Most of the schemes had the common aim of
leavening the mass of hereditary legislators by an
admixture of persons who will owe their elevation
to merit or to election. The simplest method is
that of the creation of life-peers, which, according
to the best authorities, is not a constitutional inno-
vation at all, but merely a reversion to ancient
practices. Freeman and Stubbs contended that
the Crown, according to the early precedents,
has a right, which has never been abandoned,
to summon a peer to sit in Parliament, without
incurring an obligation to extend the privilege to
his descendants. ^* Unfortunately for themselves the
Peers succeeded in defeating an attempt to intro-
duce, or re-introduce, life-peerages. In 1856 Sir
James Parke was created Lord Wensleydale, by
letters-patent which stated that his peerage was
bestowed upon him for life only. The Lords,
under the influence of Lyndhurst's eloquence and
imposing personality, refused to allow the new life-
peer to take his seat. The Ministry gave way,
the decision was accepted as good law, and an

-235-