II. THE HOUSE OF LORDS 18 III. THE HOUSE OF COMMONS 39 IV. THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER 60 V. HIS MAJESTY'S SERVANTS 81 VI. THE LORD CHANCELLOR 103 VII. THE SPEAKER 119 VIII. THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT 135 IX. RULES OF DEBATE 158 X. PARLIAMENTARY PRIVILEGE AND PUNISHMENT 173 XI. PARLIAMENTARY DRESS AND DEPORTMENT 189 XII. PARLIAMENTARY ELOQUENCE 203 XIII. PARLIAMENT AT WORK (I.) 225 XIV. PARLIAMENT AT WORK (II.) 242 XV. STRANGERS IN PARLIAMENT 259 XVI. PARLIAMENTARY REPORTING 275 SOURCES AND REFERENCES 288 INDEX 299 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT _Frontispiece_ From a Photograph by J. VALENTINE & SONS FACING PAGE THE HOUSE OF LORDS IN 1742 26 From an Engraving by JOHN PINE THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN 1742 46 From an Engraving by JOHN PINE WESTMINSTER HALL IN 1797 62 From an Engraving by C. MOSLEY THE REMAINS OF ST. STEPHEN'S CHAPEL AFTER THE FIRE OF 1834 72 From a Lithograph after the Drawing by JOHN TAYLOR, JR. SIR ROBERT WALPOLE 84 From the Painting by FRANCIS HAYMAN, R.A., in the National Portrait Gallery CHATHAM 92 From the Painting by WILLIAM HOARE, R.A., in the National Portrait Gallery A CABINET MEETING (THE COALITION MINISTRY OF 1854) 100 From the Drawing by SIR JOHN GILBERT LORD ELDON 114 From the Painting by SIR THOMAS LAWRENCE, P.R.A., in the National Portrait Gallery CHARLES ABBOT (LORD COLCHESTER) 124 From the Painting by JOHN HOPPNER, R.A., in the National Portrait Gallery THE TREASURY BENCH IN 1863 138 From an Engraving after the Painting by J. PHILIP THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN 1910 162 From a Photograph by London Electrotype Agency THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN 1835 186 From an Engraving by SAMUEL COUSINS from the Painting by H. W. BURGESS