gs. He, too, wore a
cocked hat, and, being tall and thin, stalked before me with great
dignity.' Such a description reads almost like a page from Cervantes.

Thus attended, Lord John visited the scene of the battle of Talavera,
in which his brother had been wounded, and on June 5, two days after the
departure of the French, entered Madrid. Before the end of the month
news arrived of the battle of Vittoria; and the young Englishman shared
in the public rejoicings which greeted the announcement. 'From
Talavera,' adds Lord John, 'I proceeded to Madrid, where I met my
friends George Bridgeman and Robert Clive. With them I travelled to
Valencia, and with them in a ship laden with salt fish to Majorca.'

At Palma the travellers found hospitable quarters at the Bishop's
palace, and after a brief stay crossed in an open boat to Port Mahon in
Minorca--a rather risky trip, as the youths, with their love of
adventure, made it by night, and were overtaken on the way by an
alarming thunderstorm. Whilst in Minorca Lord John received a letter
from his father, informing him of the death of his old friend General
Fitzpatrick, and also stating that the Duke meant to use his influence
at Tavistock to obtain for his son a seat in the House of Commons. 'He
immediately flew home,' remarks his friend Mr. Bridgeman, 'on what wings
I know not, but I suppose on those of political ambition.'

The Duke's nomination rendered his election in those days of
pocket-boroughs a foregone conclusion. As soon as Lord John set foot in
England he was greeted with the tidings that he had already been elected
member for Tavistock, and so began, at the age of one-and-twenty, a
career in the House of Commons which was destined to last for nearly
fifty years.

CHAPTER II

IN PARLIAMENT AND FOR THE PEOPLE

1813-1826

The political outlook when Lord John entered the House of
Commons--The 'Condition of England' question--The struggle for
Parliamentary Reform--Side-lights on Napoleon Bonaparte--The
Liverpool Administration in a panic--Lord John comes to the aid of
Sir Francis Burdett--Foreign travel--First motion in favour of
Reform--Making headway

LORD LIVERPOOL was at the head of affairs when Lord John Russell entered
Parliament. His long tenure of power had commenced in the previous
summer, and it lasted until the Premier was struck down by serious
illness in the opening weeks of 1827. In Lord John's opinion, Lord
L