Old Square, Lincoln's Inn-Pupil of Dampier, and of Tidd-His dili-

gence as a law student-In 1803 begins practice as a Special Pleader

-His first legal employment-Denman keeps up his school and

college friendships-Merivale-Shadwell-Bland-Hodgson-Drury,

&c.-The Rev. Robert Bland-His talent and wild wit-His intimacy

with Byron-His marriage-Richard William Vevers-The serio-

comic training of Vevers-Letter from Bland to Denman, 1803—

Bland at Old Burlington Street, 1803—Dr. and Mrs. Denman on the

virtues of their son-Epistles in verse to Denman from Hodgson and

Drury—'Dear lawless democrat with dreadful brow'-Hodgson and

Drury both friends of Byron-A dining club established by Denman

and his friends-Letter from Bland at Eton to Denman, 1804—John

Herman Merivale the most intimate of all Denman's friends-Early

letters from Merivale to Denman-Merivale in love with Miss Louisa

Drury-Denman falls in love at first sight with Miss Theodosia Vevers

-Parentage and family of Miss Vevers-Her maternal connexions-

Lord Sondes of Rockingham Castle The Anderson family-Age of

Miss Vevers at marriage-Merivale to Denman on the prospects of his

courtship-A young lawyer's notion of wedded bliss in 1804—' Plain

living and high thinking'-Dr. Denman consents-Extracts of letters

from Denman to Miss Vevers-They are married at Saxby Church,

Oct. 18, 1804-Honeymoon spent at Rockingham Castle-Aunt

Annie's' account of the wedding-Congratulatory letters-Note from

'Fanny Anderson,' born Nelthorpe-Letter from Denman's mother to

his bride-First London residence of the young couple-Dr. Denman's

allowance of 400l. a year-Dr. Joseph Denman displeased at the match

-Correspondence on the subject between him and Dr. Baillie-Dr.

Baillie's letter to Dr. J. Denman of Oct. 15, 1804-Dr. J. Denman's

answer of Oct. 27-Dr. Baillie's reply of Oct. 30, 1804-His favour-

able report of the bride and good auguries for the happiness of the

union-Dr. Baillie's noble and disinterested character-His auguries

verified-Extreme happiness and long duration of the marriage-Person,

manners, and character of the bride-Numerous family (born between

1804 and 1824) of Denman and his wife,

CHAPTER IV.

CALL TO BAR-EARLY MARRIED LIFE.

A.D. 1804 TO 1811. ÆT. 25 TO 32.

Page 34

Special Pleading-Periodical literature (the 'Monthly Review'), 1804-

1806-Cambridge election for Chancellor-Lord Henry Petty-Fox-

Grenville administration, Jan. 1806-Denman's devotion to Fox-

Letter to Sir F. Burdett shortly after Fox's death-Denman called to

the Bar, 1806-Change of residence to No. 5 Queen's Square, Blooms-

bury-Joins Midland Circuit and Lincolnshire Sessions- Leading

members of Midland Circuit-Mr. Serjeant Vaughan-Mr. Clarke,

K.C.—Mr. John Balguy, K.C.-Denman's friends-Reader-Dwarris

-Empson-Copley (Lyndhurst) and Francis Horner-Denman's regret

at Copley's political apostasy-Denman's early position and progress on

circuit-Extracts from Midland Circuit Book relating to him—His

first retainer in town-Letter to his wife from circuit, July 17,

1808-Denman's connexion through Merivale and Bland with the

'Critical Review'-Extract from his notice of Chief Justice Marshall's

'Life of Washington'-Dr. Denman suggests legal publication as a

means of professional advancement-Denman's reply, July 6, 1808—

Letter of Denman to his wife from circuit, April 2, 1810-Copley

and Denman at Miss Linwood's ball-Walcheren expedition-The

money runs short at home-Money difficulties of Denman's earlier

professional life-Never famous for prudence or economy-Mrs.

Baillie's testimony-Mrs. Hodgson's account-She rather blames Dr.

Denman's parsimony-Homely and frugal ways of Dr. Denman and

his wife—‘One luxury is enough '—The yearly allowance doled out

in weekly instalments-Fondness of Dr. and Mrs. Denman for their

grandchildren-Mrs. Hodgson's recollections of them-Prizes for being

gentlewomen-Primitive simplicity of Dr. and Mrs. Denman's house-

hold-Denman as a husband and a father-Mrs. Baillie's recollections-

His elevating influence on his daughters-Mrs. Hodgson's recollections

of her mother and father-His romps with his girls when children—

Poetic readings as they grew older-Took them with him on his

journeys-A child's day at chambers and in Lincoln's Inn Gardens

'Shooting the bridge '-Denman an equally kind father to his sons as

to his daughters-Letter to his wife, June 10, 1811, illustrative of his

then circumstances and social position in London-His old friend

Bland at Amsterdam-Letter from him thence-His return to England

in October 1811-Byron's high opinion of Bland-Byron in 1811 and

1812 intimate with Hodgson, Bland, Merivale, and Drury-Denman

only once in Byron's society-Reason of this

CHAPTER V.

PROGRESS AT THE BAR.

A.D. 1811 TO 1815. ÆT. 32 TO 36.

Page 55

In 1811 Denman's practice on circuit and sessions much increased-Takes

chambers at No. 5 Old Square, Lincoln's Inn-Extracts from Midland

Circuit Book-Brougham specially retained at Lincoln in Spring

Assizes of 1811 for defence of John Drakard, of the 'Stamford News'

-Merivale disappointed that Denman was not retained-Dangerous

illness of Merivale in October and November 1811-Extract from

letter from Merivale to Denman, Nov. 22, 1811-Death of Denman's

uncle, Dr. Joseph Denman, in 1812-Disposal of his property-The

story of the poisoned bottles-Impression produced by the occurrence

on Denman-Makes him cautious as to circumstantial evidence-

Letter from Denman to his wife on the death of her brother, Lieu-

tenant Charles Vevers, R.N., at the storming of San Sebastian, August

31, 1813-From same to same, April 7, 1814-Delight at fall of

Napoleon-Rooted success on circuit-Defence, in July 1814, of

some of the associates of Lord Cochrane in the Stock Exchange Con-

spiracy The trial before Lord Ellenborough-Partial summing-up

and severe sentence-After career of Lord Cochrane (Earl of Dun-

donald) Denman, in August and September 1814, visits France with

his wife and children-Extracts from letters to Merivale describing the

trip-Meeting and reconciliation with Francis Horner-Horner's sub-

sequent death by consumption-Public honours paid to; Mackintosh's

remarks on- -Political speculations of Denman in 1814 as to Bonaparte

and the Bourbons-Theatricals in Paris; music and dancing-Column

of the Place Vendôme-Edmund Kean-Denman appointed Deputy

Recorder of Nottingham, 1815-Death of his father, November 1815-

Vigorous old age of Dr. Denman-His death sudden at last-His

character by his daughter, Mrs. Baillie-His treatise on midwifery and

lectures

Page 84

CHAPTER VI.

DEFENCE OF BRANDRETH AND OTHERS FOR HIGH TREASON.

A.D. 1816, 1817.

ÆT. 37, 38.

Denman's practice on circuit and sessions very considerable in 1816,

1817-Defence of Luddite prisoners in 1816-Circuit Book entries—

Condition of the operatives in Nottinghamshire and the Midland

Counties during and after the close of the Great War - Byron's

testimony to the condition of English operatives in the House of

Lords, February 27, 1812-Distress of the people increased after the

termination of the war-Heavy taxation-No reform, either social or

political-Poor laws-Corn laws-Eldon, Sidmouth, and Castlereagh

-Effect of the great French Revolution on the propertied classes and

the proletariate in England-The year 1817-Famine price of bread-

Stagnation of trade-General want of employment-Distress in Notting-

hamshire and the neighbouring counties-Rising under Jeremiah

Brandreth, the Nottingham Captain '-Brandreth's address to his

followers, June 8, 1817-Plan of operations-Night march of the

rioters, June 9, 1817-Brandreth shoots Mrs. Hepworth's servant-Terror

inspired-Arms seized-The yeomanry assemble-Insurgents disperse

at dawn-The leaders captured-Special Commission at Derby, October

14, to try the rioters on a charge of high treason-Denman retained

for the defence of Brandreth, Turner, and Ludlam-Facts clearly

proved-Only question whether they constituted the offence of high

treason by 'levying war against the king'-Argument on this point

in speech for Brandreth-Brandreth convicted of high treason-

Denman, in speaking for Ludlam and Turner, dwells on the strange

power of Brandreth over his fellow men: quotes Byron's description

of Conrad in the 'Corsair'-Conviction and sentence of the three

prisoners-Their execution, November 7, 1817-Graciousness of his

Royal Highness the Prince Regent-Letter from Denman to Merivale

of September 10, 1817-Miss Austen's 'Emma'-Bland and Hodgson

-Ride from Leamington to Dunsbourne (Dr. Baillie's)—Studying the

law of high treason at Fontainebleau-More facts as to Brandreth-

In prison before trial-'No more Derbyshire ribs'—Oliver, the

government spy-What shall we do with our boys ?

CHAPTER VII.

Page 102

PARLIAMENT-M.P. FOR WAREHAM AND NOTTINGHAM.

A.D. 1818 TO 1820. ET. 39 TO 41.

Denman, in 1818, returned to Parliament for the close borough of Ware-

ham-Letter to his brother-in-law, Vevers, August 21, 1818-His

political stand-point—A constitutional Whig, opposed to Burdett and

the Radicals-Denman takes his seat January 14, 1819-The Whig

opposition in 1819-Denman's earlier career in the House of Commons

less brilliant than was expected-Causes of this--Parliamentary dis-

tinction not his first object-Doubtful whether he ever could have

become a leading debater in the House of Commons-His talents

and character better adapted for the House of Lords-Denman's

course as a member of the House of Commons honourable, useful,

and enlightened-His own estimate of his House of Commons

career from 1819 to 1826-The first session of 1819-Legal reforms

advocated by Denman-Opposes allowance of 10,000l. a year to the

Duke of York for taking care of the King his father-Speech on

Foreign Enlistment Bill-The Holy Alliance characterised-The

recess Condition of the people in 1819-Meetings for radical reform

of Parliament-The Manchester Massacre, August 19, 1819-Meetings

called to protest against it-Lord Fitzwilliam, for presiding at one,

dismissed from the Lord Lieutenancy of the West Riding-Second

session of 1819-The Six Acts-Denman's opposition to-Denounces

the Manchester Massacre-Speech against the Seditious Meetings Bill

-Against the Blasphemous Libels Bill-Close of the session of the

Six Acts-Death of George III. and accession of George IV., Jan. 29,

1820-The Cato Street conspiracy-Dissolution of Parliament-Den-

man invited to stand for Nottingham-Returned after a close contest

-Expenses of the election-Denman's means a good deal crippled by

them-His difficulty in getting money together-Letter to his wife

from Warwick, April 10, 1820—-Dr. Parr at Hatton and in Warwick

for the Assizes-The Blands at Kenilworth-Michael Angelo Taylor

-Messrs. Parkes's smoke-consuming apparatus - Last sessions as

Deputy-Recorder of Nottingham-Political feeling there after the

election

Page 117

CHAPTER VIII.

THE QUEEN'S ARRIVAL-DENMAN HER SOLICITOR-GENERAL.

A.D. 1820. ET. 41.

Trial of Queen Caroline-Denman's MS. narrative of the year 1820—

Drawn up in 1821-How dealt with-Antecedents of the Queen-

Lives separate from her husband since 1796-His scandalous profligacy

-She leaves England in 1814 and resides abroad till 1820-Her con-

duct while abroad-Milan Commission in 1818-Its secret report, 1819

-The Queen's name ordered to be omitted from the Liturgy, Feb. 11,

1820-The Queen determines to come to England-This determination

supported by Wood-Opposed by Brougham-Antagonism between

Brougham and Wood-Denman takes a middle line-His chivalrous feel-

ing for the Queen-Feeling of the people for the Queen and against the

King-Commencement of MS. narrative-Denman appointed Solicitor-

General to the Queen, Brougham being her Attorney-General-Ought

the Queen to come to England ?—Arguments in favour of her coming

- Alderman Wood-Denman's opinion of him-Brougham's nickname

for him, 'Absolute Wisdom '-Line of the Whig Opposition-Tierney's

alternative policy-Scheme of a divorce-Sir John Leach-Denman's

opinion of the Whig policy-Tierney's interview with Denman as to

his acceptance of office from the Queen-Possibility of the King's

taking a fancy to the Queen-Fat, fair and fifty.'—Interview of

Brougham and Denman with Lord Eldon respecting professional rank

-The serpent more subtle than all the beasts of the field'-

Brougham and Denman called to the Bench of Lincoln's Inn-Sir F.

Burdett tried at Leicester, March 20, 1820, for seditious libel-Makes

his own speech and is convicted-Denman moves for a new trial—

Mr. Justice Bayley's judgment in Rex v. Burdett-The Queen leaves

Italy and arrives at Geneva-Alderman Wood goes to Geneva to meet

her-Queen at St. Omer's-Brougham goes to meet her-She leaves

him there and sets out for London, where she arrives June 6-Denman,

in Brougham's absence, acts as her chief law officer-Brougham

arrives-Denman summoned to meet the Queen at Alderman Wood's

house-Her progress through the streets-Alderman Wood by her

side-The Queen in sight-The Queen's bearing, dress and appearance

"That beast Wood '-The Queen's delusion as to the King's feeling

for her-Denman's first reception by the Queen-Brougham imparts

his apprehensions to Denman-Denman's testimony as to Brougham's

zeal for his client-The Queen's suspicions of Brougham-The charges