["Lord Macaulay's prose seems to be finding favour again."
_Oshkosh Sentinel._]
The place, too, was well fitted for such a gathering. Memories of
departed monarchs spoke from the rich hangings of the room in tones
that were not less eloquent for being silent. Here the FIRST GENTLEMAN
OF EUROPE had displayed the rounded symmetry of those calves which
had defied the serried legions of the French and, in their lighter
moments, had captured the wayward fancies of the fair or mitigated the
harshness of a statesman. This was the chamber where the SAILOR KING,
bluff but not undignified, had jested with his intimates, had smoothed
a frown from the rugged brow of WELLINGTON or held his own against the
eagle glance of GREY; the chamber where the great QUEEN, conscious of
her august destiny, had consecrated to grief such moments as could
be spared from the needs of Empire; the chamber where her son had
laboured for peace and extended the bounds of friendship; the chamber
where a DISRAELI, repaying scorn with scorn, may have spread his
snares, and a GLADSTONE, overwhelmed by the torrent of his own
eloquence, may have fallen into them.
Nothing was wanting to complete the solemnity of the spectacle.
Outside, the scarlet-coated sentries paced rigidly on their accustomed
rounds, and the populace, hemmed in by the strong arms and the panting
forms of the constabulary, cheered to the echo its favourites or
exchanged with one another the harmless sallies that give pleasure to
a crowd. Within, the KING himself, his face now clouded with anxious
thought, now lit with hope, gave a cordial welcome to the more
unwonted of the guests he had summoned to his presence, while busy
courtiers filled the corridors with an importance which lost nothing
in weight from being unwarranted by knowledge or experience. Lackeys
in the gorgeous liveries of the most brilliant Court in Europe were
in attendance, ready to minister to those whose failing strength might
need refreshment, or to execute with intelligence and despatch the
humbler duties pertaining to their office.
Nor were the chiefs unworthy of the scene to which they had been
called. There was the Speaker, LOWTHER, his brow beaming with the
good-humour which enabled him to abate pomposity without injuring
the feelings even of the pompous, and to calm with a happy phrase the
agitated waters of debate. There were ASQUITH, strong in the affection
of his friends, and LLOYD GEORGE, braced to action by the invectives
of his foes. There were LAW and LANSDOWNE, staunch defenders of the
citadel in which the last of the Tories, stern and unbending as ever,
had sought refuge. Waterford had sent JOHN REDMOND, the pride and
champion of a nation, the unwearied vindicator of Ireland's right to
govern herself. Through years of contumely and depression he had borne
aloft her standard, and now, when her triumph was all but achieved,
he was here to watch over a settlement which all desired, though
none hitherto had been able to bring it about. With him had come JOHN
DILLON, tall, dignified and stately, whose grey hair and admirable
bearing had won the respect and conciliated the temper of the most
fastidious assembly in the world. Arrayed against these two, sons
of Ireland no less than they, were CARSON and CRAIG; CARSON with his
saturnine face and his swift and piercing intelligence, CRAIG of the
burly form and uncompliant humour. Vowed to the Orange cause, and
dwelling fondly on memories of the Boyne, they denounced with equal
severity the religion of Rome and the political aspirations of the
majority of their fellow-countrymen. Such were the men who were now
met to decide the most momentous issue of our time.
* * * * *
[Illustration: THE POWER BEHIND.
AUSTRIA (_at the ultimatum stage_). "I DON'T QUITE LIKE HIS ATTITUDE.
SOMEBODY MUST BE BACKING HIM."]
* * * * *
[Illustration: GLOSSOMANCY IS THE NEW SCIENCE WHICH ENABLES YOU TO
READ PEOPLE'S CHARACTERS BY THE SHAPE AND SIZE OF THEIR TONGUES. THE
ABOVE CANDIDATE FOR THE POSITION OF PARLOUR-MAID IS IN THE ACT OF
RESPONDING TO AN INQUIRY AS TO WHETHER SHE IS HONEST, INDUSTRIOUS,
GOOD-TEMPERED, TRUTHFUL AND OBLIGING. THERE IS FEAR THAT HER ACTION,
THOUGH PURELY SCIENTIFIC, MAY PROVE FATAL TO THE INTELLIGENT GIRL'S
CHANCES.]
* * * * *