Transcriber’s Note:
Text on cover added by Transcriber and placed in the Public Domain.
THE PRINCESS VICTORIA IN 1830
(From the Picture by Richard Westall, R.A., at Windsor Castle.)
FIFTY YEARS AGO
BY
WALTER BESANT
AUTHOR OF ‘ALL SORTS AND CONDITIONS OF MEN’ ETC.
PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATED
NEW YORK
HARPER & BROTHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE
By WALTER BESANT.
ALL IN A GARDEN FAIR. 4to, Paper,20 cents.
DOROTHY FORSTER. 4to, Paper, 20cents.
FIFTY YEARS AGO. 8vo, Cloth.(Just Published.)
HERR PAULUS. 8vo, Paper, 35 cents.
KATHERINE REGINA. 4to, Paper,15 cents.
LIFE OF COLIGNY. 32mo, Paper, 25cents.
SELF OR BEARER. 4to, Paper, 15 cts.
THE WORLD WENT VERY WELLTHEN. Illustrated. 4to, Paper, 25cents.
THE CHILDREN OF GIBEON. 4to,Paper, 20 cents.
THE HOLY ROSE. 4to, Paper, 20 cents.
TO CALL HER MINE. Illustrated.4to, Paper, 20 cents.
UNCLE JACK AND OTHER STORIES.12mo, Paper, 25 cents.
By WALTER BESANT AND JAMES RICE.
ALL SORTS AND CONDITIONS OFMEN. 4to, Paper, 20 cents.
BY CELIA’S ARBOR. Illustrated. 8vo,Paper, 50 cents.
SHEPHERDS ALL AND MAIDENSFAIR. 32mo, Paper, 25 cents.
“SO THEY WERE MARRIED.” Illustrated.4to, Paper, 20 cents.
SWEET NELLY, MY HEART’S DELIGHT.4to, Paper, 10 cents.
THE CHAPLAIN OF THE FLEET.4to, Paper, 20 cents.
THE CAPTAIN’S ROOM. 4to, Paper,10 cents.
THE GOLDEN BUTTERFLY. 8vo, Paper,40 cents.
’TWAS IN TRAFALGAR’S BAY. 32mo,Paper, 20 cents.
WHEN THE SHIP COMES HOME.32mo, Paper, 25 cents.
Published by HARPER & BROTHERS, New York.
☛ Any of the above works will be sent by mail, postage prepaid, to any part ofthe United States or Canada, on receipt of the price.
v
PREFACE.
It has been my desire in the following pages to presenta picture of society in this country as it was when theQueen ascended the throne. The book is an enlargementof a paper originally contributed to ‘The Graphic.’I have written several additional chapters, and haverevised all the rest. The chapter on Law and Justicehas been written for this volume by my friend Mr. W.Morris Colles, of the Inner Temple. I beg to recordmy best thanks to that gentleman for his importantcontribution.
I have not seen in any of the literature called forthby the happy event of last year any books or paperswhich cover the exact ground of this compilation.There are histories of progress and advancement;there are contrasts; but t