It must be admitted that this was unfortunate. Neither can it be denied that the parallel between Octavia and Caroline of Brunswick-between the pure, innocent girl bride of Nero, one of the saddest and most touching figures in ancient story, and the mature, bold, coarse, and immodest, even if not vicious, Queen of George IV.-though worked out with considerable ingenuity, was, to say the least of it, in very questionable taste. The quotation, too, of the "honest chambermaid's Greek," "the scathing sarcasm which," in the eloquent words of Mr. Merivale," clings like the shirt of Nessus to the name of Tigellinus,' was a temptation which it would, on all accounts, have been better to have resisted. As this quotation stands in Hansard's report of the speech, it is clear from the context that it was intended to apply, not in any way to the King himself, but to witnesses like Majocchi, and Sacchi, and Rastelli-discarded menials, who came forward with perjured evidence to betray their former mistress. The King, however, as will be seen hereafter, suspected that it was meant for himself (nor, indeed, is it at all certain that Parr might not have so intended it), and his resentment, naturally enough, was deadly, and for many years unappeasable. Denman would have done much better not to have given way to the suggestion of the officious and overrated old pedant. For the moment, however, the town was delighted with the parallel between Caroline and Octavia; the King was everywhere talked of as Nero, and Moore (then in Paris, on account of his Bermuda money difficulties), records in his diary that the dandies of the day thought it witty to speak of Carlton House as "Nérot's Hotel." 1 Bayle, article 'Octavia,' cites the parallel passages from Tacitus and Xiphilin; Tacitus Ann. xiv., c. 60, Xiphilin p. 176; and see also Dion lii. 13. Neither the Latin nor the Greek can be quoted with decency. Tigellinus was presiding at the examination in which the female attendants of Octavia were being tortured to prove their mistress guilty of adultery with a slave. The imputation cast upon Tigellinus by the honest chambermaid' was of a nameless impurity, which made him peculiar for infamy even in the infamous court of Nero. 2 Merivale, "History of the Romans under the Empire," chap. liii., vol. vi. P. 339, edition in 8 vols. of 1865. 3 Moore's diary, under date Nov. 6, 1820. The speech, in spite of these occasional lapses from good taste, was in an eminent degree bold, vigorous, and manly. It is prevaded throughout by a deep sense of earnestness, a profound conviction of the truth and justice of his client's cause. The high tone of generous and vehement indignation never for a moment flags, and the comments on the evidence, minute, searching, and ingenious, are masterly in the extreme. It contains, just before the close, a graceful and generous tribute of praise to the magnificent exertions of Brougham; an expression of friendship and admiration which at the time was much and deservedly applauded: "Before I conclude, I must be permitted to say that during the whole of this proceeding (though, personally, I have every reason to thank the House for its kindness and indulgence) the highest gratification resulting to my mind has been that I have been joined with my learned friend on this great occasion. We have fought elsewhere the battles of morality, Christianity, and civilized society, throughout the world; and, in the language of the dying warrior, I may say— In this glorious and well-foughten field While he has been achieving an immortal victory, an illustrious triumph, and protecting innocence and truth by the adamantine shield of his prodigious eloquence, it has been my lot to discharge only a few random arrows at the defeated champions of this disgraceful cause. The House will believe me when I say that I witnessed the display of his surprising powers with no other feelings than a sincere gratification that the triumph was complete -with admiration and delight that the victory of the Queen was accomplished." Another passage which especially commended itself to the popular sentiment was the famous apostrophe "Come forth, thou slanderer," addressed to the Duke of Clarence, afterwards William IV., who, though his own life had been notoriously profligate, affected to be deeply 1 From Nightingale's report of the trial (3 vols. 8vo. 1820) vol. iii. pp. 291, 202. The report in Hansard is much tamer and less spirited. shocked at the immoralities of his sister-in-law, and was known to be a most industrious circulator of all sorts of scandal against her. "Thou slanderer," was a sobriquet which for some time clung as closely to the king's brother as that of "Nero" to the King, though William, as it afterwards appeared, had what George wanted-the royal magnanimity to forgive. The passage is worth citing, as a fair specimen of the style of speaking which made Denman in those days one of the most popular men in England.' I know that rumors are abroad of the most vague, but, at the same time, of the most injurious character; I have heard them even at the very moment we were defending Her Majesty against charges which, compared with these rumors, are clear, comprehensible, and tangible. We have heard and hear daily, with alarm, that there are persons, and these not of the lowest condition, not confined to individuals connected with the public Press —not even excluded from this august assembly-who are industriously circulating the most odious and atrocious calumnies against Her Majesty. Can this thing be?—and yet can we live in the world in these times, and not know it to be a fact? We know that if a juryman on such an occasion should be found to possess, or affect to possess, any knowledge on the subject of inquiry, we should have a right to call him to the bar as a witness. 'Come forward,' we might say, 'and let us confront you with our evidence; let us see whether no explanation can be given of the fact you assert, and no refutation effectually applied.' But to any man who could even be suspected of so base a practice as whispering calumnies to judges-distilling leprous venom into the ears of jurors-the Queen might well exclaim, Come forth, thou slanderer, and let me see thy face! If thou 6. The 1 Here again the citation is from Nightingale, vol. iii. pp. 289, 200. report in Hansard is very inferior, and it even omits the words "Come forth, thou slanderer," which were most certainly spoken, and were in all mouths at the time. The present writer has often heard them from his own father, who was present during Denman's speech. The Duke of Clarence was in the House at the time. 2 The imputations were atrocious; amongst them was one that George III. had been induced to take his daughter-in-law's part by the vilest and most impure of motives. would'st equal the respectability even of an Italian witness, come forth and depose in open court! As thou art, thou art worse than an Italian assassin! because, while I am boldly and manfully meeting my accusers, thou art planting a dagger unseen in my bosom, and converting thy poisoned stiletto into the semblance of the sword of justice!' I would fain say, my Lords, that' it is utterly impossible that this can be true; but I cannot say it, because the fact stares me in the face. I read it even in the public papers; and had I not known of its existence in the high places of the earth I should have held it impossible that any one with the heart of a man, or with the honor of a peer, should so debase his soul and degrade his honor. I would charge him as a judge, I would impeach him as a judge; and if it were possible for the Blood Royal of England to descend to a course so disgraceful, I should fearlessly assert that it was far more just that such conduct should deprive him of his right of succession, than that all the facts alleged against Her Majesty, even if true to the last letter of the charge, should warrant your Lordships in passing this bill of degradation and divorce." In reading this and similar passages the great personal advantages of the speaker must not be forgotten, especially the commanding range and power of his voice. In all that the Greeks comprised under the term of action (vоир1615) in voice, in expression of eye and face, in gesture and in attitude, in all the histrionic part of oratory-that part of it which is physical and perishable -Denman possessed qualifications that have very rarely been surpassed. On this occasion, it was remembered by some who were present that at the words "Come forth, thou slanderer," etc., he raised his voice to the full measure of its magnificent compass, till the old roof rang again, and a thrill of irrepressible emotion pervaded every heart in the densely crowded assembly. The speech at the moment undoubtedly took the taste of the general public even more than the carefully prepared oratory of Brougham,' though of that some pas This view was not confined to the outside public: some of the Peers were of the same opinion. Lord Fitzwilliam, no bad judge, told Dr. Maltby sages now endure for all time among the masterpieces of eloquence, while this, more carelessly thrown off and never adequately revised, is now almost completely forgotten. On the whole, Denman might well say of his speech that "it was as successful with a view to his own reputation as his friends could desire." It is time to return to the personal narrative. tinues: It con "The Attorney-General's reply was unexpectedly good, much superior to the Solicitor's, and to all the Attorney-General had done before. It was remarkable, indeed, as an almost unexampled recovery from extreme depression. The debates of the Lords began on November 1, and I attended them almost incessantly. Lord Grey's speech, however, admitted to be by far the best that was delivered, I unluckily missed, having gone at that time with Brougham to Brandenburgh House to persuade the Queen to come again to the House of Lords, which she had too completely discontinued. She was seized with some strange caprice, and we were told that she could not see us, because she had had a bad night and was still asleep. We waited above an hour, but her sleep outlasted us. Brougham said, as we got into the carriage to return, that he saw her peeping at us through the window of a room adjoining her bed-chamber. "The question for the second reading was carried on November 6, by a majority of 28 (contents 123, noncontents 95). Then the preamble was debated for a day or two then, on November 10, came the question upon the third reading, which was carried by a majority of only 9 (contents 108, non-contents 99). With a throbbing heart I listened to the votes, which were given by appel nominal, beginning with the youngest baron. The Duke of Richmond's vote was perhaps the most gallant; the Earl of Portsmouth's the most amusing, for the poor idiot had voted on the other side on the second reading, (Bishop of Durham), in the hearing of the present Lord Deuman, when a young man, that he considered Denman, on the Queen's trial, to have even surpassed Brougham |