accept the compliment. I acknowledge it to be one of a most flattering nature, coming as it does spontaneously from my neighbours, without any other effort on my part than attempting to discourage it.'

The circumstances thus alluded to were no doubt those attending his rough reception by the 'lambs' of Nottingham when he, with his colleague, Sir R. C. Fergusson, went down there, in August 1832, to celebrate the final triumph of Parliamentary Reform. When Denman, on this occasion, came forward to address the people, he was greeted with groans, hisses, and imprecations. Halters were exhibited round men's necks, and there were loud shouts of 'No Denman ! Burke him! Bristol him!' &c.; nay, to such an extent did the violence of the populace proceed, that, at one period, fears were entertained for his personal safety.

The cause of the popular fury was this: five men had been condemned to death under the Special Commission that sate at Nottingham in January 1832 (while the Attorney-General was engaged in prosecuting the rioters under another Special Commission at Bristol), as ringleaders in the great outbreak that culminated in the burning of Nottingham Castle. Of these five men three were executed, notwithstanding a petition for reprieve, which in twenty-four hours received 17,000 signatures; and the Whig Attorney-General (who might, it was supposed, have averted their doom) became thenceforth the object of the bitterest popular execration.

On ascertaining, however, that the feeling of the populace was not shared by the great body of the

electors, Denman resolved again to try his fortunes with his old constituency, and issued, as intimated in his letter to Merivale of September 4, an address in which he presented himself to the electors a fifth time as a candidate for their suffrages, and another of the same date to the electors for the county, declining the honour of their invitation.

Subsequently, as appears from his letter to his mother of October 7, he had ascertained by reliable calculations that he and his colleagues were sure of commanding a very considerable majority, and that in all probability they would not have to encounter any opposition.

The necessity for completing, before the new writs were issued, the novel and extensive electoral arrangements consequent on the great Parliamentary changes introduced by the Reform Act, had the effect of unavoidably postponing the dissolution, which did not finally take place until December 2, 1832.

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CHAPTER XXII.

APPOINTMENT AS CHIEF JUSTICE.

A.D. 1832. ET. 53.

Trial at Bar of Mayor of Bristol and others-Lord Tenterden sits in court for the last time on third day of the trial, October 27—Dies on November 3, 1832-Denman appointed his successor, November 6, 1832-Reason for this expedition-Good sense and magnanimity of William IV.-Denman's letter of acknowledgment to Lord Grey-His appointment generally popular-The best since Lord Holt-Article from 'Morning Herald' on the relative claims of Denman and Lyndhurst Letter from Denman to his wife announcing his appointment, November 7, 1832-Shadwell makes the farewell speech at Lincoln's Inn -Letter from Denman to his wife, November 14-First week as Chief Justice Demeanour of Bench and Bar-Copley-Scarlett-Quarrel of Scarlett and Denman on Mayor of Bristol's trial-Supreme happiness of Denman's mother-Letter of congratulation from Spring RiceReason of the general satisfaction at Denman's appointment-Address from Master and Fellows of St. John's College, Cambridge-Deputation and address from City of London-The Chief Justice's reply.

BEFORE the dissolution of December 2, 1832 took place, an event occurred which was to lift Denman above the stormy region of party politics, and enable him to exchange the severe and anxious labours of the Attorney-Generalship for the higher dignity, and comparative, though, as in his case it proved, only comparative, leisure of the Bench.

Lord Tenterden, who for the last fourteen years had presided as Chief Justice of the King's Bench,

was now in his seventy-first year, and had long been in a feeble state of health. On October 27, 1832the third day of the trial at Bar in the Court of King's Bench of the late Mayor of Bristol and others, for alleged neglect of duty during the riots in that city of the previous year 2-he appeared in Court for the last time; and a week afterwards, on November 3, he expired with these words on his lips-addressing an imaginary jury- Gentlemen, you are all dismissed.'

6

4

Lord Grey, on Brougham's instant and urgent suggestion, at once went down to Windsor to submit Denman's name to the King, who, after a short struggle,' says Brougham in his 'Memoirs,' assented to the appointment; and on November 6, 1832, Denman was sworn in at the Privy Council as Lord Chief Justice of England.

Grey and Brougham were both thoroughly agreed

1 Charles Abbott, born 1762, the son of a barber at Canterbury, distinguished himself at Oxford, where he gained the Latin verse prize in 1784, and the English essay prize in 1786; published his celebrated "Treatise on Shipping,' 1802; Judge, 1816; Chief Justice of King's Bench, 1818; raised to Peerage as Lord Tenterden, 1827; died, November 3, 1832, in his seventy-first year. Foss's 'Lives of the Judges,' vol. ix. p. 68.

2 Denman, as Attorney-General, prosecuted; the Mayor (Mr. Pinney) was honourably acquitted, the jury declaring their opinion that in a situation of great difficulty, and when deserted by those from whom he was entitled to aid and encouragement, he had conducted himself with great firmness and propriety. The prosecution, after this verdict, was abandoned against the other defendants. Annual Register,' vol. lxxiv. p. 51. This was the last important occasion on which Denman appeared in court as counsel.

3 'I was resolved,' says Brougham, 'that Denman should succeed him (Tenterden) on every ground-political, party, public, and private.' 'Memoirs,' vol. iii. p. 220.

'Memoirs,' vol. iii. p. 224.

as to the fitness of the selection; the Prime Minister stating strongly and emphatically that he had never made any appointment with greater satisfaction to himself. They were also both agreed as to the great importance of making it at once, in order, as Brougham expressed it, that not even a day might be given to the enemy to torment, or even work on, the King.'"

The King, who, notwithstanding this politic promptitude, had already been strongly worked on in favour of Lord Lyndhurst, though he at first showed some reluctance, yet behaved on the whole with commendable good sense and magnanimity, replying to some of those who were careful to remind him of Denman's strong language on the Queen's trial that he had long since forgiven all that, and almost forgotten it.'

Denman, on receiving through Brougham an intimation from the Prime Minister that the appointment had been made, wrote the following letter of acknowledgment to Lord Grey :

My dear Lord,-Having just received your Lordship's communication from the Lord Chancellor, I cannot delay the expression of my most grateful feelings for the kindness you have uniformly shown me, and most eminently on the present occasion.

Conscious of many deficiencies, I trust I am neither wanting in gratitude, nor in the just pride that ought to accompany such an elevation; and I persuade myself that the only way I can ever hope to prove these sentiments will be that most agreeable to your lordship.

It must be by a constant endeavour to discharge the new

* 'Memoirs,' vol. iii. p. 222. Letter from Brougham to Lord Grey of November 5, 1832.