The "Life of the Rev. Dr. Hugh Heugh" has a description of an
interview which a deputation of Scotch dissenters had some years ago
with Lord Brougham. The _Scotsman_ adds, from its private knowledge,
some odd incidents of the affair.
His lordship, on coming out of the court to meet the deputation,
immediately on being informed of their object, burst out in a volley
of exclamations to the effect that, but for dissent, there would be
"No vital religion--no vital religion, gentlemen, no vital religion."
While pouring forth this in a most solemn tone, he was all the while
shaking violently the locked doors of a lobby full of committee rooms,
into one of which he wished to find entrance, and calling for an
absent official not only in passionate tones, but in phraseology
which the reverend deputation, at first unwilling to trust their own
ears, were at last forced to believe was nothing better than profane
swearing. At last, he suddenly drew himself up to the wall opposite a
locked door, and with a tremendous kick, smashed the lock, and entered
(exclaiming, first in a vehement and then in a solemn tone, but
without pause) "--that fellow! where the ---- does he always go to! No
vital religion, gentlemen, no vital religion--no, no, no."
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