e when it celebrated the passing of the Reform Bill, when there
was by day a grand procession, and a grand dinner in the open air; where
a friend, who knew what boys liked, gave me a slice of plum pudding
served up on the occasion; and then in the evening there were fireworks,
the first I had ever seen, on the Castle Hill. It was a long ride from
our village, and we had to travel by the carrier's cart, drawn by two
horses, and sit beneath the roof on the top of the luggage and baggage,
for we stopped everywhere to pick up parcels. The passengers when seated
endeavoured to make themselves as comfortable as circumstances would
allow. Norwich at that time had a literary reputation, and it seemed to
me there were giants in the land in those days. One I remember was the
Rev. John Kinghorn, a great light among the Baptists, and whom, with his
spare figure and primitive costume, I always confounded with John the
Baptist. Another distinguished personage was William Youngman, at whose
house my father spent a good deal of time, engaged in the hot disputation
in which that grand old Norwich worthy always delighted. As a boy, I
remember I trembled as the discussion went on, for

Mr. MacWinter was apt to be hot,
And Mr. McKenzie a temper had got.

Yet their friendship continued in spite of difference of opinion, and
well do I remember him in his square pew in the Old Meeting, as, with his
gold-headed cane firmly grasped, the red-faced fat old man sat as solemn
and passionless as a judge, while in the pulpit before him the Rev. Mr.
Innes preached. But, alas! the parson had a pretty daughter, and I lost
all his sermon watching the lovely figure in the pew just by. Another of
the deacons, tall and stiff as a poker, Mr. Brightwell, had a pew just
behind, father of a young lady known later as a successful authoress,
while from the gallery opposite a worthy man, Mr. Blunderfield, gave out
the hymn. Up in the galleries there were Spelmans and Jarrolds in
abundance, while in a pew behind the latter was seated a lad who in after
life attained, and still retains, some fame as a lecturer against
Christianity, and later in its favour, well known as Dr. Sexton. To that
Old Meeting I always went with indescribable awe; its square pews, its
old walls with their memorial marbles, the severity of the aspect of the
worshippers, the antique preacher in the antique pulpit all affected me.
But I loved the place nevertheless. Even now