Chapter II: Preface: v

I. PARLIAMENT AND PARTY 1

II. THE HOUSE OF LORDS 18

III. THE HOUSE OF COMMONS 39

IV. THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER 60

V. HIS MAJESTY'S SERVANTS 81

VI. THE LORD CHANCELLOR 103

VII. THE SPEAKER 119

VIII. THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT 135

IX. RULES OF DEBATE 158

X. PARLIAMENTARY PRIVILEGE AND PUNISHMENT 173

XI. PARLIAMENTARY DRESS AND DEPORTMENT 189

XII. PARLIAMENTARY ELOQUENCE 203

XIII. PARLIAMENT AT WORK (I.) 225

XIV. PARLIAMENT AT WORK (II.) 242

XV. STRANGERS IN PARLIAMENT 259

XVI. PARLIAMENTARY REPORTING 275

SOURCES AND REFERENCES 288

INDEX 299

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT _Frontispiece_
From a Photograph by J. VALENTINE & SONS

FACING
PAGE

THE HOUSE OF LORDS IN 1742 26
From an Engraving by JOHN PINE

THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN 1742 46
From an Engraving by JOHN PINE

WESTMINSTER HALL IN 1797 62
From an Engraving by C. MOSLEY

THE REMAINS OF ST. STEPHEN'S CHAPEL AFTER THE FIRE OF 1834 72
From a Lithograph after the Drawing by JOHN TAYLOR, JR.

SIR ROBERT WALPOLE 84
From the Painting by FRANCIS HAYMAN, R.A., in the National
Portrait Gallery

CHATHAM 92
From the Painting by WILLIAM HOARE, R.A., in the National
Portrait Gallery

A CABINET MEETING (THE COALITION MINISTRY OF 1854) 100
From the Drawing by SIR JOHN GILBERT

LORD ELDON 114
From the Painting by SIR THOMAS LAWRENCE, P.R.A., in the
National Portrait Gallery

CHARLES ABBOT (LORD COLCHESTER) 124
From the Painting by JOHN HOPPNER, R.A., in the National
Portrait Gallery

THE TREASURY BENCH IN 1863 138
From an Engraving after the Painting by J. PHILIP

THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN 1910 162
From a Photograph by London Electrotype Agency

THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN 1835 186
From an Engraving by SAMUEL COUSINS from the Painting
by H. W. BURGESS

HENRY BROUGHAM (QUEEN CAROLINE'S ATTORNEY-GENERAL, AFTERWARDS
LORD HIGH CHANCELLOR OF GREAT BRITAIN) 194
From the Painting by JAMES LONSDALE in the National Portrait
Gallery

THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN WALPOLE'S DAY 200
From the Engraving by A. FOGG

The figures from left to right are:--SIR ROBERT WALPOLE, the RT.
HON. ARTHUR ONSLOW, SYDNEY GODOLPHIN (Father of the House),
SIR JOSEPH JEKYL, COL. ONSLOW, EDWARD STABLES, ESQ. (Clerk of
House of Commons), SIR JAMES THORNHILL, MR. AISKEW (Clerk
Assistant).

EDMUND BURKE 206
From an Engraving by J. WATSON after the Painting by SIR
J. REYNOLDS

RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN 212
From an Engraving by J. HALL after the Painting by SIR
J. REYNOLDS

THE PASSING OF THE REFORM BILL IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS 246
From an Engraving after the Painting by SIR J. REYNOLDS

THE HOUSE OF LORDS IN 1910 268
From a Photograph by London Electrotype Agency

WILLIAM WOODFALL 284
From the Painting by THOMAS BEACH in the National Portrait
Gallery

THE MOTHER OF PARLIAMENTS