sting
Administration held a tolerably secure tenancy.

[14] "Letters," p. 251. Alison states that attempts were made
to form a new Ministry, with Lord Wellesley at the head--"History
of Europe," vol. ii. p. 457. This, however, as has been shown
(_ante_ p. 9), is incorrect.

An Order in Council was issued for omitting the Queen's name from the
Church Service, and other signs appeared, indicating a desire to
withhold from her her queenly title. This made a temper, never
remarkably tractable, not to be controlled by the dictates of prudence;
the old spirit manifested itself in its most spirited form; and she
lost no time in letting the world know that she was returning to
England to obtain justice for her wrongs. Those who thought they knew
her best, considered that vindictive feelings influenced her
resolution, and that, with a full knowledge of the inflammable state of
public opinion in the British Empire, she had determined on some great
work of mischief against the peace of the kingdom and the security of
its ruler.

At this period there were many elements of discord in the social
community that were acting upon a large and dangerous portion of it, to
the prejudice of the Government.[15] Besides the Thistlewood gang,
justice was about to dispose of Mr. Orator Hunt and his myrmidons, then
awaiting their trial. Sir Charles Wolseley, a baronet, and Joseph
Harrison, a preacher, were under prosecution for uttering seditious
speeches.[16] Sir Francis Burdett--a more popular tribune--was also at
variance with the laws for a scandalous attack on Ministers; in short,
every day seemed to bring to light some source of mischief which could
not fail to add to the uneasiness of the responsible servants of the
Crown. A general election stirred up other noxious ingredients, and
during the spring of the year everything seemed to betoken a coming
convulsion. At this time the following communication was written:--

[15] Lord Sidmouth's intelligence led him to expect daily a
revolutionary movement.--"Life," by Dean Pellew, vol. iii.
p. 325.

[16] The minister of religion exceeded the democratic baronet
in the violence of his denunciations of the ruling powers,
a fair example of which may be found in the following
_morceau_:--"Kings, princes, dukes, lords, commons, parliaments,
archbishops, bishops, prelates, rectors, high-constables,
constables, sheriffs,