CONTENTS. 1, 127, 237, 347, 457, 567 78 83 st Illustrious Mourner in the New Year. By Mrs. Acton Tindal 91 sage; or, The Adventures of Lorn Loriot. By Dudley Cos- ish Widow. A Story founded on Facts 924 iet and Dainties of Australian Aborigines. By Alexander Andrews 544 ints' Eve. By Mrs. Acton Tindal World's May Meeting st Coquetry of Lady Caprice. By Ouida illionnaire of Saintonge. By Dudley Costello ace at Rome in 1862 Det's Dream. From the German of Heine. By Edgar A. Bowring, 598 . 601 . 610 .621 . 637 647 THE LORD MAYOR OF LONDON: OR, CITY LIFE IN THE LAST CENTURY.* BY WILLIAM HARRISON AINSWORTH. Book the First. GUILDHALL. I. LORD MAYOR'S DAY, A HUNDRED YEARS AGO. ON the Ninth of November, 1761, there was great jubilation in City of London. On that day, the Right Hon. Sir Gresham Lorimer, Knight, per, alderman for Cheap ward, and member of the Worshipful pany of Merchant Tailors, entered upon his duties as first gistrate of the first city in the world. Most auspiciously did mayoralty commence. Called by the popular voice to the chair, his election had been almost unanimous, there being one vote for the brother alderman, nominated with him by livery; and when the choice of the court was made known by Recorder, the announcement was received with great cheering. applause was even more vehement when, being called forth, Lord Mayor elect was invested withthe chain, and returned ks for the great honour done him. Subsequently, on his g presented to the Lord Chancellor by the Recorder, the obation of the crown was very graciously communicated to by his lordship. The farewell dinner given by Sir Gresham onjunction with Sir Matthew Blakiston, the retiring Lord or was remarkable, even in the City, for splendour and pro1, gave promise of many a glorious banquet to follow. ecial circumstances conspired to give additional lustre to Lord Mayor's Day. Not only was he generally respected by ellow citizens; not only was he certain of an enthusiastic tion from the thousands assembled to greet him on his o Westminster; not only had unwonted care been bestowed e procession destined to attend him; not only were some old civic pageants-the delight of the multitude-to be d for the occasion; but on that day the young and newly* All rights reserved. coronation to view the show, and partake afterwards of d civic feast at Guildhall. e young monarch would be accompanied on this occasion ueen, the whole of the royal family and the court, extrapreparations were made for their reception. As usual, was kept as a general holiday. The shops were closed, iness altogether suspended. Bells were rung, guns fired, er noisy demonstrations of delight made. Scaffoldings ected by the City companies for the accommodation of their 3 and liverymen at various points calculated to command a ew of the procession. Many of the houses were richly deand hung with flags and banners, and arrangements were >r a general illumination at night. Four regiments of the Militia were ordered to line the way from Temple-bar top of Ludgate-hill, and took up their position betimes. ounted Train Bands were stationed at intervals from Saint Churchyard to the Mansion House. All public vehicles ohibited in the principal thoroughfares, and no private carwere allowed to pass along Cheapside, or approach Guildhence the procession was to start at eleven o'clock, except belonging to the aldermen and sheriffs, or other personages ted with the show. ast and continually-increasing concourse filled Cheapside e streets leading to Blackfriars, where the Lord Mayor was ark in his state barge and proceed by water to Westminster, good many brawls and disturbances took place, which mbined efforts of the militia and the peace-officers scarcely to check-the mobs in those days being very turbund pugnacious, and exceedingly ready, not only with sticks ludgeons, but with such weapons as nature had provided vithal. Broken pates, damaged noses, or darkened orbs of generally followed these conflicts. However, as on this occae bulk of the crowd consisted of decently-behaved citizens, ad brought their wives and daughters with them to see the ayor's show, the quarrels were of rarer occurrence than usual, ore speedily subdued. High and low, masters and apprenwere dressed in holiday attire, and, to judge from their full of glee, and bent upon enjoyment. unately for all concerned in the show, whether as actors tators, the day was remarkably fine. The sun shone forth tly, gladdening every heart, while the prescriptive fogs ember held good-naturedly aloof. re proceeding further, it may be proper to say a few words ing the hero of the day. Sir Gresham Loriner's previous is soon told, being unmarked by any exciting incident or ade. His career had been simply that of a citizen, who, by in |