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Here is a little anecdote chronicled in the _Annual Register_ (6 Sep.):
"REVERSE OF FORTUNE.--Edward Riley, living with his family in Hadley
Street, Burton Crescent, having been proved next of kin to Maj.-Gen.
Riley, who recently died at Madras, leaving property to the amount of
50,000 pounds, to the whole of which he has become entitled, has greatly
amused the neighbourhood by his conduct. From having been but a workman
in the dust-yard in Maiden Lane, he has, now, become a man of
independence. Some days after his sudden acquisition of wealth, he
called, in his cab, on a tailor in Seymour Street, and, taking him to the
dust yard, desired him to measure the whole of the men in the yard for a
suit of clothes, which being accomplished, he ordered them to go to a
bootmaker, where they were all served. On the following Sunday, he
ordered a butcher to supply each of them with a joint of meat. Riley has
taken a house in Argyle Square; and, upon entering it, purposes to give a
dinner to all the dustmen in London, and illuminate the front of his
house."

We have seen, in 1843, _Punch's_ idea of Prince Albert as a farmer, and
we next hear of him, in connection with this business, as refusing to pay
parish rates for the Flemish Farm; so at a vestry meeting held at
Windsor, on 18 Sep., the subject was brought forward. It appeared that
the estimated rental of the property was 450 pounds, and that the last
rate, at 8d. in the pound, amounting to 15 pounds, had not been paid. It
was stated that the Prince had refused to pay the rates on two grounds,
first, that he had no "beneficial occupation," and, secondly, that "the
property belonged to the Queen." The reply to this was, that the Prince
certainly had a beneficial occupation in the farm, for the two prize oxen
sold by him, last year, at 70 and 80 pounds, were fatted on this farm, to
say nothing of the crops and agricultural produce, from which His Royal
Highness received great profits, and it was thought there was no reason
why he should be let off, and the poorer farmers made to pay the rates.
It was settled that the collector should make application for the
arrears, amounting to over 200 pounds.

_Punch_ drew a harrowing picture, of the brokers being put into Windsor
Castle, and of a paragraph which might appear in the _Court Circular_:
"Yesterday, Her Gracious Majesty visited Prince Albert at her own Bench."
But matters did not go so far, for on 14 Ja