tion, calling forth its elements, and controlling and no health was ever drunk with more sinthem at will. On arriving at Palace Yard, cere good-will than was Lord Cochrane's; the we were shown into a room below stairs, and little dark-haired and bright-eyed lady seemed whilst Lord Cochrane and Hunt conversed to know it, and to be delighted that it was so. above, a slight and elegant young lady, dress-But here scarcely a servant appeared; and ed in white, and very interesting, served us nothing in the shape of refreshment was seen.' with wine. She is, if I am not misinformed-Vol. i. pp. 21, 22.

now Lady Dundonald. At length his Lordship came to us. He was a tall young man; cordial and unaffected in his manner. stooped a little and had somewhat of a sailor's gait in walking; his face was rather oval; fair naturally, but now tanned and sun-freckled: the expression calm and self-possessed. He took charge of our petitions, and being seated in an arm-chair, we lifted him up and bore him on our shoulders across Palace Yard, to the door of Westminster Hall; the old rafters of which rung with the shouts of the vast multitude outside.'—Vol. i. pp. 19, 20.

We have no doubt this is a fair sketch of

He Mr. Bamford's impressions. Sir Francis was the representative of one of the very highest families in England-far nobler than nine-tenths of the peerage-with education, accomplishments, manners, tastes, and personal habits in all respects suitable to his station, and with natural talents which would have made him a distinguished man in any condition of life. His family had been Jacobites-certain democratical Before the debate Mr. Bamford and his theories, which Bolingbroke started in the colleagues paid a visit to the late Sir F. bitterness of his baffled self-seeking, had Burdett, who even thus early seems to have left their traces-and the accident of pershown some symptoms of coldness and sus-sonal intercourse with so captivating a compicion. panion as Horne Tooke was likely enough

'A number of us went one morning to visit to work on the feelings of a very young Sir Francis at his house in Park-place. The gentleman, thus hereditarily indisposed to outside was but of ordinary appearance; and the existing Government. He took up the the inside was not much better, so far as we

were admitted. To me it seemed like a cold, theory of Parliamentary Reform, and dugloomy, barely furnished house; which I ac-ring a long course of years did and suffered counted for by supposing that it was perhaps more for what he believed to be the cause the style of all great mansions. We were of the People than any other contemporary, shown into a large room, the only remarkable of any class whatever; but by the people he thing in which was a bust of John Horne understood the nation: and accordingly, Tooke. Sir Francis came to us in a loose gray vest coat, which reached far towards his so soon as events developed the truth that ankles. He had not a cravat on his neck; his the so-called cause of the people was only feet were in slippers; and a pair of wide cot- the cause of envy, hypocrisy, and injustice, ton stockings hung in wrinkles on his long he acted in a manner worthy of his name spare legs, which he kept alternately throwing and his courage, and dignified his old age by across his knees, and rubbing down with his earning the deepest resentment of those hands, as if he suffered, or recently had, some who would fain have had him for their tool pain in those limbs. He was a fine-looking in mischief, and their accomplice in plunman, on the whole, of lofty stature, with a proud der. but not forbidding carriage of the head. His His political life well deserves to be manner was dignified and civilly familiar; sub-recorded in detail: it would be a most inmitting to, rather than seeking, conversation teresting and instructive history. with men of our class. He, however, discussed with us some points of the intended Bill for Reform, candidly and freely; and concluded with promising to support universal suffrage, 'I well recollect, though I cannot describe, though he was not sanguine of much co-oper- all the conflicting emotions which arose within ation in the house. Under these circumstan- me as I approached that assembly, with the ces we left Sir Francis; approving of much certainty of now seeing and hearing those that we found in him and about him, and ex-whom I considered to be the authors of my cusing much of what we could not approve. country's wrongs. Curiosity certainly held He was one of our idols and we were loth to its share of my feelings; but a strong dislike give him up. to the "boroughmonger crew" and their 'Still I could not help my thoughts from re-measures, held a far larger share. After a verting to the simple and homely welcome we tough struggle at elbowing and pushing along received at Lord Cochrane's, and contrasting a passage, up a narrow staircase, and across it with the kind of dreary stateliness of this a room, I found myself in a small gallery.from great mansion and its rich owner. At the for- whence I looked on a dimly-lighted place bemer place we had a brief refection, bestowed low. At the head of the room, or rather den, with a grace which captivated our respect; for such it appeared to me, sat a person in a

We proceed to the debate in the House of Commons:

ish freedom, then, and her children too. O! for the stamp of stern old Oliver on this floor; and the clank of his scabbard, and the rush of his iron-armed band, and his voice to arise above this Babel howl-" Take away that bauble "-" Begone: give place to honester men."

full loose robe of, I think, scarlet and white. {ous assembly of freemen in the world?" PerAbove his head were the royal arms richly gilded; at his feet several men in robes and wigs were writing at a large table, on which lamps were burning, which cast a softened light on a rich ornament like a ponderous sceptre of silver and gold, or what appeared to be so. Those persons I knew must be the Speaker and the Clerks of the House; and Such was my first view of the House of that rich ornament could be nothing else than Commons; and such the impressions strongly the "mace"-that same thing, or one in its forced on my feelings at the time. The speakplace, to which Cromwell pointed and said, er alluded to was Henry Brougham. I heard Take away that bauble; for shame-give atfirst very little of what he said; but I underway to honester men." On each side of this stood from occasional words, and the remarks pit-looking place, leaving an open space in the of some whom I took for reporters, that he centre of the floor, were benches one above was violently attacking the ministers and their another; and on these benches sat some three whole home policy. That he was so doing, or four hundred of the most ordinary-looking might have been inferred from the great exermen I had ever beheld at one view. Some tions of the ministerial party to render him were striking exceptions; several young fel- inaudible, and to subdue his spirit by a be lows in military dresses gave relief to the wildering and contemptuous disapprobation. sombre drapery of the others. Canning, with But they had before them a wrong one for his smooth, bare, and capacious forehead, sat being silenced, either by confusion or menace. there, a spirit beaming in his looks like that Like a brave stag, he held them at bay, and of the leopard waiting to spring upon its prey. even hurled back their defiance with "retorted Castlereagh, with his handsome but immove- scorn." In some time his words became more able features-Burdett, with his head carried audible; presently there was comparative siback, and held high as in defiance-and lence, and I soon understood that he had let Brougham, with his Arab soul ready to rush go the ministry, and now unaccountably, as it forth and challenge war to all comers. The seemed to me, had made a dead set at the question was to me solemnly interesting, Reformers. Oh! how he did scowl toward whilst the spectacle wrought strangely on my us-contemn and disparage our best actions, feelings. Our accusers were many and pow- and wound our dearest feelings! Now stealerful, with words at will, and applauding list-ing near our hearts with words of wonderful eners. Our friends were few and far between; power, flashing with bright wit and happy with no applauders save their good con- thought; anon like a reckless wizard changscience, and the blessing of the poor. What ing pleasant sunbeams into clouds, "rough a scene was this to be enacted by the "collective wisdom of the nation!" Some of the members stood leaning against pillars, with their hats cocked awry; some were whispering by half dozens; others were lolling upon their seats; some, with arms a-kimbo, were eye-glassing across the house; some were stiffened immoveably by starch, or pride, or both; one was speaking, or appeared to be so, by the motion of his arms, which he shook in token of defiance, when his voice was drowned by a howl as wild and remorseless as that from a kennel of hounds at feeding time. Now he points, menacing, to the ministerial benches-now he appeals to some members on his side-then to the speaker; all in vain. At times he is heard in the pauses of that wild hubbub, but again he is borne down by the yell which awakes on all sides around him. Some talked aloud; some whinnied in mock laughter, coming, like that of the damned, from bitter hearts. Some called "order, order," some question, question;" some beat time with the heel of their boots; some snorted into their napkins; and one old gentleman in the side gallery actually coughed himself from a mock cough into a real one, and could not stop until he was almost black in the face.

66

And are these, thought I, the beings whose laws we must obey? This the "most illustri

with black winds and storms," and vivid with the cruellest shafts. Then was he listened to as if not a pulse moved-then was he applauded to the very welkin. And he stood in the pride of his power, his foes before him subdued but spared-his friends, derided, and disclaimed-and his former principles sacrificed to "low ambition," and the vanity of such a display as this.

'I would have here essayed somewhat with respect to Canning and the character and effects of his eloquence; but little appertaining to him remained on my mind. Every feeling was absorbed by the contemplation of that man whom I now considered to be the most perfidious of his race. I turned from the spectacle with disgust, and sought my lodgings in a kind of stupor; almost believing that I had escaped from a monstrous dream.

'Such was my first view of Henry Brougham; and such the impressions I imbibed, and long entertained, of that extraordinary man. He sinned then, and has often done so since, against the best interests of his country; bowing to his own image, and sacrificing re son and principle to caprice or offended self-love. But has he not done much for mercy, and for the enlightenment of his kind? See the African dancing above his chains! Behold the mild but irresistible light which education is

diffusing over the land! These are indeed [which, in its day, was famous as the Blanblessings beyond all price-rays of unfading keteer meeting: some 300 or 400 weavers glory. They are Lord Brougham's; and will attended, each with a blanket strapped on illumine his tomb when his errors and imper- his shoulders, and a stout stick in his hand, fections are forgotten.'-Vol. i. pp. 25-29. resolved to march upon London, there, as Shortly after this visit to London, Mr. one of them expressed it to our author, 'to tak the nation on hand, and sattle o' the Bamford was, the principal it appears, debt.' These disciples of Cobbett's spongespeaker at the first out-of-door meeting doctrine were dispersed by the magistracy that was held at Rochdale.' On this occasion, besides refreshments at the Rose,'-about 150, drawing together again, made he was paid four shillings for his exertions: out one day's march-and then the whole but he says it was the first and only time affair fell to pieces-for they had no money, that he ever accepted money for performing and no inn-keepers would trust them for at a reform meeting. He adds—

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bread and beer. The discomfiture was fiercely resented; and Bamford was, a few 'I considered it a mean thing, though the days afterwards, invited to partake in the practice was coming much into use, and sever- scheme of retaliating on the magistrates al of my friends without any scruple continued and their constables by making a Moscow to do so until "their occupation" was gone! of Manchester.' He had less confidence in It was a bad practice, however, and gave to a set of orators who made a trade of speech- the sagacity and integrity' of the 'Manchesifying and the race has not become extinct. ter Committee,' in consequence of the blanThese persons began to seek engagements of ket failure-and consulted his then closest the kind; some of them would even thrust associate, Joseph Healey, commonly called themselves upon public meetings, and then Dr. Healey-a medical practitioner who present themselves to the committees for re- makes a great figure in subsequent transacmuneration, and generally received it. He tions. Finally, the Doctor and Bamford who produced the greatest excitement, the loudest cheering, and the most violent clap- told the messenger that this was a serious pings, was the best orator, and was sure to be business-they could not think of engaging engaged and well paid; and in order to pro- in it unless they saw evidence that Major duce those manifestations, the wildest and most Cartwright approved; but that their secreextravagant rhodomontade would too often cy might be depended on. They awaited suffice. Such speakers quickly got a name; the issue in awful trepidation; and in the the calls on them were frequent; and they left their work or their business, for a more profit- evening preceding what they understood to able and flattering employment; tramping be the destined night of terror, judged it from place to place, hawking their new fan- prudent to remove to a village somewhat gles, and guzzling, fattening, and replenishing farther from Manchester, where the two themselves, at the expense of the simple and friends took up their quarters in the garret credulous multitudes. Steadiness of conduct, of a 'tried female reformer :' and consistency of principle, were soon placed, as it were, at a distance from us. Our unity of 'We retired to rest and lay talking this action was relaxed; new speakers sprung like strange matter over until sleep overtook us. mushrooms' about our feet; plans were I was first to awake, and seeing a brightness broached, quite different from any that had behind the curtain, I stepped to the window, been recognised by the Hampden Clubs; and and sure enough, beheld in the southern sky the people, at a loss to distinguish friends a stream of light which I thought must be that from enemies, were soon prepared for the op- of a distant fire. It was a fine crisped morning, eration of informers, who, in the natural career and as I looked, a piece of a moon came wanof their business, became also promoters of se-dering to the west from behind some masses cret plots and criminal measures of various descriptions. The good and fatherly maxim ol the worthy old Major [Cartwright], "Hold fast by the laws," was by many lost sight of.

How far the moral of these facts is applicable to the present day, will be judged by an observant public, and may perhaps not be deemed ill-timed by some of the more intelli-I gent of those who have been found amongst the persons styled Chartists.'-Vol. i. pp. 35,

36.

Mr. Bamford wisely kept away from a meeting in the same month (March, 1816),

of cloud. Now she would be entirely obscured; then, streaks of her pale beams would be seen breaking on the edges of the vapors; then a broader gleam would come; then again it would be pale and receding but the clouds

were so connected that the fair traveller had

seldom a space for showing her unveiled horn. saw how it was; my conflagration had dwindled to a moon-beam, and as I stood with the frost tingling at my toes, "an unlucky thought" (as we say, when excusing our own sins we impute them to a much abused sable personage) came into my head to have a small joke at the doctor's expense; and as it was a mode

the Manchester committee,' he was undermining the whole structure of his own subsequent narrative, throughout which he maintains, nay, assumes, that all the restrictive legislation and official strictness of the period constituted an unprovoked and unjustifiable series of aggressions upon the lawful liberty of the British subject-more especially of the enlightened population of the manufacturing districts.

of amusement to which I must confess I was which,' revealed only to the initiated,' was rather prone, I immediately began to carry it to carry into effect' the conflagration of into effect. Í gave a loud cough or two; the Manchester. How far he himself entered doctor thereupon grunted and turned over in bed; when, in the very break of his sleep, I into the plan, he leaves in obscuro-but said aloud, as I crept beneath the bed-clothes, that he continued in the confidence of "the "There's a fine leet i'th welkin, as th' witch o committee' is too evident; nor do we find Brandwood sed when the devil wur ridin' o'er one phrase distinctly implying that he at Rossenda." "Leet!" said the doctor; "a the time regarded their real purpose' as fine leet!-weer? weer?" "Why go to th' in itself blameworthy. Nor can we suffiwindo' and look." That instant my sanguine ciently express our wonder that so clever a friend was out of bed and at the window, his man should not have perceived how fatally, head stuck behind the curtain. "There's a great leet," he said, "tor'd Manchester." by these revelations of the 'real purpose of There is, indeed," I replied, "it's mitch but weary wark is gooin on omung yon foke." "It's awful," said the doctor; "thei'r agate as sure as wee'r heer." "I think there's summut up,” I said. I was now snugly rolled in the clothes, and perceived at the same time that the doctor was getting into a kind of dancing shiver, and my object being to keep him in his shirt till he was cooled and undeceived, and consequently a little sprung in temper, I asked, "Dun yo really think then ot' th' teawn's o' foyer 75 Foyer!" he replied; "there's no deawt on't." "Can yo see the flames, doctor?"""Nowe, I conno' see th' flames, but I con see th' leet ot comes fro' em." "That's awful," I ejaculated. "Aye, it's awful," he said;" come an' see for yorsel.' "Nowe, I'd reyther not," I answered; "I dunno like sich seets; it's lucky ot wee'r heer-they conno say at wee'n had owt to do wi' it, at ony rate-con they, doctor?" "Nowe," he said, "they conno. "It keeps changing," he said. Con yo yer ow?" I asked. "Nowe, I conno yer nowt," he said. I however heard his teeth hacking in his head, and stuffed the sheet into my mouth to prevent my laughter from being noticed. "Ar yo' sure, doctor?" I asked. No reply. "Is it blazin up ?" I said. "Blazin be hanged!" was the answer. "Wot dun yo myen, doctor-is it gwon eawt then?" "Gullook!" he said, "It's nobbut th' moon, an' ye knewn it o' th' while." A loud burst of laughter followed, which I enjoyed till the bed shook.'

'A cloud of gloom and mistrust hung over the whole country. The suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act was a measure the result of which we young reformers could not judge, save by report, and that was of a nature to cause anxiety in the most indifferent of us. The proscriptions, imprisonments, trials, and banishments of 1792 were brought to our recollections by the similarity of our situation to those of the sufferers of that period. It seemed as if the sun of freedom were gone down, and a rayless expanse of oppression had finally closed over us. Cobbett, in terror of imprisonment, had fled to America.'-Vol. i. pp. 44.

and Mr. Bamford and Dr. Healey thought it as well to flee also-though not so far as to America. What the immediate cause of their alarm was we are not told-but they fled to the moorlands. We must give the portraits of the friends as they started on this expedition :

This 'night attack on Manchester' had 'Doctor Healey was about five feet six in 'failed for want of arrangement and co-op-height; thirty-two or three years of age; with eration' (p. 45)—but the plan was not laid rather good features; small light grey eyes; aside; and we are sorry to observe that Mr. darker whiskers and hair; with a curl on his Bamford appears to have been well aware forehead, of which he was remarkably proud. of the devices resorted to with a view to its He was well set in body, but light of limb; his knees had an uncommonly supple motion, ultimate success. The Habeas Corpus Act which gave them an appearance of weakness. had been suspended, and thereupon the He had an assured look; and in walking, eskeeper of the chapel, in which the Middle- pecially when with a little "too much wind in ton patriots had hitherto held their meet-ihe sheet," he turned his toes inward, and carings, refused any longer to accomodate them. The work therefore, must be carried on in a different manner, and Mr. Bamford states that various so-called 'benefit societies,' 'botanical societies,' and so forth, were organized, the 'real purpose' of all

ried an air of bravado which was richly grotesque. In disposition he was, until afterwards corrupted, generous and confiding, credulous, proud of his person and acquirements.

'His hat was somewhat napless, with sundry dinges on the crown, and upsettings and downflappings of the brim, which showed it to

They spent two or three weeks, apparently, in rambling from one wild retreat to another-sometimes hospitably sheltered by old friends and relations of the doctor's, one of whom was a quarrier, but kept also a mountain hostelrie-more frequently, however, among very rough companions, habitual poachers and smugglers. When the Notwithstanding one touch of bravadoalarm had subsided, or their small stock of a most uncalled for one-it is impossible money was exhausted, they at last ventured not to be pleased with this little interior: back to the world of weavers and reform-but what a contrast to the scenes amidst ers and we must allow Mr. Bamford to which its soft light breaks upon us. paint his own return to Middleton.

In the middle of that same night Mr. Bamford was awakened by a knocking at his door, and a person in disguise entered, is inhabited; that the nest has not been rifled whilst the old bird was away. Now shalt thou who turned out to be an intimate brother see what a miser a poor man can be in his reformer, one who had been co-delegate heart's treasury. A second door opens, and a with him in the recent embassy to London. flash of light shows that we are in a weaving-This friend came to communicate and con