Parliament in Flames

..."I saw the fire of the two Parliament Houses; and, what was curious enough, Matthew Allan (of York, you remember) found me out in the crowd there, whom I had not seen for years.  The crowd was quiet, rather pleased than otherwise; whew'd and whistled  when the breeze came as if to encourage it:
'there's a flare-up (what we call shine) for the House of Lords.' -- 'A judgment for the Poor Law Bill!'  -- 'There go their hacts' (acts)!  Such exclamations seemed to be the prevailing ones.   A man sorry I did not anywhere see. -- They will have to build a new house; and it may produce consequences not generally foreseen yet..."

Letters  Thomas Carlyle

[The Houses of Parliament were burnt in October 1834, not November 5th; the old Court of Exchequer wooden tally sticks were being burnt in the furnace and the fire spread to the Palace of Westminster buildings above]