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making any conditions or stipulations in respect to the exercise of this influence and control over the household. It appeared to me that the person about to undertake the direction of the affairs of this country, who should make such stipulations or conditions, would do neither more nor less than this-stipulate that he would not perform his duty, that he would not advise the Crown in a case in which he thought it his duty to advise the Crown, in order that he might obtain place. I thought that no man could make such a stipulation, and consider himself worthy of her Majesty's confidence, or entitled to conduct the affairs of the country. I thought it impossible that such a stipulation should be made. Nor did I think it possible that the Sovereign could propose such a stipulation or condition to any one whom her Majesty considered worthy of her confidence. First of all, the Sovereign making or proposing such a stipula tion, must suppose that her minister was unworthy of the confidence of the Crown; but suppose him to be worthy of confidence, and to break off all communication in consequence of the proposal of such stipulations, why I really thought that the Sovereign would be placed in a very disagreeable and awkward position-a position into which, I am thoroughly convinced from what I have seen of the Sovereign now on the throne, she never will be thrown. With respect, my Lords, to the share I took in these negotiations, I have to state to your Lordships that I waited by command on her Majesty on Wednesday last. I am not authorized to state what passed in conversation between her Majesty and me upon that occasion, not having felt it necessary to request her Majesty's permission to do so. What I will state to your Lordships is this that nothing there passed inconsistent with the opinions and principles which I have just explained, either with respect to myself personally, and my own conduct as to the formation of the government, or with respect to the principles on which the patronage of the household should be managed, and its conduct, control, and influence, supposing her Majesty should think proper to intrust me with the administration of affairs. Her Majesty acted on the advice which I humbly tendered to her, and

VOL. XLV. NO. CCLXXXIV.

sent for a right honourable baronet, a friend of mine, in another place. In proposing to her Majesty to send for Sir Robert Peel, I ventured to assure her Majesty that I was perfectly ready to serve her, in office or out of office : I preferred serving her out of office. I was willing to undertake to conduct the affairs of the government in this House not in office; but, if her Majesty and her ministers preferred it, I was ready to conduct the duties of any office; to do, in short, whatever would be most convenient to her Majesty and to her ministers, being disposed to lend all my assistance in every possible way to serve her Majesty, in whatever manner it might be thought most desirable that I should do so. After I had this interview, my right honourable friend also waited by command upon her Majesty. He certainly did consult me, and take the opinion of others, as has been stated, on the important point of the construction of her Majesty's household. I may add, my lords, that all who were present upon that occasion, my noble and learned friend behind (Lord Lyndhurst), and several others, gave an opinion exactly in conformity to what my right honourable friend has stated in his letter; and he waited upon her Majesty the following day, with the view of submitting such propositions as he should think proper, according to what he had stated to his intended colleagues. In the course of the conversation which Sir Robert Peel had with her Majesty on Thursday, a difference of opinion arose with respect to the ladies of the household. My right honourable friend, I believe, suggested that I should be sent for, in order that her Majesty might have my opinion on the subject. The right honourable baronet came up to my house and informed me of what had occurred; the discussion which had taken place on the subject, and what he had proposed, entirely in conformity with the principles which I have stated to your lordships. I returned with him to Buckingham Palace, and after a short time I was introduced to her Majesty's presence. It is not necessary, and indeed I have not permission, to go into the details of the conversation which passed between her Majesty and me on that occasion. All that I shall say on the subject is, that nothing passed on my part incon 3 A*

sistent with the principles I have already laid down, which I maintain are the correct principles to govern a case like the present, and most particularly that part of the subject which related to the administration of the influence and control of the royal household, supposing her Majesty should think proper to call me to her government. My right honourable friend has stated correctly that part of the conversation which related to the interpretation and decision to which her Majesty had come,6 that the whole should continue as at present, without any change.' This was her Majesty's determination; and accordingly I did, as stated in the paper, immediately communicate to Sir Robert Peel, who was in the next room, the decision of her Majesty to that effect. I do not know, my Lords, that it is necessary for me to go any further into this matter: we afterwards had a communication with other noble lords and right honourable gentlemen, and we found it impossible for us to undertake the conduct of her Majesty's government unless this point was set right. The noble viscount has stated that he gave her Majesty advice upon the subject-to write a letter on a statement which he admits was erroneous. I don't mean to draw any conclusion from this, except that possibly it might have been better if the noble viscount had taken some means to ascertain what the right statement was, before he gave the advice. Whether the statement was erroneous or not, the noble viscount had a right, if he chose, to act on the principle that our advice was erroneous; that our demands were such that they ought not to have been made; but it will be well for noble lords not to be in so great a hurry in future as to give their opinion and advice upon such important matters, without assuring themselves that they have a really correct statement before them. My Lords, I cannot but think that the principles on which we proposed to act with respect to the ladies of the bedchamber, in the case of a Queen-regnant, were the correct

principles. The public will not believe that the Queen holds no political conversations with these ladies, and that political influence is not exercised by them, particularly considering who they are who fill such offices. I believe the history of this country affords a number of instances in which secret and improper influence has been exercised by means of similar conversations. I have, my Lords, a somewhat strong opinion on this subject. I have unworthily filled the office which the noble viscount now sworthily holds; and I must say, I be felt the inconvenience of an a. malous influence, not exercised, perhaps, by ladies, but anomalous influence, undoubtedly, of this description, and exerted simply in conversations; and I will tell the noble viscount, that the country is at this moment suffering some inconvenience from the exercise of that very secret influence. My Lords, I believe I have gone further into principles upon this subject than may, perhaps, suit the taste of the noble viscount; but this I must say, that at the same time we claimed the control of the royal household, and would not have proposed to her Majesty to make any arrangements which would have been disagreeable to her, I felt it was absolutely impossible for me, under the circumstances of the present moment, to undertake any share of the government of the country without that proof of her Majesty's confidence. now, my Lords, in concluding this subject, I hope with a little more moderation than the noble viscount, I have only to add the expression of my gratitude to her Majesty for the gracious condescendence and consideration with which she was pleased to listen to the counsel which it was my duty to offer; and I must say, I quitted her presence not only impressed with the feeling of gratitude for her condescendence and consideration, but likewise with deep respect for the frankness, the intelligence, the decision, and firmness, which characterised her Majesty's demeanour throughout the proceedings."

And

MY FIRST CLIENT.

It is a very remarkable fact in natural history, that when a married couple have collected about them a family of children, and begin to think it time that such of those children as are boys should acquire some means of providing themselves with future food and raiment, they almost invariably put them to professions or to business, without any regard whatever to the fitness of the little individuals, either in mind, in manner, or in education, to the occupations to which it is their fate to be put, and by which they are to provide for themselves, and those dependant upon them, through life; and perhaps it is an equally remarkable fact in natural history, that so perverse is human nature, that if a lad had the luck to be apprenticed to an angel, he would, as he grew up, think (and perhaps correctly too) that it was a business for which he had no penchant, and for which his peculiar genius was not in anywise adapted.

I will not stay to investigate this matter, but proceed to the tale of my first client; first explaining to the reader how it happened that I came to be in the way of having a client at all.

I was one of the younger scions of a somewhat numerous family, and very early in life both my worthy parents imbibed an idea that it was a duty which they, in an especial manner, owed to me, to impress upon my mind, on each and every occasion, the positive necessity that existed for my concluding upon a business by which I could earn my future bread.

Solemnly and seriously did my father, twice every week, tell me to keep my eyes open, and if I saw any business of which I approved to make him acquainted with the important discovery; and solemnly and seriously did my worthy mother, on each of those occasions, give me an admonition to choose a healthy business, and a money-making business, and a clean business, and a gentlemanly business, and I know not what all besides-but such a sing-song as I suppose has been rung in the ears of every young

brat by his anxious mother, from the time when children first began to learn a business to the present time.

My father and mother commenced the forcing operation upon me when I was about six years old, and carried it on until I made two or three attempts to choose a business for myself, in pursuance of their advice; but I was so unfortunate in my choice, that the matter was taken up by those who thought themselves more competent than I showed myself to be to decide in so momentous an affair.

But, anxious as were my father and mother that I should be satisfied with the business by which I was to obtain my living, and desirous as they were that I should make the choice myself; yet, like many other good and simpleminded people in similar circumstances, they never once thought of giving me any instructions in the choice of a business, or any directions for obtaining any knowledge or insight into the mode of carrying it on-its requisite capital-its probable profits — its agremens or dis-agremens-and the thousand other things which give, in the minds of growing men and men of information, a preference of one business over another. No; I was put in my first breeches, and with them I, as a matter of course, put on all the knowledge necessary to enable me to form a sound and rational judgment.

I had received something like two hundred admonitions from my father to make choice of a business, and had been asked, I know not how many times, by my most anxious mother, whether I had yet concluded upon anything; in other words, I was arrived at something like the sapient age of eight or nine years old, when the usual question being asked by my mother, whether I had yet concluded on any thing, I determined to end the matter by making a choice at once.

My mother, in her schemes of economy for the management of a large family, frequently employed a Miss Jones to carry on the mystery of mantua-making in our house, thus making the new, and furbishing up the old

dresses of my mother and sisters at something like half-cost; and during her sojourn in the house, the younger branches of the family, of whom I was one, had a sort of saturnalia-revelling in all the luxury of dolls and doll rags —and thread and needles—and stitching and ripping-and making up and pulling to pieces, with more good-will, and ten times the avidity, of Miss Jones herself; and, by dint of great practice, I became a very expert assistant to my senior sister in doll-dressing.

I frequently heard my mother, in her confidential conversations with my father, tell him that Miss Jones was very industrious, and had got into a very good business, and made a great deal of money; and one day it occur red to me, when my mother put her old question, that being a good business and getting a deal of money were very likely requisites for me, and I gaily answered my mother's enquiry by saying I would be an apprentice to Miss Jones.

Instead of giving my mother great pleasure, as I thought I should do, by the announcement, she called me a silly lad, and told me to choose something more manly, as mantua-making was only the business of women.

A few days afterwards I was taken by a servant, with the rest of my young brothers and sisters, to see the performance of a mountebank, who paid a stray visit to the little town in which we resided. I never saw such a performance before, and I shall never see any thing again that will give me such an idea as that did of splendour and magnificence.

The first part of the performance was dancing on the slack-rope; and we children were standing in a row in breathless expectation, wondering in our hearts what dancing on a slackrope meant, when all at once there stepped before us a man in a velvet jacket, all slashed and adorned with satin and ribbons, and covered with gold lace, and spangles, and bugles; glittering so that we scarce could look at him; and on his head was a beautiful hat, from which ostrich feathers were gracefully waving, and in front was a shining button; and he had a splendid sash round his waist, and his continuations and his terminations, vulgo shoes, were white as snow. The sight was electrical! We all stood

and stared, and audibly wished that father and mother were there to see the man, he was so fine.

He bowed to the spectators, waving his plumes, and displaying all his finery, and then, ascending the rope, he capered about with such an air, and twirled and twisted himself in all directions, so that my faculties of astonishment and delight were stretched to their very utmost extent; and my little sister Laura, who stood by my side, and was some two years my junior, appeared to be equally spellbound with myself. She pulled my sleeve to engage my attention, and whispered in my ear-" It is the king

I am sure it is; for nobody but a king could be dressed so fine, or do such things as he does ;" and indeed I was very much of my sister Laura's notion.

I gazed at him with all my might, scarcely allowing my eyes to close in the act of winking, so fearful was I of missing the slightest motion of that wonderful man; and when he descended from the rope, I anxiously enquired from the servant what he would do next.

My attention was very soon attracted to sundry yards of fine flaunting coloured printed cotton, which were held up to the gaze of the spectators, and to a display of fine shining ware, such as tea and coffee-pots and trays, which I, in my innocence, looked upon as silver.

I enquired from the servant if the king intended to give those fine things away; and I was then informed, in reply, that the gentleman whose appearance and performance had so much astonished me was not the king, but a mountebank, whose business it was to make money, and that he would sell the things he displayed to the spectators for a great deal more money than they had cost him;-all which interesting information I communicated, in a whisper, to my little sister Laura.

I paid due attention to the proceedings, and saw the gentleman in the velvet jacket going round offering little bits of paper to the people, in exchange for which he received real silver shillings, in such numbers that he could scarcely manage to collect them as fast as they were offered.

My little sister Laura and myself

had been intrusted with a sixpence each, more to look at than with any intention that we should spend them; but, with the approbation, or rather with the tacit permission of our guardian the servant, we put them together, and saw them handed to the gentleman in spangles, in return for which one of those mysterious bits of paper was handed to me.

The servant directed me to keep the paper until it was asked for, which was not long; and I was at length requested to surrender it in exchange for a little black tray, about the size of my hand, with a flower painted upon it, and which the servant informed me was a tobacco dish, and worth about a halfpenny.

I had sense enough to know that our two sixpences were worth more than that, but in vain asked for something else; and, on finding that nothing more was to be had, it occurred to me that the business of the mountebank certainly met one of the requisitions of my worthy mother, inasmuch as it was evidently a money-making business; and I forthwith started off home, as quick as my legs would carry me, with my tobacco dish in my hand.

I went direct to my mother, and, holding up the dish, told her I had met with a man who sold those things for a shilling a piece, and had plenty of custom; that he was a mountebank, and dressed much finer than my father, and that I would be an apprentice to

him.

At first my mother only laughed at what she thought my nonsense; but finding on enquiry that the sixpences with which myself and my sister Laura had been intrusted, were really and bona fide bartered away for the little dirty-looking tobacco dish that I held in my hand, her amusement was changed to vexation, and she boxed my ears for what she called my folly. God help me! how often do children of eight years old get boxed, and kicked, and cuffed, for not being as wise as their parents of eight-andforty!

I afterwards made several other attempts to select a business answering the multifarious description given by my worthy mother; but, as all my attempts were singular failures, the matter was at length fairly taken out of my hands, and after three weeks'

serious cogitation betwixt my father and my mother, the former informed me that it was concluded I should be an attorney.

Now, what was meant by being an attorney I was greatly at a loss to know; for whether it meant that I was to grind scissors on a wheel, like a man whom I had frequently seen in the street, and whose performances I much admired, or that I was to go as a missionary to some uninhabited island like Robinson Crusoe, I had no more idea than the man in the moon; and serious, indeed, were the ponderings of myself and my sister Laura on the subject, for I called her wisdom to my assistance on the occasion.

At length, a little light began to dawn upon me, for I was measured for a new suit of clothes, and I was told that I was to go to a new school, and I was desired to pay particular attention to learning Latin, that I might be qualified for an attorney; and from that day forth I concluded that an attorney and a schoolmaster meant the same thing.

I went to the school, and I paid attention to Latin, and in due time I was articled to an attorney; and after serving the usual time, and learning that to be an attorney was not exactly the same thing as to be a schoolmaster, I was duly admitted, and prepared to set up business.

I was very soon made the proprietor of an office in my native town, consisting of two rooms, one occupied by a dirty little lad (whom I dignified with the name of clerk), a desk, a deskstool, and a chair for a waiting client, if any such there should happen to be; and the other occupied by myself, a desk, three chairs, three or four law books, an almanac, a diary, a quire or two of writing paper, a bundle of quills, and an ink-stand; and thus was I equipped for all that might occur in the shape of legal warfare.

But I must pause to explain what then appeared, and still appears to me, to be a serious obstacle to my successful practice of the law.

It pleased my godfathers and godmothers, with (I am bound to presume) the consent and approbation of my father and mother, to give me the name of Gideon, a name that I am particular in mentioning, because I have a very strong notion that the name should be adapted to the busi

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