia—Commissions easily
obtained—Price of substitutes—The Volunteers—Dress of
the Honourable and Ancient Artillery Company—Bloomsbury
Volunteers, and Rifle Volunteers—Review at Hatfield—Grand
rising of Volunteers in 1803 412
CHAPTER XLIX.
Volunteer Regulations—The Brunswick Rifle—“Brown
Bess”—Volunteer shooting—Amount subscribed to Patriotic
Fund—Mr. Miller’s patriotic offer 419
CHAPTER L.
The Clarke Scandal—Biography of Mrs. Clarke—Her levées—Her
scale of prices for preferments—Commission of the House of
Commons—Exculpation of the Duke of York—His resignation—Open
sale of places—Caution thereon—Duels—That between Colonel
Montgomery and Captain Macnamara 427
CHAPTER LI.
Police—Dr. Colquhoun’s book—The old Watchmen—Their
inadequacy admitted—Description of them—Constables—“First
new mode of robbing in 1800”—Robbery in the House
of Lords—Whipping—Severe sentence—The Stocks—The
Pillory—Severe punishment—Another instance 435
CHAPTER LII.
Smuggling—An exciting smuggling adventure—The Brighton
fishermen and the Excise—“Body-snatching”—“Benefit
of Clergy”—Tyburn tickets—Death the penalty for many
crimes—“Last dying Speech”—The “condemned pew” at
Newgate—Horrible execution at Jersey—The new drop—An
impenitent criminal 444
CHAPTER LIII.
Execution for treason—Burying a suicide at the junction
of a cross-road—Supposed last such burial in London—The
Prisons—List, and description of them—Bow Street Police
Office—Expense of the Police and Magistracy—Number
of watchmen, &c., in 1804—The poor, and provision for
them—Educational establishments 451
INDEX 461
[Illustration]
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
A STREET SCENE _Frontispiece_
JAMES HADFIELD’S ATTEMPT TO KILL GEORGE III., MAY 15,
1800 11
THE LOYAL DUCKING; OR, RETURNING FROM THE REVIEW ON
THE FOURTH OF JUNE, 1800 14
HINTS TO FORESTALLERS; OR, A SURE WAY TO REDUCE THE
PRICE OF GRAIN 18
JOHN BULL AND HIS FRIENDS COMMEMORATING THE PEACE 46
JOHN BULL AND HIS FAMILY TAKING LEAVE OF THE INCOME TAX 48
LONG-EXPECTED COME AT LAST; OR, JOHN BULL DISAPPOINTED
AT HIS CRIPPLED VISITOR 51
SKETCH OF THE INTERIOR OF ST. STEPHEN’S AS IT NOW STANDS 60
“DESPAIR” 61
THE FREEMAN’S OATH 90
BILLY IN THE SALT-BOX 116
DEATH OF NELSON 118
NELSON’S FUNERAL CAR 123
EXTRAORDINARY NEWS 143
A STAGE COACH—1804 183
THE STAGE WAGGON 184
TUNBRIDGE ORIGINAL WAGGON 185
“TOMMY ONSLOW” 192
HOW TO BREAK IN MY OWN HORSE 193
ROTTEN ROW—1803 194
ONE OF THE MISERIES OF LONDON 197
LAMPLIGHTER—1805 202
LAMPLIGHTER—1805 203
THE GOOD EFFECTS OF CARBONIC GAS! 205
A PEEP AT THE GAS LIGHTS IN PALL MALL 207
A FIRE ENGINE 211
A FIREMAN—1805 212
DRINKING WATER SUPPLY—1802 213
“WATER CRESSES! COME BUY MY WATER CRESSES!” 219
“HOT CROSS BUNS! TWO A PENNY BUNS!” 220
“DO YOU WANT ANY BRICK-DUST?” 221
“BUY A TRAP! A RAT TRAP! BUY MY TRAP!” 222
“BUY MY GOOSE! MY FAT GOOSE!” 225
“ALL A GROWING, A GROWING! HERE’S FLOWERS FOR YOUR
GARDENS!” 226
A POSTMAN 228
TALES OF WONDER 233
A JEAN DE BRY 251
ALL BOND STREET TREMBLED AS HE STRODE 252
THE THREE MR. WIGGINS’S 257
ORIGINALS. A HINT TO THE BON TON 260
ORIGINALS. A HINT TO THE BON TON 261
PARIS FASHIONS FOR WINTER DRESS—1800 264
FASHIONS, EARLY 1800 265
FASHIONABLE FURBELOES; OR, THE BACK FRONT OF A LADY
OF FASHION, IN THE YEAR 1801 266
LIGHT HEAD-DRESSES AND LONG PETTICOATS FOR THE YEAR
1802 267
PREPARING FOR A BALL—1803 268
PROGRESS OF THE TOILET. NO. 1. 269
PROGRESS OF THE TOILET. NO. 3. 269
PROGRESS OF THE TOILET. NO. 2. 270
GRACE, FASHION, AND MANNERS, FROM THE LIFE—1810 273
WALKING DRESSES—1810 273
“LES INVISIBLES,” 1810 274
GROUP OF CHILDREN—1808 278
FILIAL AFFECTION; OR, A TRIP TO GRETNA GREEN 279
A TRIP TO GRETNA GREEN (ROWLANDSON) 281
GREAT SUBSCRIPTION ROOM AT BROOKES’S 289
LIFE GUARDS ESCORTING A LOTTERY WHEEL 291
DRAWING THE LOTTERY AT COOPER’S HALL 292
CUDGEL PLAYING—1800 303
FOX-HUNTING BREAKFAST 306
PERCH-FISHING—1804 307
AFTER A DAY’S SHOOTING—1809 308
COCK-SHOOTING WITH SPANIELS—1804 309
BILLIARDS—1801 319
THE YOUNG ROSCIUS, AS FREDERICK, IN “LOVERS’ VOWS” 325
THEATRICAL LEAP-FROG 328
VAIN ATTEMPT TO SEE YOUNG ROSCIUS 329
THE INTRODUCTION 331
MADAME CATALANI 340
CATALANI 341
ISAAC CRUIKSHANK’S CARICATURE 347-349
THE PIC-NIC ORCHESTRA 356
VAUXHALL GARDENS—1808-9 359
MRS. BILLINGTON, AS CLARA, SINGING A BRAVURA (1802) 362
THEATRICAL DOCTORS RECOVERING CLARA’S NOTES! 363
PLAYING IN PARTS 364
HARMONY BEFORE MATRIMONY—1805 366
WALTZER AU MOUCHOIR—1800 368
LA VALSE—1810 368
DRAWING FROM LIFE AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY—1808 370
CONNOISSEURS EXAMINING A COLLECTION OF GEORGE MORLAND 373
A DOCTOR OF THE OLD SCHOOL—1803 386
THE COW POCK; OR, THE WONDERFUL EFFECTS OF THE NEW
INOCULATION! 388
METALLIC TRACTORS—1802 389
WOMEN’S WARD, ST. LUKE’S—1808 392
AN IRON FOUNDRY—1802 397
A COLLIERY—1802 398
BRITISH SAILOR—1805 404
BRITISH SOLDIER—1805 414
SOLDIERS—1806 414
DRESSING PIG-TAILS IN THE OPEN AIR—1801 414
HON. ARTILLERY COMPANY—1803 415
VOLUNTEER RIFLE CORPS—1803 415
BLOOMSBURY AND INNS OF COURT VOLUNTEER—1803 416
MRS. CLARKE 428
MRS. CLARKE’S LEVÉE 429
MILITARY LEAP FROG; OR, HINTS TO YOUNG GENTLEMEN 430
THE PRODIGAL SON’S RESIGNATION 431
WATCHMEN GOING ON DUTY—1808 436
WATCH-HOUSE. MARYLEBONE—1808 437
CONSTABLES—1805 438
PILLORY. CHARING CROSS 441
THE PILLORY 442
THE CONDEMNED SERMON. NEWGATE 447
THE LAST DYING SPEECH AND CONFESSION 448
INTERIOR OF FLEET PRISON 454
HOUSE OF CORRECTION. COLD BATH FIELDS 456
BOW STREET POLICE OFFICE 458
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
THE DAWN OF THE XIX^[TH] CENTURY IN ENGLAND.
_A SOCIAL SKETCH OF THE TIMES._
CHAPTER I.
1799-1800.
Retrospect of Eighteenth Century—Napoleon’s letter to George
III.—Lord Grenville’s reply—French prisoners of war in
England—Scarcity of provisions—Gloomy financial outlook—Loan from
the Bank of England—Settlement of the Union with Ireland.
THE old Eighteenth Century lay a-dying, after a comparatively calm and
prosperous life.
In its infancy, William of Orange brought peace to the land, besides
delivering it from popery, brass money, and wooden shoes; and, under
the Georges, civil war was annihilated, and the prosperity, which we
have afterwards enjoyed, was laid down on a broad, and solid basis.
But in its last years, it fell upon comparatively evil days, and,
although it was saved from the flood of revolution which swept over
France, yet, out of that revolution came a war which embittered its
closing days, and was left as a legacy to the young Nineteenth Century,
which, as we know, has grappled with and overcome all difficulties, and
has shone pre-eminent over all its predecessors.
The poor old century had lost us America, whose chief son, General
George Washington, died in 1799. In 1799 we were at war with France
truly, but England itself had not been menaced—the war was being
fought in Egypt. Napoleon had suddenly deserted his army there, and
had returned to France post-haste, for affairs were happening in Paris
which needed his presence, if his ambitious schemes were ever to ripen
and bear fruit. He arrived, dissolved the Council of Five Hundred,
and the Triumvirate consisting of himself, Cambacérès, and Le Brun
was formed. Then, whether in sober earnest, or as a bit of political
by-play, he wrote on Christmas day, 1799, the following message of
goodwill and peace:
“_Bonaparte, First Consul of the Republic, to His Majesty
the King of Great Britain and Ireland._
“Paris, 5 Nivôse, year VIII. of the Republic.
“Called by the wishes of the French nation to occupy the first
magistracy of the French Republic, I deem it desirable, in entering on
its functions, to make a direct communication to your Majesty.
“Must the war, which for four years has ravaged every part of the
world, be eternal? Are there no means of coming to an understanding?
“How can the two most enlightened nations of Europe, more powerful
and stronger than is necessary for their safety and independence,
sacrifice to the idea of a vain grandeur, the benefits of commerce, of
internal prosperity, and domestic happiness? How is it they do not
feel that peace is as glorious as necessary?
“These sentiments cannot be strangers to the heart of your Majesty,
who rules over a free nation, with no other view than to render them
happy.
“Your Majesty will only see in this overture, my sincere desire to
effectually contribute to a general pacification, by a prompt step,
free and untrammelled by those forms which, necessary perhaps to
disguise the apprehensions of feeble states, only prove, in the case
of strong ones, the mutual desire to deceive.
“France and England, by abusing their strength, may, for a long time
yet, to the misery of all other nations, defer the moment of their
absolute exhaustion; but I will venture to say, that the fate of all
civilized nations depends on the end of a war which envelopes the
whole world.
“(_Signed_) BONAPARTE.”
Fair as this looks to the eye, British statesmen could not even then,
in those early days, implicitly trust Napoleon, without some material
guarantee. True, all was not _couleur de rose_ with the French army and
navy. The battle of the Nile, and Acre, still were in sore remembrance.
Italy had emancipated itself, and Suwarrow had materially crippled the
French army. There were 140,000 Austrians hovering on the Rhine border,
and the national purse was somewhat flaccid. No doubt it would have
been convenient to Napoleon to have patched up a temporary peace in
order to recruit—but that would not suit England.
On Jan. 4, 1800, Lord Grenville replied to Talleyrand, then Minister
for Foreign Affairs, in a long letter, in which he pointed out that
England had not been the aggressor, and would always be glad of peace
if it could be secured on a sure and solid basis. He showed how France
had behaved on the Continent, cited the United Provinces, the Swiss
Cantons, and the Netherlands; how Germany had been ravaged, and how
Italy, though then free, “had been made the scene of unbounded anarchy
and rapine;” and he wound up thus:
“His Majesty looks only to the security of his own dominions and those
of his Allies, and to the general safety of Europe. Whenever he shall
judge that such security can in any manner be attained, as resulting
either from the internal situation of that country from whose internal
situation the danger has arisen, or from such other circumstances of
whatever nature as may produce the same end, His Majesty will eagerly
embrace the opportunity to concert with his Allies the means of
immediate and general pacification.
“Unhappily no such security hitherto exists: no sufficient evidence
of the principle by which the new Government will be directed; no
reasonable ground by which to judge of its stability. In this situation
it can for the present only remain for His Majesty to pursue, in
conjunction with other Powers, those exertions of just and defensive
war, which his regard to the happiness of his subjects will never
permit him either to continue beyond the necessity in which they
originated, or to terminate on any other grounds than such as may
best contribute to the secure enjoyment of their tranquillity, their
constitution, and their independence.”[1]
So the war was to go on, that ever memorable struggle which cost both
nations so much in treasure, and in men. France has never recovered
the loss of those hecatombs driven to slaughter. Nor were they always
killed. We kept a few of them in durance. On Dec. 21, 1799, the French
Government refused to provide any longer for their compatriots,
prisoners in our hands, and, from a report then taken, we had in
keeping, in different places, as follows, some 25,000 men.[2]
Plymouth 7,477
Portsmouth 10,128
Liverpool 2,298
Stapleton 693
Chatham 1,754
Yarmouth 50
Edinburgh 208
Norman Cross 3,038
——————
25,646
——————
There is no doubt but these poor fellows fared hard, yet their
ingenuity enabled them to supplement their short commons, and I have
seen some very pretty baskets made in coloured straw, and little
implements carved out of the bones of the meat which was served out to
them as rations.
Their captors, however, were in somewhat evil case for food, and gaunt
famine began to stare them in the face. There never was a famine, but
there was a decided scarcity of provisions, which got worse as time
went on. The Government recognized it, and faced the difficulty. In
February, 1800, a Bill passed into law which enacted “That it shall not
be lawful for any baker, or other person or persons, residing within
the cities of London and Westminster, and the Bills of Mortality, and
within ten miles of the Royal Exchange, after the 26th day of February,
1800, or residing in any part of Great Britain, after the 4th day of
March, 1800, to sell, or offer to expose for sale, any bread, until the
same shall have been baked twenty-four hours at the least; and every
baker, or other person or persons, who shall act contrary hereto, or
offend herein, shall, for every offence, forfeit and pay the sum of £5
for every loaf of bread so sold, offered, or exposed to sale.” By a
previous Bill, however, new bread might be lawfully sold to soldiers on
the march. Hunger, however, although staring the people in the face,
had not yet absolutely touched them, as it did later in the year.
The year, too, at its opening, was gloomy financially. The Civil List
was five quarters in arrear; and the King’s servants were in such
straits for money, that the grooms and helpers in the mews were obliged
to present a petition to the King, praying the payment of their wages.
Some portion, undoubtedly, was paid them, but, for several years
afterwards, the Civil List was always three or six months in arrears.
The Bank of England came forward, and on the 9th of January agreed to
lend the Government three millions without interest, but liable to
be called in if the Three per Cent. Consols should get up to eighty,
on condition that the Bank Charter be renewed for a further term of
twenty-one years, to be computed from the 1st of August, 1812.
The question of the Union between Great Britain and Ireland had been
discussed for some time, and on the 11th of February it was carried by
a great majority in the Irish House of Lords. On the 2nd of April the
King sent the following message to Parliament:
“GEORGE R.—It is with most sincere satisfaction that his Majesty
finds himself enabled to communicate to this House the joint Address
of his Lords and Commons of Ireland, laying before his Majesty certain
resolutions, which contain the terms proposed by them for an entire
union between the two kingdoms. His Majesty is persuaded that this
House will participate in the pleasure with which his Majesty observes
the conformity of sentiment manifested in the proceedings of his two
parliaments, after long and careful deliberation on this most important
subject; and he earnestly recommends to this House, to take all such
further steps as may best tend to the speedy and complete execution
of a work so happily begun, and so interesting to the security and
happiness of his Majesty’s subjects, and to the general strength and
prosperity of the British Empire.
“G. R.”[3]
Lord Grenville presented this message in the Lords, and Mr. Pitt in the
Commons. The resolutions mentioned are “Resolutions of the two Houses
of Parliament of Ireland, respecting a Union of the Kingdoms of Great
Britain and Ireland; and their Address thereon to His Majesty. _Die
Mercurii, 26 Martii, 1800._” They are somewhat voluminous, and settled
the basis on which the Union was to take place.
On the 21st of April, both Lords and Commons began to debate on the
Union. The Commons continued it on the 22nd, 25th, 28th, 29th, and
30th of April, and May 1st and 2nd—on which date, the question being
put “That the said Resolutions be now read a second time,” the House
divided. Yeas, 208; Noes, 26. An address was afterwards drawn up, and
communicated to the Lords at a Conference.
The Lords began their deliberations also on the 21st of April, and
continued them on the 25th, 28th, and 30th, May 7th and 8th, when
the House divided. Contents, 55; Proxies, 20; Not Contents, 7. The
dissentients were the Earls of Hillsborough, Fitzwilliam, Carnarvon,
and Buckinghamshire, and Lords Dundas, Holland, and King—the two
latter entering a formal written protest.
The Lords and Commons agreed to an address which they presented to the
King on the 12th of May, and, on the 2nd of July, the King went in
state to the House of Lords, and gave his Royal Assent to the Bill,
which thus became law, and was to take effect on the 1st of January,
1801. The Royal Assent was a very commonplace affair—there were but
about thirty Peers present, and it was shuffled in with two other
Bills—the Pigott Diamond Bill and the Duke of Richmond Bill. There was
no enthusiasm in England, at all events, over the Union, no rejoicings,
no illuminations, hardly even a caricature. How it has worked, we of
these later days of the century know full well.
[Illustration]