ported the existing corn law. He said 'No' to the property
tax and 'Aye' for retaining the house and window taxes. He resisted a
motion of Hume's for the abolition of military and naval sinecures
(February 14), and another motion of the same excellent man's for the
abolition of all flogging in the army save for mutiny and drunkenness.
He voted against the publication of the division lists. He voted with
ministers both against shorter parliaments and (April 25) against the
ballot, a cardinal reform carried by his own government forty years
later. On the other hand he voted (July 5) with Lord Ashley against
postponing his beneficent policy of factory legislation; but he did not
vote either way a fortnight later when Althorp sensibly reduced the
limit of ten hours' work in factories from the impracticable age of
eighteen proposed by Ashley, to the age of thirteen. He supported a bill
against work on Sundays.

V

PURCHASE OF FASQUE

A page or two from his diary will carry us succinctly enough over the
rest of the first and second years of his parliamentary life.

_July 21, 1833, Sunday._-- ... Wrote some lines and prose also.
Finished Strype. Read Abbott and Sumner aloud. Thought for some
hours on my own future destiny, and took a solitary walk to and
about Kensington Gardens. _July 23._--Read _L'Allemagne_, _Rape of
the Lock_, and finished factory report. _July 25_.--Went to
breakfast with old Mr. Wilberforce, introduced by his son. He is
cheerful and serene, a beautiful picture of old age in sight of
immortality. Heard him pray with his family. Blessing and honour
are upon his head. _July 30._--_L'Allemagne_. Bulwer's England.
Parnell. Looked at my Plato. Rode. House. _July 31._--Hallam
breakfasted with me.... Committee on West India bill finished....
German lesson. _August 2._--Worked German several hours. Head half
of the _Bride of Lammermoor_. _L'Allemagne_. Rode. House. _August_
3.--German lesson and worked alone.... Attended Mr. Wilberforce's
funeral; it brought solemn thoughts, particularly about the slaves.
This a burdensome question. [German kept up steadily for many
days.] _August 9._--House ... voted in 48 to 87 against legal
tender clause.... Read Tasso. _August 11_.--St. James's morning and
afternoon. Read Bible. Abbott (finished) and a sermon of