THE FIELD 
921 
SEBASTOPOL THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM. Drawn by T. H. Wilson. 
On the appointment of Lord Denman (then Sir Thomas 
Denman) to the office of Attorney-General, in 1830, the 
Court of Common Council, on the 25th of November of that 
memorable year, passed the following resolution of thauks 
unanimously, Sir John Key, Bart., then Lord Mayor, pre- 
siding: — “That the thauks of this Court be presented to Sir 
Thomas Denman, his Majesty's Attorney-General, late Com- 
mon Serjeant of this city, for the eminent ability with which 
he has discharged the functions of the office of Common Ser- 
jeant, and especially for the zeal, integrity, and humanity 
with which he has executed the judicial duties that have de- 
volved upon him since his election to that important station ; 
and though this Court cannot but regret the loss of so distin- 
guished an officer, they earnestly hope that the elevated rank to 
which he has just been raised by his Sovereign, may prove a 
source of happiness to himself, and a benefit to the country.” 
Mr. Denman was long ambitious of the honour of repre- 
senting Nottingham, his native place, in Parliament, and 
about this time he achieved that honour. The learned gen- 
tleman was attending the assizes at Nottingham. This was 
immediately after a dissolution of Parliament, and while the 
good people of that place, like the good people of all other 
places in the country, were o\er head and ears in the politics 
of the coming election, it chanced that there was a dvision 
amongst the Liberal electors of Nottingham, as to the fittest 
person to represent them. Some one at a public meeting 
then held on the subject mentioned the name of Mr. Denman, 
and it was received with great and general enthusiasm. 
Encouraged by this favourable circumstance, the gentleman 
who had named him, and who was one of his personal friends, 
hastened to the Court in which the assizes were being held 
at the time, to communicate to him the gratifying intelligence, 
having previously told the electors that he would bring Mr. 
Denman to them immediately. On reaching the Court he 
found that Mr. Denman had quitted it, and had stepped into 
his hotel, and there to wait until the next case in which he 
was engaged should come on. He at once agreed to meet 
the electors, was introduced, and on the day of the poll came 
in by a large majority. 
On the death of Lord Tenterden and the elevation of Sir 
Thomas Denman as Lord Chief Justice of the Court of 
Queen's Bench, in the year 1832, the Court of Common 
Council, who hail watched the rising progress of their great 
political and judicial favourite, at once caused a special Court 
to be convened by Sir Peter Laurie, the then Lord Mayor, 
at. which a resolution was passed expressing that the feelings 
of the Court of sincere gratification at the elevation of their 
late Common Serjeant to the high office of Lord Chief Justice 
of England, “ arising at once from great personal esteem, 
from a sense of the honour thereby reflected upon this city, 
and from a regard to the interests of the public.” An address 
was also agreed to, and a deputation appointed, consisting 
of the Lord Mayor, the Aldermen present, the Sheriffs, and 
ten Commoners, to'present the same, which look place at his 
lordship’s then residence, in Russell-square, on the 6th of 
December. His lordship having received the deputation with 
his usual urbanity, after the address had been read by Mr. 
Woodthoipe, the town-clerk, answered the address of his 
fellow-citizens in a manner which showed the feeling of sin- 
cerity that actuated his mind while looking proudly back to 
the past, pleasingly to the future, and in conclusion said, the 
kind expression with which the deputi lion on behalf of the 
corporation greeted him at the commencement of a far 
weightier task, encouruged him to hope that he might not be 
found altogether unworthy the favour with which a gracious 
king had regarded him, nor wholly disappoint the expecta- 
tions of that enlightened country to which it was their pride 
and happiness to belong, " and among all the motives which 
can spur to faithful and zealous exertion, none haB more in- 
fluence in my breast than the hope that my fellow-citizens 
of London may never feel shame, nor incur just censure for 
the unexampled favour they have been pleased to bestow 
upon me.” 
Lord Denman presided over the Court of Queen’s Bench 
until 1850, when he retired, and was succeeded by Lord 
Campbell. His lordship gave much satisfaction as a judge. 
For some time after his elevation to the bench, the bar thought 
they observed in some of his decisions an immaturity of judg- 
ment. He rapidly improved, and was soon acknowledged to 
be equal to the duties of his high office. The fearlessness 
and independence which he manifested when practising 
at the bar, he strikingly displayed while sitting on the 
bench. His decision in the case of Stockdale, in oppo- 
sition to the House of Commons, proved that the rights and 
liberties of the subject would be safe in his hands in the 
worst of times. Previous to'the decision in this case it was 
stated by Lord Brougham, in his work on “ Political Philoso- 
phy, *’ that the privileges of Parliament were so powerful, that 
he questioned much if even the most upright judge would 
dare to take the part of an injured muu against the House of 
Commons, if such a case of injustice should ever happen. 
And when this case really did happen, and a decision, con- 
trary to his belief, had been given by his friend Lord Denman, 
he passed the highest encomium on the independent and noble 
conduct of the Lord Chief Justice of the Queen’s Bench. 
This was, certainly, the most strikiug display — this acting 
in opposition to the pride and power of the House of Com- 
mons — of fearlessness and independence that Lord Denraan 
ever exhibited, not excepting perhaps his conduct on the 
occasion of the trial of Queen Caroline. His celebrated 
words on O'Connell’s case will never be forgotten, that if the 
finding of the jury were not to be overruled, trial by jury 
would henceforth become “ a mockery, a delusion, uud a 
snare." 
On the retirement of Lord Denman, from increased bodily 
infirmity, in 1850, as Lord Chief Justice, he received ad- 
dresses from the bar through Sir John Jervis, the present 
Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, then Attorney- 
General, expressive of their regret that his lordship should 
have been compelled, through illness, to resign au office which 
he had so long filled with distinguished honour to himself. 
Lord Denman was a most intimate friend of Lord Brougham. 
With the latter he largely shared that ardent attachment to 
literature and science which has always been one of the most 
marked characteristics of Lord Brougham's public career. It 
is true that Lord Denman was not, like his friend, known for 
any great efforts he made as an author ; but he was always 
among the foremost to encourage the institution of literary 
and scientific societies; and he proved, times without num- 
ber, by his speeches, that he was a man of extensive informa- 
tion, and of a cultivated literary taste. His speech on his 
inauguration as President, at the opening of the theatre of 
the London Institution, was of itself sufficient to prove this. 
There was something very striking about Lord Denman. 
He had a fine figure, a manly, dignified expression of coun- 
tenance, and a broad, high, intellectual forehead. His face 
beamed with intelligence, his eye was quick and lustrous, and 
his regular features wore a placid aspect highly becoming to 
his judicial dignity. The natural inference one drew from 
looking on his countenance was, that he possessed a calm 
and untroubled spirit, arising, as a writer has observed, “ from 
the consciousness of having, in despite of the powerful tempta- 
tions which have beset his path, acted according to his convic- 
tions in every situation in life in which he has been placed.” 
Certainly, a more honourable or upright man never adorned 
the English bar ; a more consistent or honest politician never 
crossed tho threshold of Parliament ; nor did ever a more 
independent or purer minded individual preside on the judicial 
bench of this country. 
Lord Denman is succeeded in his title and estates by 
Thomas Denman, Esq., barrister-at-law, who was born July 
30, 1805. 
Look-Jaw Coukd in the House.— -A nother coso of thin 
fearful malady has just boon cured, under tho influence of bulla- 
dona, by! Mr. Edward Dycor, proprietor of tbo well-known 
horse-repository, Dublin. Tho caso was ono arising from tui 
injury in tho knee of an aged horse, tho property of Mr. Coir- 
ness, Camdon-stroet. The horse was three weeks under activo 
medical treatment, throe weeks in convalescence, and is now 
at harness work. In the several cases of lock-jaw cured by Mr. 
Dycor, tho average dose of beUudona administered was one 
drachm three times daily. ThodoHe in the above case, wo under- 
stand, was a maximum dose of two drachms three times per 
diem, with a more speedy effect. Mr. Dycor is pursuing a 
course of experiments on tho effects of chloroform and bello- 
dona in nervous diseases of the lower unimals, an account of 
which may be oxpectod in a work on tho veterinary art which 
he is about to publish. 
Election ok Lord Mayor. — Friday, being Michaelmas- 
day, a Common Hull wus held at tho Guildhall, fur the pur- 
pose of electing an alderman to fill the office of Lord Mayor 
for the year onsuing. Tho two aldermen next in rotation 
were Mr. Alderman Moon, and Mr. Alderman Salomons, tho 
former of whom was elected. 
Illness ok Rossinl — A letter from Leghorn, in the 
Gazette tie Savoie, says ; I regret to announce to you that 
the health of tho great composer Rossini has of late declined 
so much tliat there is no hope whatever of his recovery. A 
violent attack was lately near carrying him off, but ho par- 
tially recovered, and was able to return to Florence. But, 
even if bo should live, ho will never recover his clearness of 
ideas. The deepest melancholy has had possession of him 
since his lust illness.” 
FINE ARTS. 
Mr. Ackermann, of 96, Strand, has just published another 
naval engraving of the very highest order. Mr. Brierly, when 
on bouitl II.M.S. St. Jcuu d'Acre, at ICiogo Bay, on the 4th of 
April in tho present year, witnessed “ tho declaration of 
war" by Bigunl, communicated to tho fleet by Vice-Admiral 
Sir Charles Napier. From this original by Mr. Brierly, 
Mr. T. G. Dutton lias now, with his usual and univorsally- 
acknowludgcd ability, made an excellent drawing on stone, 
which Messrs. Day and Son, the lithographers to the Queen, 
have most ably worked-off in colours ; and the result of the 
combined exertions of these gentlemen has been the presen- 
tation to the public of a most spirit-stirring picture. H.M.S. 
Gorgon, Leopard, Odin, Duke of Wellington, Edinburgh, 
Monarch, Neptune, Royal George, Princess Royal, and St. 
Jenn d'Acre, are all seen at anchor with sails furled, and 
each finds a prominent place in it, while tho city of Copen- 
hagen is seen in the distance. The flag-ship is covered with 
her telegraphic bunting, the rest of the floet have hoisted tho 
answering pendant, tho crews are swarming the rigging, and, 
so miuutcly sketched is everything, that the very distinguish- 
ing vanes are seen above tbo main-trucks of the liners. Half- 
a-dozen minor craft are seen in the foreground, including a 
steamer full of Copenhagen “ cockneys." gazmg in wonder at 
the exciting scene, which is well worthy every’ naval officer's, 
as wdl as civilian's, inspection, since we have here some 
vessels stem-oD, others showing their full broadside, and, iu 
one word, a downright good, hearty, and truly English 
picture, fit to fiud a place in the beat cabin of H.M. yacht. 
