When William IV. Was King

BY JOHN ASHTON, AUTHOR OF SOCIAL LIFE IN THE REIGN OF QUEEN ANNE, ETC., ETC., ETC.
WITH FORTY-SEVEN ILLUSTRATIONS.
LONDON: CHAPMAN & HALL, LD. 1896.

Several Life and Times of William IV. have been written, but they all contain a great deal of Life, and very little Times. The present book reverses this, and deals, primarily, with the chief topics of conversation during the seven years of King William's reign, and, afterwards, with the social aspect of the times.
Although I treat of a period but sixty years since, it is a time of which much is to be said which is unknown to the present generation, and one which has had a deep and lasting influence on our own times. Then began the mighty reign of steam; then was inaugurated the first passenger railway, to which small beginning England owes so much. Then, too, steam navigation began to be general, developing that commerce which has been the making of the country. Science woke up, as did Art, whilst the introduction of the Railway caused our manufactures to progress by leaps and bounds.
Politics have been avoided as much as possible; and, although the book is necessarily somewhat discursive, I would fain hope it will be found interesting; and, in the words of the writer of Maccabees (Book II. xv. 38), I say, Which if I have done well, and as it becometh the history, it is what I desired, but, if not so perfectly, it must be pardoned me.
JOHN ASHTON.

Illness of George IV. — His death — Sale of his clothes, etc. — The new King — His character.
In the Times of Friday, April 16, 1830, we have the following Court Circular :—
His Majesty, we regret to state, has experienced, during the last few days, an attack of indisposition. The King took an airing for some time on Monday. During the night his Majesty became indisposed; Sir Henry Halford, who was in attendance at the Palace that evening, and who, according to his usual practice, slept there, left the Palace on Tuesday morning and came to town, but thought it advisable to return to Windsor in the evening. Sir Henry came to town on Wednesday morning, and again returned to the Palace; when, finding that the King's attack of illness had increased, Sir Henry sent for Sir Matthew Tierney at an early hour yesterday morning. Sir Matthew immediately left town: on his arrival at the Palace, the two medical gentlemen held a consultation on the state of the King, and, afterwards, issued the following bulletin, a few minutes before one o'clock:—