3-057-475 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Excerpt from the diary of Charles Greville, 1831. This entry, for 2nd March 1831, from the famous political diary of Charles Greville, describes the introduction in the House of Commons on the previous day of the unsuccessful first bill of Lord Grey's government for parliamentary reform. ' March 2d. To describe the curiosity the intensity of the expectation & excitement would be impossible,' writes Greville, '& the secret had been so well kept, that not a soul knew what the measure was (though most people guessed pretty well) till they heard (it)'.