Chapter I: Preface

It has been my desire in the following pages to present a picture of society in this country as it was when the Queen ascended the throne. The book is an enlargement of a paper originally contributed to ‘The Graphic.’ I have written several additional chapters, and have revised all the rest. The chapter on Law and Justice has been written for this volume by my friend Mr. W. Morris Colles, of the Inner Temple. I beg to record my best thanks to that gentleman for his important contribution.

I have not seen in any of the literature called forth by the happy event of last year any books or papers which cover the exact ground of this compilation. There are histories of progress and advancement; there are contrasts; but there has not been offered anywhere, to my knowledge, a picture of life, manners, and society as they were fifty years ago.

When the editor of ‘The Graphic’ proposed that I should write a paper on this subject, I readily consented, thinking it would be a light and easy task, and one which could be accomplished in two or three weeks. Light and easy it certainly was in a sense, because it was very pleasant work, and the books to be consulted are easily accessible; but then there are so many: the investigation of a single point sometimes carried one through half-a-dozen volumes. The two or three weeks became two or three months.

At the very outset of the work I was startled to find how great a revolution has taken place in our opinions and ways of thinking, how much greater than is at first understood. For instance, America was, fifty years ago, practically unknown to the bulk of our people; American ideas had little or no influence upon us; our people had no touch with the United States; if they spoke of a Republic, they still meant the first French Republic, the only Republic they knew, with death to kings and tyrants; while the recollection of the guillotine still preserved cautious and orderly people from Republican ideas.

Who now, however, connects a Republic with a Reign of Terror and the guillotine? The American Republic, in fact, has taken the place of the French. Again, though the Reform Bill had been, in 1837, passed already five years, its effects were as yet only beginning to be felt; we were still, politically, in the eighteenth century. So in the Church, in the Law, in the Services, in Society, we were governed by the ideas of the eighteenth century.

The nineteenth century actually began with steam communication by sea; with steam machinery; with railways; with telegraphs; with the development of the colonies; with the admission of the people to the government of the country; with the opening of the Universities; with the spread of science; with the revival of the democratic spirit. It did not really begin, in fact, till about fifty years ago. When and how will it end? By what order, by what ideas, will it be followed?

In compiling even such a modest work as the present, one is constantly attended by a haunting dread of having forgotten something necessary to complete the picture. I have been adding little things ever since I began to put these scenes together. At this, the very last moment, the Spirit of Memory whispers in my ear, ‘Did you remember to speak of the high fireplaces, the open chimneys--up which half the heat mounted--the broad hobs, and the high fenders, with the fronts pierced, in front of which people’s feet were always cold? Did you remember to note that the pin of the period had its head composed of a separate piece of wire rolled round; that steel pens were either as yet unknown, or were precious and costly things; that the quill was always wanting a fresh nib; that the wax-match did not exist; that in the country they still used the old-fashioned brimstone match; that the night-light of the period was a rush candle stuck in a round tin cylinder full of holes; and that all the ladies’ dress had hooks and eyes behind?’

I do not think that I have mentioned any of these points; and yet, how much food for reflection is afforded by every one! Reader, you may perhaps find my pictures imperfect, but you can fill in any one sketch from your own superior knowledge. Meantime, remember this. As nearly as possible, fifty years ago, the eighteenth century passed away. It died slowly; its end was hardly marked.

King William the Fourth is dead. Alas! how many things were dying with that good old king! The steam-whistle was already heard across the fields: already in mid-ocean the great steamers were crossing against wind and tide: already the nations were slowly beginning to know each other: Privilege, Patronage, and the Power of Rank were beginning already to tremble, and were afraid: already the working man was heard demanding his vote: the nineteenth century had begun. We who have lived in it; we who are full of its ideas; we who are all swept along upon the full stream of it--we know not, we cannot see, whither it is carrying us.

W. B.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE
I. GREAT BRITAIN, IRELAND, AND THE COLONIES 1

II. THE YEAR 1837 18

III. LONDON IN 1837 30

IV. IN THE STREET 45

V. WITH THE PEOPLE 67

VI. WITH THE MIDDLE-CLASS 85

VII. IN SOCIETY 110

VIII. AT THE PLAY AND THE SHOW 125

IX. IN THE HOUSE 137

X. AT SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY 154

XI. THE TAVERN 160

XII. IN CLUB- AND CARD-LAND 175

XIII. WITH THE WITS 183

XIV. JOURNALS AND JOURNALISTS 209

XV. THE SPORTSMAN 214

XVI. IN FACTORY AND MINE 224

XVII. WITH THE MEN OF SCIENCE 233

XVIII. LAW AND JUSTICE 237

XIX. CONCLUSION 258

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

_PLATES._

THE PRINCESS VICTORIA IN 1830. _From the Picture by
Richard Westall, R.A., at Windsor Castle_ _Frontispiece_

WINDSOR CASTLE _Vignette_

PAGE
QUEEN VICTORIA IN 1839. _From a Drawing by R. J. Lane, A.R.A._ 1

THOMAS CARLYLE. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 16

THE QUEEN’S FIRST COUNCIL--KENSINGTON PALACE, JUNE 20, 1837.
_From the Picture by Sir David Wilkie, R.A., at Windsor
Castle_ 18

A SHOW OF TWELFTH-CAKES. _From Cruikshank’s ‘Comic Almanack’_ 20

GREENWICH PARK. _From Cruikshank’s ‘Comic Almanack’_ 22

THE CHIMNEY-SWEEPS’ ANNUAL HOLIDAY. _From Cruikshank’s
‘Comic Almanack’_ 24

BEATING THE BOUNDS. _From Cruikshank’s ‘Comic Almanack’_ 26

BARTHOLOMEW FAIR. _From Cruikshank’s ‘Comic Almanack’_ 28

VAUXHALL GARDENS. _From Cruikshank’s ‘Comic Almanack’_ 30

IN FLEET STREET. PROCLAIMING THE QUEEN. _From Cruikshank’s
‘Comic Almanack’_ 56

LEIGH HUNT. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 64

JOHN GALT. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 86

THE QUEEN RECEIVING THE SACRAMENT AFTER HER CORONATION.
WESTMINSTER ABBEY, JUNE 28, 1838. _From the Picture by C. R.
Leslie, R.A., at Windsor Castle_ 94

THEODORE HOOK. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 100

THE COUNTESS OF BLESSINGTON. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 110

COUNT D’ORSAY. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 112

SYDNEY SMITH. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 116

JOHN BALDWIN BUCKSTONE. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 126

THOMAS NOON TALFOURD. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 128

MARY RUSSELL MITFORD. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 130

SIR WALTER SCOTT. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 132

LORD LYNDHURST. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 138

WILLIAM COBBETT. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 140

LORD JOHN RUSSELL. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 144

EDWARD LYTTON BULWER. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 148

BENJAMIN D’ISRAELI. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 150

THOMAS CAMPBELL. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 176

SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 182

WILLIAM WORDSWORTH. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 184

REV. WILLIAM LISLE BOWLES. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 186

PIERRE-JEAN DE BÉRANGER. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 188

JAMES HOGG. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 190

REGINA’S MAIDS OF HONOUR. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 192

HARRIET MARTINEAU. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 194

WILLIAM HARRISON AINSWORTH. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 196

THE FRASERIANS. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 198

JOHN GIBSON LOCKHART. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 200

SAMUEL ROGERS. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 202

THOMAS MOORE. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 204

LORD BROUGHAM AND VAUX. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 206

WASHINGTON IRVING. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 208

JOHN WILSON CROKER. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 210

COCKNEY SPORTSMEN. _From Cruikshank’s ‘Comic Almanack’_ 218

RETURN FROM THE RACES. _From Cruikshank’s ‘Comic Almanack’_ 220

SIR JOHN C. HOBHOUSE. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 226

A POINT OF LAW. _From Cruikshank’s ‘Comic Almanack’_ 238

MICHAEL FARADAY. _From the Fraser Gallery_ 258

_WOODCUTS IN THE TEXT._

ARRIVAL OF THE CORONATION NUMBER OF ‘THE SUN’ 2

LIFEGUARD, 1837 4

GENERAL POSTMAN 6

NAPOLEON AT LONGWOOD. _From a Drawing made in 1820_ 12

LONDON STREET CHARACTERS, 1837. _From a Drawing by John Leech_ 14

5 GREAT CHEYNE ROW. _The House in which Carlyle lived from 1834
to his Death in 1881_ 16

THE DUCHESS OF KENT, WITH THE PRINCESS VICTORIA AT THE AGE OF
TWO. _From the Picture by Sir W. Beechey, R.A., at Windsor
Castle_ 17

WILLIAM IV. _From a Drawing by HB._ 18

PEELER 20

THE SPANIARDS TAVERN, HAMPSTEAD 22

SIR ROBERT PEEL 24

A PARISH BEADLE. _From a Drawing by George Cruikshank in
‘London Characters’_ 26

EVENING IN SMITHFIELD. _From a Drawing made in 1858, at the
Gateway leading into Cloth Fair, the Place of Proclamation
of Bartholomew Fair_ 28

FIREMAN 31

HACKNEY COACHMAN. _From a Drawing by George Cruikshank in
‘London Characters’_ 34

THE FIRST LONDON EXCHANGE 34

THE SECOND LONDON EXCHANGE 35

THE PRESENT ROYAL EXCHANGE--THIRD LONDON EXCHANGE 35

CHARING CROSS IN THE PRESENT DAY. _From a Drawing by Frank
Murray_ 37

TEMPLE BAR 38

THE ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE 39

LYONS INN IN 1804. _From an Engraving in Herbert’s ‘History of
the Inns of Court’_ 41

KENNINGTON GATE--DERBY DAY 42

THE OLD ROMAN BATH IN THE STRAND 43

LONDON STREET CHARACTERS, 1827. _From a Drawing by John
Leech_ 46

THE KING’S MEWS IN 1750. _From a Print by I. Maurer_ 47

BARRACK AND OLD HOUSES ON THE SITE OF TRAFALGAR SQUARE.
_From a Drawing made by F. W. Fairholt in_ 1826 48

THE LAST CABRIOLET-DRIVER. _From a Drawing by George
Cruikshank in ‘Sketches by Boz’_ 49

A GREENWICH PENSIONER. _From a Drawing by George Cruikshank
in ‘London Characters’_ 52

AN OMNIBUS UPSET. _From Cruikshank’s ‘Comic Almanack’_ 53

EXETER CHANGE 54

THE PARISH ENGINE. _From a Drawing by George Cruikshank in
‘Sketches by Boz’_ 56

CROCKFORD’S FISH SHOP. _From a Drawing by F. W. Fairholt_ 57

THOMAS CHATTERTON 60

THIRD REGIMENT OF BUFFS 63

DOUGLAS JERROLD. _From the Bust by E. H. Bailey, R.A._ 64

JOHN FORSTER. _From a Photograph by Elliott & Fry_ 65

CHARLES DICKENS 66

THE DARBY DAY. _From Cruikshank’s ‘Comic Almanack’_ 76

NEWGATE--ENTRANCE IN THE OLD BAILEY 77

IN THE QUEEN’S BENCH 79

GEORGE ELIOT. _From a Drawing in ‘The Graphic’_ 86

LA PASTOURELLE 89

FASHIONS FOR AUGUST 1836 98

FASHIONS FOR MARCH 1837 98

WATCHMAN. _From a Drawing by George Cruikshank in ‘London
Characters’_ 101

A SCENE ON BLACKHEATH. _From a Drawing by ‘Phiz’ in Grant’s
‘Sketches in London’_ 105

MAID-SERVANT. _From a Drawing by George Cruikshank in ‘London
Characters’_ 107

OFFICER OF THE DRAGOON GUARDS 111

A SKETCH IN THE PARK--THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON AND MRS.
ARBUTHNOT 115

LINKMAN 117

WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKERAY 123

LISTON AS ‘PAUL PRY.’ _From a Drawing by George Cruikshank_ 128

CHARLES READE 130

T. P. COOKE IN ‘BLACK-EYED SUSAN’ 132

VAUXHALL GARDENS 133

THE ‘NEW’ HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT, FROM THE RIVER 138

LORD MELBOURNE 140

THOMAS BABINGTON MACAULAY 141

LORD PALMERSTON 142

BURDETT, HUME, AND O’CONNELL. _From a Drawing by HB._ 143

DANIEL O’CONNELL 146

O’CONNELL TAKING THE OATHS IN THE HOUSE. _From a Drawing by
‘Phiz’ in ‘Sketches in London’_ 147

EDMUND KEAN AS RICHARD THE THIRD 161

OLD ENTRANCE TO THE COCK, FLEET STREET 163

THE OLD TABARD INN, HIGH STREET, SOUTHWARK 173

SIGN OF THE SWAN WITH TWO NECKS, CARTER LANE 174

SIGN OF THE BOLT-IN-TUN, FLEET STREET 174

OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE CLUB, PALL MALL 176

UNITED UNIVERSITY CLUB, PALL MALL 177

CROCKFORD’S, ST. JAMES’S STREET 179

CHARLES KNIGHT. _From a Photograph by Hughes & Mullins_ 184

ROBERT SOUTHEY 185

THOMAS MOORE 186

‘VATHEK’ BECKFORD. _From a Medallion_ 187

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR. _From a Photograph by H. Watkins_ 188

RALPH WALDO EMERSON 189

LORD BYRON 190

SIR WALTER SCOTT 191

A FASHIONABLE BEAUTY OF 1837. _By A. E. Chalon, R.A._ 193

LORD TENNYSON AS A YOUNG MAN. _From the Picture by Sir T.
Lawrence, R.A._ 196

MATTHEW ARNOLD 200

CHARLES DARWIN 201

HOLLAND HOUSE 203

LETTING CHILDREN DOWN A COAL-MINE. _From a Plate in ‘The
Westminster Review’_ 225

CHILDREN WORKING IN A COAL-MINE. _From a Plate in ‘The
Westminster Review’_ 229

LONDON STREET CHARACTERS, 1837. _From a Drawing by John
Leech_ 231

MARSHALSEA--THE COURTYARD. _From a Drawing by C. A. Vanderhoof_ 239

(From a Drawing by R. J. LANE, A.R.A.)]

FIFTY YEARS AGO.