Gossip in the First Decade of Victoria's Reign Part 17

And you lit the fire?-I did.

Did you know there were women in the house?-I partly guessed there were.

Did you mind how many innocent people might have been burned?-I did not care. (Great sensation.)

Judge and Counsel, with great disgust, ordered the wretch off the table.

In these days of Motor Cars, any gossip about their progenitors must be of interest. On 7 Aug., a steam carriage, carrying 16 persons, belonging to the General Steam Company, was tried between the York and Albany, Regent's Park, and the Manor House at Tottenham-i.e., along the Camden Road to Finsbury Park-doing the distance in rather less than half-an-hour. Another ran on 13 Sep. from Deptford to Sevenoaks, about 21 miles, in 2 hours 37 minutes, but there were small accidents by the way. Later on in the month the first-named carriage performed about Windsor, Frogmore and Dachet, and frequently reached a speed of 18 to 20 miles an hour; and on Oct. 1 it was shown to the Queen and Prince Albert, the latter expressing himself highly pleased with it. It then only did 16 miles an hour.

On 9 Sep. Vauxhall Gardens, which had been a place of amus.e.m.e.nt since the time of Charles I., were sold for 20,000. In _Punch_ of 14 Aug. we find a sad account of a last visit:

"Impelled by a sense of duty, we wended our way to the 'Royal property,' {169a} to take a last look at the long expiring gardens.

It was a wet night-the lamps burnt dimly-the military band played in the minor key-the waiters stalked about with so silent, melancholy a tread, that we took their towels for pocket handkerchiefs; the concert in the open _rain_ went off tamely-dirge-like, in spite of the 'Siege of Acre,' which was described in a set of quadrilles, embellished with blue fire and maroons, and adorned with a dozen double drums, thumped at intervals, like death notes, in various parts of the doomed gardens. The _divertiss.e.m.e.nt_ was anything but diverting, when we reflected upon the impending fate of the 'Rotunda,' in which it was performed.

"No such damp was, however, thrown over the evolutions of 'Ducrow's beautiful horses and equestrian _artistes_,' including the 'new grand _entree_ and calvacade of Amazons.' They had no sympathy with the decline and fall of the _Simpsonian_ {169b} empire. They were strangers, interlopers, called in, like mutes and feathers, to grace the 'funeral show,' to give a more graceful flourish to the final exit. The horses pawed the sawdust, evidently unconscious that the earth it covered would soon be 'let on lease for building ground'; the riders seemed in the hey-day of their equestrian triumph. Let them, however, derive from the fate of Vauxhall a deep, a fearful lesson!-though we shudder as we write, it shall not be said that destruction came upon them unawares-that no warning voice had been raised-that even the squeak of _Punch_ was silent! Let them not sneer, and call us superst.i.tious-we do _not_ give credence to supernatural agency as a fixed and general principle; but we did believe in Simpson, and stake our professional reputation upon Widdicomb! {170a}

"That Vauxhall Gardens were under the special protection of, that they drew the very breath of their attractiveness from, the ceremonial Simpson, who can deny? When he flitted from walk to walk, from box to box, and welcomed everybody to the 'Royal property,'

right royally did things go on! Who would _then_ have dreamt that the ill.u.s.trious George {170b}-he of the Piazza-would ever be 'honoured with instructions to sell'? that his eulogistic pen would be employed in giving the puff superlative to the Elysian haunts of quondam fas.h.i.+on-in other words-painting the lily-gilding refined gold? But, alas! Simpson, the tutelar deity, departed ('died,' some say, but we don't believe it), and, at the moment he made his last bow, Vauxhall ought to have been closed; it was madness-the madness which will call us, peradventure, superst.i.tious-which kept the gates open when Simpson's career closed-it was an anomaly, for, like Love and Heaven, Simpson was Vauxhall, and Vauxhall was Simpson!

"Let Ducrow reflect upon these things-we dare not speak out-but a tutelar being watches over, and giveth vitality to his arena-his ring is, he may rely upon it, a fairy one-while _that_ mysterious being dances and prances in it, all will go well; his horses will not stumble, never will his clowns forget a syllable of their antiquated jokes. Oh! let him, then, whilst seriously reflecting upon Simpson and the fate of Vauxhall, give good heed unto the Methuselah, who hath already pa.s.sed his second centenary in the circle!

"These were our awful reflections while viewing the scenes in the circle, very properly constructed in the Rotunda. They overpowered us-we dared not stay to see the fireworks, 'in the midst of which Signora Rossini was to make her terrific ascent and descent on a rope three hundred feet high.' She _might_ have been the sprite of Madame Saqui; {171} in fact, the 'Vauxhall Papers,' published in the gardens, put forth a legend which favours such a dreadful supposition. We refer our readers to them-they are only sixpence apiece.

"Of course, the gardens were full, in spite of the weather; for what must be the callousness of that man who could let _the_ Gardens pa.s.s under the hammer of George Robins, without bidding them an affectionate farewell? Good gracious! we can hardly believe such insensibility does exist. Hasten then, dear readers, as you would fly to catch the expiring sigh of a fine old boon companion-hasten to take your parting slice of ham, your last bowl of arrack-even now, while the great auctioneer says 'going.'"

On 24 August Sir J. L. Goldsmid was made a Baronet, and was the first Jewish gentleman who ever received that t.i.tle. Perhaps it is not generally known that an honour, not much inferior, had, once, very nearly fallen to the lot of a brother Israelite. At one of those festive meetings at Carlton House, in which George IV. sometimes allowed a few of his most favoured subjects to partic.i.p.ate, Mr. Braham was introduced to sing his then newly-composed song, "A b.u.mper of Burgundy," when the gratified monarch, rising from his chair, was, with difficulty, restrained from conferring immediate knighthood on the flattered musician.

Three well-known railways were opened this year; the Great Western, from London to Bristol, on 30 June; the London and Blackwall, on 2 Aug.; and the London and Brighton, on 21 Sep.

On 18 Oct. was a remarkably high tide in the Thames, which did an immense amount of damage. This, and another event were celebrated in a contemporary ballad, beginning:

"There's lately been a great high tide, Nor can it be surprising, When everything is getting dear, That water should be rising,"

and after dealing with that event in a very witty manner, it went on:

"The Tower of London, envying Father Thames's notoriety, Resolved to have a 'flare up'

And be talked of in society; Ten thousand guns were fired at once, With very few escapers, But, though no one heard the great report, There was one in the papers."

This terrible conflagration was first noticed about half-past ten, on the night of 31 Oct., by a sentinel on duty on the terrace near the Jewel Office, whose attention was attracted to a glimmering light under the cupola of the Round, or Bowyer Tower-which was close to the Armoury, in which was deposited an immense amount of stores, such as muskets, etc., and many priceless trophies of war. When the sentinel found the light increased, he gave the alarm by firing his musket, and the whole of the garrison, officers and men, turned out; but the fire had got so great a hold that, before a sufficient supply of water could be obtained, the entire roof of the Armoury was in flames.

Unfortunately, it was low tide in the Thames, and, although the fire-engines soon arrived, and there were the Garrison and 250 policemen to render a.s.sistance, the flames spread rapidly; so fast, indeed, that the only things then got out and saved, were the Duke of York's sword and belt, and a beautiful Maltese gun.

The grand staircase of this Armoury was considered one of the finest in Europe, and the following is a contemporary description of it. "In a recess on the landing was a platform supported on eight bra.s.s six-pounder guns, taken at Waterloo, and which served as pillars. On this was a splendid trophy, consisting of arms and weapons, ancient and modern, comprising nearly 200 varieties, and nearly all differing in form or pattern. In the centre was a marble bust of William IV. Upon the walls, at the sides, were two large stars, formed of swords, and their bra.s.s scabbards, bayonets and pistols, one representing the Star of the Garter, and the other of the Bath. Also two figures in gilt suits of armour on ornamented pedestals. The rails of the stairs and the cornice of the ceiling were ornamented with architectural figures, curiously formed with arms. Below, upon pedestals, were two very striking groups, one representing a knight in gilt armour, preparing for action, attended by his esquire, who was in the act of buckling on his spurs, and a pikeman, with his 18 feet pike. The other group was a knight in a handsome suit of bright armour, of the time of Elizabeth, in action, having seized a banner from the enemy, waving his followers on. On each side of the entrance door was a knight in a suit of gilt armour, and two others, similarly clad, stood on brackets. The whole of these were destroyed, with the exception of the Waterloo cannon."

The fire was soon perilously near to the Jewel Office, which was scorching hot-yet Mr. Swifte, the keeper of the jewels, saved the whole of the Regalia, down to the minutest article, and was earnestly begged to retire and leave the last thing, a huge silver wine fountain, to its fate, but he would not, and this, also, was salved.

"Then Mr. Swifte was nothing slow The Crown and Jewels saving; And to get the great Wine Cooler out, Great danger he was braving.

Now, Mr. Swifte, of all the wine, Should now be made the ruler, For while the fire was getting hotter, He was getting _the Wine Cooler_."

There was an awful scare as to the chance of the store of gunpowder catching alight-but 400 barrels of powder, and 200 boxes of grenades and ball cartridges, were removed to the magazine, and the remainder was thrown into the moat.

On the 8th Dec. the general public were allowed to inspect the ruins, and to purchase mementos of the fire; the prices were, 6d. for half-a-dozen gun-flints, and the same amount for a few burnt percussion caps; pieces of fused iron and arms went at prices varying from 1s. to 20s., the latter, the maximum price. For many years I had a fused cavalry pistol, and some calcined flints which were very pretty. The fused cannon were sold as old metal.

On the 9 Nov. His Majesty Edward VII. was born, and, on the 8th Dec. was created Prince of Wales. His patent is as follows:

"Victoria, by the grace of G.o.d, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith.

"To all Archbishops, Dukes, Earls, Viscounts, Bishops, Barons, Baronets, Knights, Justices, Provosts, Ministers, and all other our faithful subjects, greeting-

"Know ye, that we have made and created, and by these our letters patent, do make and create, our most dear Son, the Prince of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (Duke of Saxony, Duke of Cornwall and Rothsay, Earl of Carrick, Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Great Steward of Scotland), Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester; and to the same, our most dear Son, the Prince of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, have given and granted, and by this our present Charter do give, grant and confirm, the name, style, t.i.tle, dignity and honour of the same Princ.i.p.ality and Earldom, and him, our said most dear Son, the Prince of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, as has been accustomed, we do enn.o.ble and invest with the said Princ.i.p.ality and Earldom, by girting him with a sword, by putting a coronet on his head, and a gold ring on his finger, and, also, by delivering a gold rod into his hand, that he may preside there, and may direct and defend those parts. To hold to him and his Heirs, Kings of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, for ever, wherefore we will, and strictly command for us, our heirs, and successors, that our said most dear Son, the Prince of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, may have the name, style, t.i.tle, state, dignity, and honour of the Princ.i.p.ality of Wales, and Earldom of Chester aforesaid, unto him and his heirs, Kings of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, as is above mentioned.

"In witness whereof, we have caused these, our letters, to be made patent. Witness ourself at Westminster, this 8th day of December, 1841.

By the QUEEN herself.

"Edmunds."

We read in the _Times_ of 25 Nov., anent the Thames Tunnel, that "a thoroughfare was, yesterday, effected in this work, and made use of, for the first time, by the whole of the directors, and some of the original subscribers, who had a.s.sembled upon the occasion. The s.h.i.+eld having been advanced to the shaft at Wapping, a considerable opening was cut in the brickwork, and it was through this the party, who had met at Rotherhithe, were enabled to pa.s.s, thus opening the first subterranean communication between the opposite sh.o.r.es of the river. Upon their arrival at the shaft, the party was greeted by the workmen with most hearty cheers. A curious and interesting incident was connected with the event; a few bottles of wine, preserved since the dinner given on the occasion when the foundation stone was laid, with the understanding that it was to be drunk only when it could be carried under the Thames, having been opened and enjoyed by the company, to the health of Her Majesty and the infant Prince. It was remarked, too, as a singular coincidence, that a seal on one of the corks bore the impress of the Prince of Wales's feathers, a circ.u.mstance that caused some merriment. The engineer, Sir I. Brunel, appeared highly gratified at the happy result of his past anxiety and arduous labour. The s.h.i.+eld will continue its advance, until it has afforded s.p.a.ce for the formation of the remainder of the tunnel, which is expected to be completed in about three weeks."

By the end of the year the foundations of the New Royal Exchange were dug out and concreted, and, as it was always antic.i.p.ated that some important discoveries might take place in the course of the excavation, proper arrangements were made on the commencement of the work, that any articles of interest which might be disinterred, should be secured for the Gresham Committee. In the Specification for the Works, issued in 1840, the Contractor and Excavator were required, in taking out the soil, to deliver up "any plate, coins, antiquities, or curiosities, whether in metal, or otherwise, or any carved stones, or carvings in marble, pottery, terra cotta, or tesserae, which may be found in the course of the excavations; it being understood that all such matters, or things, are to be taken up with all requisite care, and are to remain the property of the Gresham Committee."

They found a portion of a Roman building, but the greatest haul was in an old gravel pit, some 50ft. by 34, filled with hardened mud, in which were contained considerable quant.i.ties of animal and vegetable remains, apparently the discarded refuse of the inhabitants of the vicinity. In the same depository were also found very numerous fragments of the red Roman pottery, usually called "Samian Ware," pieces of gla.s.s vessels, broken terra-cotta lamps, parts of amphorae, mortaria, and other articles made of earth, and all the rubbish which might naturally become acc.u.mulated in a pond in the course of years. In this ma.s.s likewise occurred a number of Imperial Roman coins, several bronze and iron styles, parts of writing tablets, a bather's strigil, a large quant.i.ty of caliga soles, sandals and remains of leather, all of which can now be seen in the highly interesting Museum of the Corporation of the City of London, at the Guildhall.

CHAPTER XVII.

Foundation of Royal Exchange laid-Medal connected therewith-Father Mathew's miracle-Christening of the Prince of Wales-King Edward VII.-Hard work of the King of Prussia-The Earthquake in London-The Queen drinking "grog"-Photography-Talbotype-Sale at Strawberry Hill-Presents to the King of Prussia.

The first event of note in this year was the laying, by Prince Albert, of the foundation stone of the Royal Exchange, on 17 Jan., with all the pomp at the command of the City authorities. The usual coins, etc., were deposited in a cavity, together with a Latin inscription, engraved on zinc, of which the following is a translation: "Sir Thomas Gresham, Knight, erected, at his own charge, a building and colonnade for the convenience of those persons who, in this renowned Mart, might carry on the commerce of the World, adding thereto, for the relief of indigence, and for the advancement of literature and science, an Almshouse and College of Lecturers, the City of London aiding him, Queen Elizabeth favouring the design; and, when the work was complete, opening it in person with a solemn procession. Having been reduced to ashes with almost the entire city, by a calamitous and wide spreading conflagration, they were rebuilt in a more splendid form by the City of London and the Ancient Company of Mercers, King Charles II. commencing the building on 23 Oct., A.D. 1667; and, when they had been again destroyed by fire, on the 10th Jan., AD. 1838, the same Bodies, undertaking the work, determined to restore them at their own cost, on an enlarged and more ornamental plan; the munificence of Parliament providing the means of extending the site, and of widening the approaches and crooked streets, in every direction; in order that there might, at length, arise, under the auspices of Queen Victoria, built a third time from the ground, an Exchange, worthy of this great Nation and City, and suited to the vastness of a Commerce extending to the circ.u.mference of the habitable Globe. His Royal Highness of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Consort of Her Sacred Majesty, laid the first stone on 17 Jan., 1842, in the Mayoralty of the Rt. Hon. John Pirie. Architect, William t.i.te, F.R.S. May G.o.d, our Preserver, ward off destruction from this building, and from the whole City."

After the manner of the City of London, a medal was struck to commemorate the event, having on the obverse a profile portrait of Prince Albert, with the legend "Albertus ubique honoratus," the reverse having a view of the western portico of the Exchange. On 13 Jan. Mr. Roach Smith exhibited at the Society of Antiquaries a medalet, found on the site of the Exchange, evidently struck to commemorate Queen Elizabeth's patronage of the original building, as it bore the Tudor Arms surrounded with the inscription "Angli Regina ubique honorata."

Father Mathew was still doing his grand work in Ireland, but there is a story told about him in the _Limerick Chronicle_, copied into the _Times_ of 17 Jan., that is too good to be omitted: "The Rev. Mr. Mathew arrived in this city, last evening, by the Cork mail, _en route_ to Loughrea, and put up at Moore's hotel. Immediately after his arrival became known, hundreds of persons visited him at the hotel, where he administered the pledge. One circ.u.mstance which came within public observation, we may mention here, as ill.u.s.trative of the effects of breaking the temperance pledge:-A man, named Moynehan, a teetotaller, who worked at the b.u.t.ter Weigh-house, got drunk on Christmas Eve, and the next day, became paralysed, his left arm, side and thigh being perfectly inanimate. He was removed to Barrington's Hospital, and remained there under the care of the surgeons, without improvement, until last evening, when his friends, having heard of Father Mathew's arrival in town, went to the hospital, and brought him out of his bed, on a man's back, to where the Rev. Mr. Mathew was staying; a crowd had collected round the door, when the unhappy invalid was carried into his presence, and the reverend gentleman administered to him the pledge again, in a kind and impressive manner, and the man instantly stood up, was a.s.sisted by his friends to dress; and, to the astonishment of all, walked up William Street to his home, followed by a crowd of people."

On 25 Jan., the Prince of Wales was christened in St. George's Chapel, Windsor, by the name of Albert Edward, and on 20 Jan. appeared a letter in the _Times_ from "A Conservative":

"Sir.-We learn from the _Times_ of to-day, that the Prince will be called Albert Edward.

"It is natural, indeed, that the ill.u.s.trious father, and still more, that the ill.u.s.trious mother, should prefer Albert Edward to Edward Albert.

"But as I pray G.o.d that the boy may live to be King, to whatever period his mother's life may be graciously extended, so I trust that he may have every qualification for popularity as well as goodness, and, amongst others, an old, and beloved, and accustomed _English name_.

"And what so fit as Edward? Who more beloved, or glorious, than Edward the Confessor-Edward I.-Edward III.-Edward VI.? A Catholic Saint-a law-giver-a conqueror-a Protestant Reformer?