h gentleman of
an old and honorable family, and a man of distinguished ability, came
forward as leader of the Catholics. After much difficulty he
succeeded in taking his seat in the House of Commons (1829). He
henceforth devoted himself, though without avail, to the repeal of the
act uniting Ireland with England (S562), and to the restoration of an
independent Irish Parliament.

574. The New Police (1829).

Although London had now a population of a million and a half, it still
had no effective police. The guardians of the peace at that date were
infirm old men, who spent their time dozing in sentry boxes, and had
neither the strength nor energy to be of service in any emergency.
The young fellows of fashion considered these venerable constables as
legitimate game. They often amused themselves by upsetting the sentry
boxes with their occupants, leaving the latter helpless in the street,
kicking and struggling like turtles turned on their backs, and as
powerless to get on their feet again.

During the last year of the reign Sir Robert Peel got a bill passed
(1829) which oganized a new and thoroughly efficient police force,
properly equipped and uniformed. Great was the outcry against this
innovation, and the "men in blue" were hooted at, not only by London
"roughs," but by respectable citizens, as "Bobbies" or "Peelers," in
derisive allusion to their founder. But the "Bobbies," who carry no
visible club, were not to be jeered out of existence. They did their
duty like men, and have continued to do it in a way which long since
gained for them the good will of all who care for the preservation of
law and order.

575. Death of the King (1830).

George IV died soon after the passage of the new Police Bill (1830).
Of him it may well be said, though in a very different sense from that
in which the expression was originally used, that "nothing in his life
became him like the leaving of it." During his ten years' reign he had
squandered enormous sums of money in gambling and dissipation, and had
done his utmost to block the wheels of political progress.

How far this son of an insane father (S567) was responsible, it may
not be for us to judge. Walter Scott, who had a kind word for almost
every one, and especially for any one of the Tory party (S479), did
not fail to say something in praise of the generous good nature of his
friend George IV. The sad thing is that his voice seems to have been
the only one. In a