[B] The Tory Party had by this time adopted the title of Conservatives, a term first applied to them by Wilson Croker in the _Quarterly Review_ for January 1830, wherein he mentions his attachment to "what is called the Tory, but which might, with more propriety, be called the Conservative Party." The Charter of Conservatism was never more clearly defined than by Sir Robert Peel, who, speaking at Merchant Taylors' Hall in 1838, said: "My object for some years past has been to lay the foundations of a great party which, existing in the House of Commons, and deriving its strength from the popular will, should diminish the risk and deaden the shock of collisions between the two branches of the legislature." [C] During eight months of 1839 wheat was upwards of 70_s._ a quarter. Last year (1896) it was 24_s._ [D] Daniel O'Connell's parody referring to Colonel Sibthorp, who was Member for Lincoln, and two other Colonels in Parliament, is too witty to be forgotten:-- "Three Colonels in three distant counties born, Sligo, Armagh, and Lincoln did adorn, The first in matchless impudence surpassed The next in bigotry--in both, the last. The force of nature could no further go: To beard the third, she shaved the other two." Colonel Sibthorp was distinguished, in days when shaven chins were all but universal, by an immense beard and moustache. [E] This Act was repealed in 1871. [F] There were at that time two offices in the Government, that of the Secretary of State for War, who was the Duke of Newcastle, and that of the Secretary at War, Mr. Sidney Herbert. [G] Sir Henry Lawrence was brother of Sir John Lawrence, afterwards Lord Lawrence, Governor-General of India. [H] Her Royal Highness's full baptismal names are Alexandra Caroline Maria Charlotte Louisa Julia. [I] See page 217. [J] See page 210. [K] Dress of black moiré silk with panels of pale grey silk, embroidered in silver; cape of black chiffon, with white lace insertion and silver embroidery. Black bonnet, ornamented with jet and silver, trimmed with white acacia and ostrich feathers, and diamond aigrette. * * * * * * Transcriber's note: Simple typographical errors were corrected. Punctuation and spelling were made consistent when a predominant preference was found in this book; otherwise they were not changed. The first letter of each Chapter, including the Preface, was printed as an illustrated drop-cap. This version of this eBook uses simple printed letters instead, and does not indicate the presence of an illustration. Identifying names in some captions have been replaced by letter keys and corresponding explanations; when the original book used numeric keys, they have been retained. Footnotes have been moved to the end of this eBook. The Index only covers pages 1-192. In the original book, it appeared immediately after the Preface, but has been moved to the end of this eBook.