Mr. Pitt contended, that the modern reformers did not mean to confine themselves to any modification of the House of Commons, and the representation of the country; on the contrary, what they described by the word Reform was nothing less than an alienation of the principles of the British constitution; although they sometimes availed themselves of the topics of parliamentary reform, which they neither would apply to parliament for, nor considered parliament as competent to give. They had borrowed the principles of reform, the novel doctrines of the Rights of Man, from French proselytes, from Paine, from the jacobin and affiliated societies, and from that shallow philosophy, which, under a specious mask, had endeavoured to impose on the world one of the wildest species of bigotry which had ever existed.

Mr. Fox strongly defended the motion of his friend Mr. Grey, and, like him, concluded with taking at least a temporary leave of the house." I have no intention," said he, "of wholly deserting my duty in this house; but since ministers have been so repeatedly convicted of failures, since parliament still continues confiding in and supporting them, notwithstanding the alarming condition of the country, I shall certainly think myself justified in giving more of my time to my own private concerns than I hitherto have done, and less of it to fruitless exertions in this house." Mr. Fox also expressed

a wish to see the present ministers banished from the King's presence and councils for ever, as the most certain step to preserve the constitution: “but I have no wish," said he, "to form a part of any new administration that may succeed them." When the house divided, the motion was negatived by 256 against 91.

Thus ended the farce in England, which was repeated in the sister island, where a committee had been for some time sitting on the state of the nation.

In a few days after the report of this secret committee was read to the Irish house, Mr. Ponsonby introduced his promised motion, respecting a parliamentary reform.

That motion was negatived by 117 to 30.

"The whig members of the Irish parliament, wearied with fruitless attempts, at length seceded from that body, and left ministers and their adherents to their fate!"

In his attentions to the regular army, the King did not forget the volunteer force, so nobly enrolled, but took every opportunity of gratifying himself by their inspection, and of encouraging them by his notice. Amongst other corps, the London Light Horse did not fail to claim his attention; and he accordingly, on the twenty-sixth of June, appointed a review of them on Wimbledon Common, where, punctual to his time, he arrived at ten o'clock, followed by the Queen and five princesses.

The troops were already in line; and His Majesty, instantly quitting his post-chaise, mounted his charger, and rode up to the ground, accompanied by the royal commander-in-chief, being joined shortly after by the Prince of Wales, and others of the royal sons. After the royal salute, the King proceeded along the lines for close inspection, and then took his station in front of the centre, when the whole corps passed by squadrons, and afterwards by single files, and also went through the sword exercise, together with all the usual evolutions, in the most correct manner.

All the military officers approved of the style in which this was conducted, and His Majesty declared his high satisfaction both at the appearance and the conduct of the corps, which he sent expressly to the colonel, by the commander-in chief The ground throughout the day was crowded with beauty and fashion. Every body was happy and pleased, and the whole went off in the most delightful manner.

His Majesty left the field immediately after the review, in order to meet the levee at St. James's.

It was either upon this occasion, or very shortly afterwards, at a review in Hyde Park, that His Ma jesty, with his usual good humour, gave a proper military rebuke to an act rather unmilitary, though strictly loyal.

The volunteers having huzzaed, the King in

"I

stantly rode up to the line, smiled, and said, thank you for your loyalty; but we must not have rules broken through.'

The effect of this was so electric, that, although the rebuke was felt, it was with the utmost difficulty that the hearers could refrain from again outraging military etiquette by renewing their cheers.

It must have been one of those occasions, of which the following anecdote is told: the narrator says, "That as the volunteer corps of the metropolis and its neighbourhood were once passing in review before the King on Wimbledon Common, the officer who carried the colours of the Croydon corps was so taken up with gazing on His Majesty, that he forgot to pay the usual compliment of lowering the colours. Sometime after, His Majesty happened to be passing through a town in Kent, where a corps of volunteers were on permanent duty; and the captain's guard having turned out, in honour of His Majesty, "What corps?— what corps?" asked His Majesty. The officer answered, "The Croydon volunteers, may it please your Majesty." "Ah! ah!" replied His Majesty, smiling, "I remember them well at Wimbledon. You came off with flying colours that day."

The King being anxious to visit the North Sea fleet, after Duncan's victory, left Windsor at daybreak on the thirtieth of October, in his post-chaise and four, with the usual escort of light horse, and

arrived at Greenwich, where he alighted at the governor's house, and was joined by his suite, by the lords of the admiralty, commissioners of the navy, and other officers. A regiment of London militia, on duty at Greenwich, were drawn out to receive him; and all the pensioners lined the way to the stairs for his embarkation, whither he proceeded, after breakfasting with Lord Hood, the governor, and his family.

At the stairs he went on board his barge, and proceeded to the Royal Charlotte yacht, commanded for the occasion by Captain Trollope: and his attendants having gone on board two other yachts, the whole got under way, but with a foul wind, and beat down the river.

The royal yacht, on this occasion, was fitted up in a very superb style. In the fore cabin was a chair and rich canopy of crimson velvet, with gold fringe, for the King to sit on; the deck was covered with carpeting; and the chairs for the noblemen who attended him were mahogany, with morocco leather seats. In the after cabin was the state bed for His Majesty to sleep on; and sofas covered with crimson damask in the apartments adjoining for the gentlemen in waiting. The state room was also elegantly fitted up for others of the royal suite.

In passing down the river the usual royal salutes were fired; but the yachts were not able, in the