prevalent, and a general
disquietude pervaded the nation, some fearing and others desiring
change, some expecting, others dreading the great things which a
Reformed Parliament would do. The session is over, and a Reformed
Parliament turns out to be very much like every other Parliament,
except that it is rather differently and somewhat less ably
composed than its predecessors. The hopes and the fears of mankind
have been equally disappointed, and after all the clamour,
confusion, riots, conflagrations, furies, despair, and triumphs
through which we have arrived at this consummation, up to the
present time, at least, matters remain pretty much as they were,
except that the Whigs have got possession of the power which the
Tories have lost. We continue at peace, and with every prospect of
so being for some time, we are on good terms with France, and by
degrees inducing the French to extend their incipient principles
of free trade, to the benefit of both countries. In Ireland there
never has been a period for many years when the country was so
quiet; it may not last, but so it is at the present moment. In
England trade flourishes, running in a deep and steady stream,
there are improvement and employment in all its branches. The
landed interest has suffered and suffers still, but the wages of
labour have not fallen with the rents of landlords, and the
agricultural labourers were never better off. Generally there is a
better spirit abroad, less discontent, greater security, and those
vague apprehensions are lulled to rest which when in morbid
activity, carrying themselves from one object to another, are
partly the cause and partly the effect of an evil state of things.
We hear nothing now of associations, unions, and public meetings,
and (compared with what it was) the world seems in a state of
repose.

CHAPTER XXII.

The Speaker a Knight of the Bath--Lord Wellesley Lord Lieutenant
of Ireland--M. Thiers in England--Prince Esterhazy's Opinion of
the State of England--Queen of Portugal at Windsor--The Duke of
Leuchtenberg--Macaulay and Sydney Smith--Brougham's Anecdotes
of Queen Caroline--Judicial Committee of the Privy Council--Sir
Stratford Canning and M. Dedel--Sydney Smith and the 'Siege of
Saragossa'--Edward Irving--The Unknown Tongues--Tribute to Lord
Eldon--W. J. Fox--Lord Tavistock on the Prospects of his
Party--Moore at the State Paper Office--Russia and England--