formed by the bishops and other dignitaries and members of the church, with the duke of York at their head, the children of which were bound to conform to the ceremonies of the established reli. gion; and thus was a laudable and zealous rivalry Excited in the work of well-doing.

In an age when education was thus eagerly promoted, the growth of knowledge could not be slow; and indeed in every branch, political, commercial and literary, the progress of improvement was unparalleled. In political knowledge, the pub. lication of the debates in both houses of parliament, which was first permitted in this reign, but which, though only tacitly permitted, can never now be withheld, achieved more than any single event that we can anticipate. The universal diffusion of public papers, and the spirit of political inquiry, of which they may be said to be both cause and ef fect, have also gone far to remove the mystery in which politics were wont to be involved. That influence behind the throne, which, early in the reign, was eloquently, but with some exaggeration, stated to be greater than the throne itself, had so di. ninished before its close, that the secret history of the court has now little effect on the politics of the day; and whilst the administration is controlled by a popular assembly, the proceedings of which are diurnally laid before the public, that public will be nearly as competent to judge of the mo tives and merits of the various measures pursued as those with whom they originate.

try and no people that ever existed could, we are convinced, cxhibit greater alterations, and, in geueral, greater improvements. The state of the country, as it is displayed in its agriculture, manufac tures, and commerce-the state of the roads and the means of internal communication-the connection formed with foreign countries for commercial purposes, and the means by which that was carried on, as well as the effects it produced on domestic life, manners, and pursuits-the great advances in all branches of science and arts;-these, and a thou sand other points, would form the topics of com parison between Great Britain in 1760 and Great Britain in 1820.

The population of the island, which, in the former reign, was little more than eight millions, was, at the latter period, little less than doubled; and if to this we add that of Ireland, the absentees in our various colonies and dependencies, and the natives of those distant possessions, upwards of sixty mil lions of persons now hold allegiance to the British crown.

At

During the first and the last wars of this reign, Great Britain was able not only to make the most unprecedented military exertions, but her uavy proved itself, at the same time, more than a match for the whole maritime force of Europe. It de stroyed or blockaded the fleets of France, Holland, Denmark, and Spain; and when Russia for a while assumed the character of an enemy, it met the fleet of Russia also with alacrity and success. one time the ships of war at sea exceeded six hun dred, which, added to those in ordinary, building, repairing, &c. made a grand total of more than eleven hundred. To man this navy required a force of nearly one hundred and sixty thousand seamen and marines; whereas, in the war which raged when his majesty came to the throne, seventy thousand or seventy-five thousand were thought to be the utmost that the nation could furnish. That the mercantile navy of Britain has increased in a wonderful ratio needs no other proof than the necessity felt by our merchants for enlarging the principal ports of the kingdom by means of extensive docks and other accommodations-as at Hull, Liverpool, London, and elsewhere. These were found to be absolutely indispensable, not only for the accommodation of the East and West India trades, but for the reception of vessels from all parts of the globe. In 1670 the amount of British shipping was stated at four hundred and seventy-one thousand two hundred and forty-one tons; and in 1812 it was stated by Mr. Colquhoun at two million one hundred and sixty-three thousand ninety-four tons; exclusive of the shipping of Ireland.

It has been popularly objected against the late king that he governed too much upon tory maxims, and was too little mindful of the principles which placed his family on the throne. It is certainly true that the whig party was excluded throughout nearly the whole of his reign; they came in twice by the mere force of circumstances, but were each time driven out, after a few months' continuance in office, on the first pretext which enabled the court to obtain the co-operation of the people for their exclusion. The first and second Georges were compelled, by the circumstances of their situation, and the peculiar tenure by which they held the crown, sedulously to discountenance the old tory doctrines of passive obedience and divine right; but with the terror of the Pretender, it might always have been foreseen, would die the whiggism of the Brunswicks. Assuming, indeed, that the term implies the support of the popular rather than the monarchical part of our constitution, it is difficult to understand in what sense a king is expected to be a whig. The possession of power so naturally creates a disposition to preserve, and even to extend, that power, that, in attributing to princes a participation of this our common nature, we are certainly urging no ob- In the year 1760 the net customs' duties paid into jection peculiar to monarchy. The counteracting the exchequer amounted to only one million nine powers vested in the other parts of our political hundred and sixty-nine thousand nine hundred and machinery prove that the operation of this principle thirty-four pounds. In 1815 the consolidated cuswas fully foreseen, and adequately provided for. toms, with the annual duties and war taxes, amountIt cannot, however, be altogether maintained thated to ten million four hundred and eighty-seven the tory ministers of George the Third have been, practically, less whigs than their immediate predecessors; government, on the contrary, has considerably abated of that high tone which it habitually held in the former reigns; and this was, indeed, to be expected when the great aristocratic families which formed the strength of the whig party ceased to be the regular organs of the will of the crown, their opponents being, both by connection and property, of less intrinsic weight. Yet the political influence of a certain portion of the aristocracy has been increased in this reign, by the elevation of several proprietors of borough towns to the house of peers.

The increasing influence of the crown was also a subject of popular outcry throughout the reign; and that its patronage enormously grew with the growth of our establishments and the augmentation of the revenue and expenditure is certain; but the onsequent influence of government must be viewed in connection with the great increase of wealth among those upon whom that influence had to work; for it is obvious that the same amount of patronage that would bribe a poor country would be inadequate to affect a rich one; and, although the general state of society yet presents much for the philanthropist to deplore, that Great Britain is a rich one would not be doubted if it were possible to describe her and her inhabitants as they were, in all respects, at the commencement and at the close of the reign; a period during which no coun.

thousand five hundred and twenty-two pounds; the consolidated excise, with the annual duties and war taxes, amounted to twenty-six million five hundred and sixty-two thousand four hundred and thirty-two pounds; and the stamps, post-office, assessed taxes, property-tax, land-tax, &c. produced twenty-nine million, three hundred and ninety-three thousand eight hundred and forty. eight pounds; making a total net revenue of sixtysix million four hundred and forty-three thousand eight hundred and two pounds! Pitt estimated the total income of the country at one hundred million pounds; but, according to subsequent calculations, more accurately made, it is considered to be almost, if not quite, one hundred and fifty million pounds.

That a great debt, whether public or private, is a great evil, cannot be denied; and the national debt, which originated in the days of king William, has certainly been most enormously increased during this reign. At the accession of Queen Anne it amounted to upwards of sixteen million pounds. During the administration of Sir Robert Walpole it was thought, by well-informed persons, that it might be increased to one hundred million pounds; but a hundred millions was the ne plus ultra: there it must stop; and that was the point of national bankruptcy. By the war of the Amer ican revolution, however, to the great joy of the foreign enemies and rivals of England-to the great alarm of foreigners who had property and

CHAPTER I.

GEORGE IV.

Accession of King George IV.—The King's declaration to his Council-Proclamation of his MajestyKing's Illness and Recovery-Detailed Ceremonial of the late King's lying in State and Royal Funeral-Parliament Dissolved by Commission-Discovery of Cato-Street Conspiracy-Detection, Trial and Execution of Thistlewood and others-Tumultuous proceedings in the North-Attack on the Soldiery at Bonnymuir-Defeat of those concerned therein-Trial of disaffected persons-Conduct of Ministry-General Election-New Parliament-King's First Speech-Proceedings in Parliament-Lord John Russel's motion on Elective Franchise-Allusion to Queen's Arrival-Revision and Amendment of Criminal Code-Education of the Poor-State of Agriculture-Afflicting position of Public Affairs -Petition of London Merchants-Ways and Meuns for 1820-Delicate situation of their MajestiesCommission of Enquiry-Mr. Brougham's proposition to Government-Proposed Compromise with the Queen-Offer of fifty thousand pounds a-year to the Queen-Queen's Narrative-Her Majesty's progress-Mission of Lord Hutchinson-Sudden departure of her Majesty from St. Omers-Landing of Queen Caroline in England-The King's Message to Parliament-The Queen's Communication to House of Commons-Proceedings in the Commons-Statement of Ministers-Proceedings in the House of Lords-Bill of Pains and Penalties-Account of Trial-Speeches therein-Bill Abandoned by Ministers-Parliament Prorogued-State of Continental Affairs.

398

himself to the inclemency of the season, by standing a length of time under the portico of his palace, that his admiring people might behold their mon arch, while, amidst their enthusiastic plaudits, and loudly lengthened demonstrations of grateful and Joyful huzzas, they hailed, and the heralds, for the first time, proclaimed him by his royal style and titles as George the Fourth. The apprehensions respecting his majesty were not lessened, when the official bulletin announced the king's illness to proceed from inflammation of the lungs that being the identical disease which had so unexpectedly proved fatal to the duke of Kent only a week previous. The melancholy ideas which this seeming fatality originated were fortunately not confirmed. The king was declared out of danger after nine days; but a long time passed ere he gained his pristine health. To add to this sombre view of affairs, the nation was occupied in preparing for the mournful rites due to departed worth and majesty, and never was grief more strongly indicated, or sorrow more generally manifested, not more by the universal sable habits of the people, than by the saddened deportment of all ranks concerned in, or viewing the obsequies of the late king, which took place on Wednesday evening, February 16th.

whole of this noble apartment was entirely covered with fine purple cloth, and illuminated by a profu sion of silver sconces. On a raised platform, at the opposite extremity, appeared the coffin supported upon tressels, and covered with a pail of rich purple velvet, lined with white satin, and ornamented at each side by three escutcheons, and on the top were deposited the kingly crown of England, and the electoral one of Hanover, on two purple velvet cushions, superbly fringed and tasseled with gold. On each side of the coffin were three stupendous wax lights, in massive siver candlesticks, and over it a radiated canopy of purple cloth; the cornice was also adorned with escutcheons. At the head of the coffin was seated the earl of Delawarr and lord Graves, the lords in waiting; and colonel Whatley, colonel King, Sir George Campbell, and Sir Cavendish Bradshaw, the grooms in waiting. At the feet stood the pursuivants, in official costume, but uncovered, and about the apartment were a number of the band of gentlemen pensioners, in their state dresses, with crape scarfs. Thence the company passed through the king's drawing-room and its ante-chambers, and descended by the staircase in the western tower, where king John resided during the time of his contest with his barons; and thence out through the quadrangle, by the announced for closing the public ceremony of the day, the gates were shut.

CEREMONIAL OF LATE KING'S LYING IN grand southern entrance. At four o'clock, the hour

STATE AND ROYAL FUNERAL.

As the minutiae of these funereal transactions may hereafter be deemed interesting, without further apology it is observed, that soon after ten o'clock ou Tuesday morning, the preparations were completed for the mournful ceremonial of his Majesty's remains lying in state; and the gates of Windsor castle were then thrown open for the admission of the public, many hundreds of whom had been anxiously waiting for some hours. The public were, in the first place, admitted by the grand entrance to the upper ward, or square of the Black Horse. The entrance was parted by a strong railing, diverging within the ward to the right and left, so that the stream of company, which incessantly poured in, was by that means directed at once to the northeastern tower of the quadrangle, commonly called Egerton's tower. At the door four marshal's men were stationed, with their silver-tipped staves, and wearing, in addition to their state uniforms, ample scarfs of black silk, with crape hatbands, and sword knots. Ascending the winding stairs of the tower, the visitor, after passing through an ante-chamber, filled with marshal's men and yeomen of the guard, entered at once into St. George's hall, where the departed sovereign had been accustomed to hold the chapter of the knights of the garter. The throue and its canopy were covered with black cloth, and at the foot of the steps was a slight railing, also covered with black. Over the hall, diagonally to the door of the guard-chamber, matting was laid down, with a black cord on each side, to confine the company to the space it occupied; and on the other sides were stationed privates of the life guards, with their arms reversed. This apartment had a very impressive effect. It led at once to the king's guard-chamber and state apartments, where the kuights of the garter, in the absence of the sovereign, dine at an installation. The lofty walls of this apartment were entirely covered with the armour of past ages; bills and partizans, coats of mail, helmets, cuirasses, and glaives; bucklers and shields; matchlocks, broad swords, pistols, daggers, muskets, and the armour of Edward the Black Prince. The visitors were, in this chamber also, separated from the great body of the apartment by a cord covered with black; and in the open space, yeomen of the guard were assembled in groupes, who, not being immediately upon duty, waited here to relieve their comrades. Their costume was the same, in form, as their ordinary one, save that it was entirely of black cloth, with crape round the cap, and the arms of England embroidered in gold, silver, and colours. Their partizans had also a cov ering of black cloth. From this apartment the spectator passed through an ante-chamber; the floor, ceiling, and walls, entirely covered with sable drap ery, and lighted at intervals by silver sconces, each bearing two small wax lights; just sufficient to show a long line of yeomen of the guard, leaning on their crape-clothed partizans as motionless as statues. He then eutered the presence chamber, in which reposed the remains of the beloved monarch. The

At break of day on Wednesday, the solemn toll of the great bell in the belfry of the castle was heard, and the royal standard was seen hanging half-staff down, on the round tower of the keep. At sun-rise the thunder of cannon was heard in the park. From that period till sun-set, the artillery, without intermission, continued firing five-minute guns throughout the day; and from sun-set they fired minute guns till the conclusion of the funeral ceremony. A little before ten o'clock, the wax lights in the silver sconces having been replenished, and the lords and grooms in waiting, the pages of the bed chamber, the heralds, the pursuivants, the gentlemen pensioners, and the other state attendants, having taken their station around the royal coffin, the grand entrance to the upper court of the castle was thrown open to the impatient public, who rushed forward in all directions; and, in despite of the utmost exertions of the police and military, the pressure continued more or less through out the morning. At four o'clock the ceremony of the royal remains lying in state were at an end, and the gates were closed against thousands of per. sons, who, up to that moment, had been pressing forward for admission. Throughout the whole of the preceding night, preparations had been making in St. George's chapel. Three additional chande liers were suspended from the roof along the cen tre of the choir, and a double sconce affixed to each of the stalls. Superb communion services of plate, from the different chapels royal, were arranged upon the communion table, the steps of which were covered with fine purple cloth. A raised platform covered with black cloth was erected down the south aisle, and up the nave of the choir, with a railing on each side to prevent interruption to the proces sion from the spectators. In the north aisle seats were erected, tier above tier, for the accommodation of those persons who might be able to obtain tick. ets from the lord high steward; and the organ loft, which was not capable of affording accommodation to more than ninety persons, was fitted up for the nobility. Before the communion table, and over the opening of the subterraneous passages leading to the mausoleum of the royal family, a superb canopy of royal blue velvet was placed, supported by four slight pillars, wreathed with velvet and gold. The canopy was in the shape of a parallelogram, with the roof of the sweeping Chinese contour, and surrounded with a Gothic fretwork cornice in dead gold. From this cornice descended a festooned drapery of royal blue velvet, richly fringed and tasselled, of the same colour, and each festoon was further adorned with a royal escutcheon. To the right and left of the altar, diagonally, seats were placed in tiers for the foreign ambassadors, and the whole floor of the choir was covered with black cloth. As the even ing advanced, the Eton scholars, assembled under their respective masters, to the number of more than five hundred, clothed in deep mourning, walked two and two to the gate of the hundred steps, where they were admitted through the cleis