Chapter I: Preface

Certainly, it is not the least part of an Author's reward, for all his pains and trouble, to find that the Public appreciates his efforts, and purchases, and reads his books.

This, I am happy to say, was specially the case with one of mine, "The Dawn of the Nineteenth Century." In it I wrote of Social England in the first decade of the century, leaving off at a time when George III. was hopelessly incompetent to govern, and a Regency was in progress of establishment.

The favour which the Public bestowed upon this book emboldens me to continue it, and sketch the men and manners of the Regency. Most books of this class deal mainly with the great ones of the land, but I have only done so where necessary to illustrate the history of the times, my aim being more to delineate the social condition of England, and her people; and this work will be found perfectly reliable as history, nothing being taken at second hand, but all compiled, even down to the illustrations, from original and contemporaneous authorities.

JOHN ASHTON.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
PAGE

The King's Malady -- Former preparations for a Regency --
King's recovery -- The King at home -- His love of music --
Severe frost -- Lucien Buonaparte a prisoner of war -- French
obstructions to commerce -- A gallant merchantman 1

CHAPTER II.

A Regency inevitable -- Prince of Wales waited on -- He
undertakes the Regency -- French and English prisoners of war
-- Roman Catholic soldiers -- Roughness of manners -- Passing
of Regency Bill -- The Prince's companions -- Inauguration of
the Prince as Regent -- Improvement in the health of the King 17

CHAPTER III.

Story of a crime -- The Shanavests and the Caravats --
Gluttony -- Smuggling bullion -- A Tar at the theatre --
Deposition of French Colours in Whitehall Chapel -- The Duke
of York reinstated as Commander-in-Chief -- The Regency Fête
-- Account of the entertainment 39

CHAPTER IV.

Ladies' dresses at the Fête -- The banquet -- Carlton House
thrown open to the public -- The crush -- Sir F. Burdett's
action against the Speaker -- Relief of British Prisoners in
France -- Scarcity of guineas -- Lord King and his tenants --
Stories respecting the Currency 57

CHAPTER V.

A smuggler's victim -- Illness of Gilray -- A gallant
highwayman -- A Witch -- Bartholomew Fair -- The Comet --
A practical joke on the Queen -- Woman's Cricket Match --
Ballooning -- French prisoners of war -- Luddite riots -- The
King and his physicians -- His health 75

CHAPTER VI.

1812.

The Regent's doings -- The Royal Sprain -- Colonel McMahon --
Luddite and Factory Riots -- Scarcity of Bullion -- Murder of
Mr. Perceval 97

CHAPTER VII.

French Prisoners of War -- Repeal of the "Orders in Council"
-- Rejoicings for the Victory of Salamanca -- Saturnalia
thereat 119

CHAPTER VIII.

Chimney-sweeps -- Climbing boys -- Riot at Bartholomew Fair
-- Duelling -- War with France -- Declaration of war between
England and America -- Excommunication for bearing false
witness -- Early Steam Locomotives -- Margate in 1812 --
Resurrection men -- Smithfield Cattle Club 133

CHAPTER IX.

1813.

High price of provisions -- Luddites -- Smuggling -- Day of
Humiliation -- The Cossack -- Mdlle. Platoff -- Discovery of
body of Charles I. at Windsor -- The Queen and the mad woman
-- The fasting woman of Tutbury -- Fight between the _Shannon_
and the _Chesapeake_ -- Rejoicings for the Victory at Vittoria
-- Fête at Vauxhall--William Huntingdon, S.S. 149

CHAPTER X.

Emperor of Russia invested with the Garter -- The Poet
Laureate -- French Prisoners of War -- Joy over Napoleon's
defeat at Leipsic -- "Orange boven" -- The Allies and the War
with France -- The War with America -- The Princess Charlotte
and her establishment -- The Prince of Orange her suitor --
The King's Health 179

CHAPTER XI.

A Cat in a Conflagration -- Scramble for Exchequer Bills --
A Matrimonial Dispute -- An old Debtor -- A Volunteer Dinner
-- A Man and Hedgehog -- Torpedoes -- Slavery -- Gambling on
Napoleon's Life -- Gas Lighting 199

CHAPTER XII.

1814.

The Fog -- Condition of Ireland -- State of the Navy -- The
Regent at Belvoir -- Coming of age of Princess Charlotte --
Day of Thanksgiving -- Great Snowstorm -- Thames frozen over
-- Sports thereon -- Frost fair -- The Country and the Snow 209

CHAPTER XIII.

Burning of the Custom House -- De Berenger's fraud on the
Stock Exchange -- Lord Cochrane inculpated -- Price of
provisions -- Arrival of the Duchess of Oldenburgh -- The
Capitulation of Paris, and fall of Napoleon -- Papa Violette
-- Elba 233

CHAPTER XIV.

Illuminations for Peace -- Ovation to Louis XVIII. --
His departure for France -- Peace with France -- Cheaper
provisions -- Distinguished foreign guests in London --
Arrival of Emperor of Russia and King of Prussia -- Movements
of the great folk -- Popularity of General Blücher 251

CHAPTER XV.

Royal festivities -- The Emperor of Russia, the King of
Prussia, and General Blücher at Oxford -- Banquet at Guildhall
-- Departure of the Allied Sovereigns -- Signature of Treaty
of Peace -- Proclamation of Peace -- State Thanksgiving at St.
Paul's Cathedral 277

CHAPTER XVI.

City banquet to the Duke of Wellington -- Costly vegetables --
The Princess Charlotte -- Squabbles about her presentation at
Court -- The Regent hooted -- The Princess Charlotte and the
Prince of Orange -- Her future husband, Prince Leopold -- Her
flight from Warwick House, and return 299

CHAPTER XVII.

State of Ireland -- The Regent _fêtes_ the Duke of Wellington
-- The Jubilee in the Parks -- Public opinion thereon -- The
Celebration 329

CHAPTER XVIII.

The celebration of the Jubilee continued -- Sale of the
Properties -- Continuation of the Fair -- Departure of Queen
Caroline for the Continent -- Scarcity of Gold -- French
prisoners of war -- State of the streets -- Red tape in the
Navy -- English visit France -- The War with America -- Treaty
of peace with America 351