Duke of Wellington mobbed and stoned -- Owing to riots, the King postponed his visit to the city -- No Lord Mayor's show, nor dinner -- Riots in the city -- Apsley House besieged -- Ireland proclaimed -- Ferment in the country -- Change of Ministry -- Royal succession -- Scotch regalia -- Curious story of a bank-note 37 CHAPTER VI. 1831. Incendiary fires -- Captain Swing -- The result of Cobbett's lectures -- Special Commission -- Prosecution of Carlile -- Election expenses -- List of Close boroughs -- Collapse of Reform Bill -- The King stoned -- _Debût_ of Princess Victoria -- The _Times_ and the House of Lords -- Bribery at elections -- Action for libel -- "The King _v._ Cobbett" -- Prince Leopold made King of the Belgians 49 CHAPTER VII. 1831. Opening of New London Bridge -- After the luncheon -- State of the waiters -- Provision for the Princess Victoria -- Sale of Sir Walter Scott's MSS. -- The coronation -- Its expenses -- A "half crownation" -- The Lord Mayor and his gold cup 62 CHAPTER VIII. 1831. Scramble for coronation medals -- Bad weather -- Fireworks in Hyde Park -- Absence from the ceremony of the Duchess of Kent and Princess Victoria -- The _Times_ thereon -- Story of a Great Seal -- Reform Bill rejected by the Lords -- Reform riots in the country and London -- Windows of Apsley House broken by the mob 74 CHAPTER IX. 1831. Reform procession -- The Corporation of London and the King -- Dreadful riots at Bristol -- Riots in other parts of the kingdom -- Edward Irving and the "Gift of Tongues" -- The cholera -- Its spread -- State of Ireland -- Tithe agitation -- Scarcity of food -- Repeal of the Union -- Cases of violence 85 CHAPTER X. 1832. Commissions at Bristol and Nottingham -- Executions -- Employment of children in factories -- Cholera in London -- Day of fast and humiliation -- Riot in Finsbury -- Cholera riot at Paisley -- A small one in London -- Decrease of cholera -- Number of deaths -- Cholera in Ireland -- A charm against it -- Its effect on rooks -- The police, City and Metropolitan 101 CHAPTER XI. 1832. Reform Bill passes the Commons -- Scotch boys and the Reform Bill -- Proposed increase of the peerage -- Passed in the Lords -- "The Marylebone or Tory Hunt" -- The Duke of Wellington mobbed -- The King stoned -- The Queen hissed -- Archbishop of Canterbury stoned 114 CHAPTER XII. 1832. The first reformed Parliament -- Steam communication with India -- State of Ireland -- Lawless behaviour -- Malversation of justice -- O'Connell and the Trades' Political Union -- Crime in Ireland 124 CHAPTER XIII. 1833.