Accession of William IV.--The King's Proceedings--His Popularity--Funeral of George IV.--Dislike of the Duke of Cumberland--The King's Simplicity and Good-nature--Reviews the Guards--The First Court--The King in St. James's Street-- Dissolution of Parliament--The King dines at Apsley House--The Duke of Gloucester--The Quakers' Address--The Ordinances of July--The French Revolution--Brougham's Election for Yorkshire--Struggle in Paris--Elections Adverse to Government-- The Duke of Wellington on the French Revolution--Duke of Cumberland resigns the Gold Stick and the Blues--George IV.'s Wardrobe--Fall of the Bourbons--Weakness of the Duke's Ministry--The King at Windsor--The Duke of Orleans accepts the Crown of France--Chamber of Peers remodelled--Prince Polignac-- The New Parliament--Virginia Water--Details of George IV.'s Illness and Death--Symptoms of Opposition--Brougham--Charles X. in England--Dinner in St. George's Hall--Lambeth--Marshal Marmont--His Conversation--Campaign of 1814--The Conflict in Paris--Dinner at Lord Dudley's. 1830. London, July 16th, 1830 {p.001} I returned here on the 6th of this month, and have waited these ten days to look about me and see and hear what is passing. The present King and his proceedings occupy all attention, and nobody thinks any more of the late King than if he had been dead fifty years, unless it be to abuse him and to rake up all his vices and misdeeds. Never was elevation like that of King William IV. His life has been hitherto passed in obscurity and neglect, in miserable poverty, surrounded by a numerous progeny of bastards, without consideration or friends, and he was ridiculous from his grotesque ways and little meddling curiosity. Nobody ever invited him into their house, or thought it necessary to honour him with any mark of attention or respect; and so he went on for above forty years, till Canning brought him into notice by making him Lord High Admiral at the time of his grand Ministerial schism. In that post he distinguished himself by making absurd speeches, by a morbid official activity, and by a general wildness which was thought to indicate incipient insanity, till shortly after Canning's death and the Duke's accession, as is well known, the latter dismissed him. He then dropped back into obscurity, but had become by this time somewhat more of a personage than he was before. His brief administration of the navy, the death of the Duke of York, which made him heir to the throne, his increased wealth and regular habits, had procured him more consideration, though not a great deal. Such was his position when George IV. broke all at once, and after three months of expectation William finds himself King. July 18th, 1830 {p.002} [Page Head: KING WILLIAM'S ACCESSION.]