bour of party writers to involve a national history, and without
the dispersion of which no political position can be understood and no
social evil remedied.

The events of 1830 did not produce any change in the modes of thought
and life of Charles Egremont. He took his political cue from his mother,
who was his constant correspondent. Lady Marney was a distinguished
"stateswoman," as they called Lady Carlisle in Charles the First's
time, a great friend of Lady St Julians, and one of the most eminent and
impassioned votaries of Dukism. Her first impression on the overthrow
of her hero was, astonishment at the impertinence of his adversaries,
mingled with some lofty pity for their silly ambition and short-lived
career. She existed for a week in the delightful expectation of his
grace being sent for again, and informed every one in confidence, that
"these people could not form a cabinet." When the tocsin of peace,
reform, and retrenchment sounded, she smiled bitterly; was sorry for
poor Lord Grey of whom she had thought better, and gave them a year,
adding with consoling malice, "that it would be another Canning affair."
At length came the Reform Bill itself, and no one laughed more
heartily than Lady Marney; not even the House of Commons to whom it was
presented.

The bill was thrown out, and Lady Marney gave a grand ball to celebrate
the event, and to compensate the London shopkeepers for the loss of
their projected franchise. Lady Marney was preparing to resume her
duties at court when to her great surprise the firing of cannon
announced the dissolution of Parliament. She turned pale; she was
too much in the secrets of Tadpole and Taper to be deceived as to the
consequences; she sank into her chair, and denounced Lord Grey as a
traitor to his order.

Lady Marney who for six months had been writing to her son at Oxford
the most charming letters, full of fun, quizzing the whole Cabinet,
now announced to Egremont that a revolution was inevitable, that all
property would be instantly confiscated, the poor deluded king led to
the block or sent over to Hanover at the best, and the whole of the
nobility and principal gentry, and indeed every one who possessed
anything, guillotined without remorse.

Whether his friends were immediately to resume power, or whether their
estates ultimately were to be confiscated, the practical conclusion
to Charles Egremont appeared to be the same. Carpe diem. He therefore
pursued his caree