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Society may he a useful institution , conducted upon Christian principles ; its directors are , very possibly , as honest as they evidently are misguided ; but at present , we warn them , they are missing their mart , and damaging the cause they seek to prosper , let them import ; into the management of their affairs , in addition to that 2 eal which is their present characteristic , a little gentlemanly feeling . A very little would suffice to have prevented the pitiable , blundering folly into which bad taste and ignorance have just betrayed them . For want of it , they have rendered their faith ludicrous , and this protest
necessary . Their conspicuous folly has made Catholics think more highly of the solemn sanctity of their own religion , and has taught Protestants to blush for a faith which , though they believe it to be true , they feel t" 6 be , just now , thanks to the British . ^ Reformation Society , ridiculous * Let promoters of May meetings take warning ; let them remember , that propriety is not inconsistent with zeal , and that polemics are but a poor substitute for Christianity .
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HOW TO IMPROVE THE HARMONY OF THE EVENING . Lord G-ranville has made a valuable contribut ion to the philosophy of public dinners ; throwing out , from the richness of his inventive mind , ideas which may be improved . This was done at a model dinner of tlie Artists' General Benevolent Institution , in the Freemason's Tavern , — a dinner creditable to the artists , both of the easel and of the cuisine . The noble chairman testified to both facts . . " Instead of heavy looking gentlemen , " he said , and he spoke as if heavy
gentlemen were the ordinary garnish of a dinnertable , " he saw round him some of the most intellectual looking men of whom the metropolis could boast . " It is said that the late Lord Melbourne gave a dinner to some " gentlemen connected with the press , " and that , as he parted from them , he delighted them by the frank surprise which he expressed , at finding them such , good fellows , with so much to say for themselves 1 He had no idea that newspaper men were really Buck intelligent persons . Lord Granville , in like manner , awoke to a sense of the distinction between tke typical alderman of traditional weight , and the artist of real life . The artists must have
felt flattered ! The dinner , also , was amazing , for the feast of poor artists : " he counted no less than fifty dishes in the bill of fare , " and the fare " excellent . " It cannot strain charity very much to attend such a feast ; though , according to Lord Grranville , that sort of thing , in other words , a charity dinner , " requires the possession of a good stamina , and nothing but a British constitution can go through it . " But the noble Chairman narrated experience ,
and suggested improvements . He dined onco at the opening of a railway to Pesth , —an Austrian archdulce as chairman , Kossuth as one of the speakers ; but , in the course of the speaking , ' * " four or five gentleman rose , and began talking at once . " Another dinner was in Paris , where there was less of speaking , and more of . music ; to which the Earl did seriously incline ; and with reason . At these entertainments , it mostly happens , that tlio music has been better prepared than tlie speaking ; it re-awakens the flagging eenscB , and never fails to inspire the hearer with a value for discipline , when it is pxtondod to the voice : the speakers often illustrating the same
truth in an opposite way . Although Lord Granvillo docs not quite approve of the Hungarian fashion of simultaneous ppoech , it appears to us that , by favour of music , that coeonoray of time might not be lost . How briskly and how pleasantly would it get over the ground , if three or four speakers could condense their speeches beforehand j arrange them into verse , have them set to music , and deliver thorn simultaneously . Think of getting over four speeches , thus delightfully , in a quarter of ait hour at the outside . It is not at all necessary that the words , or ovon the sentiments , should bo the samo ; nay , a strenuous opposition might bo carried on : an honourable gentleman might maintain elevated sentiments in tlio tenor , while the indignant bass could keep up a running commentary of refutation , with tromondoua , weight and power . The oxporjrnorit is really , worth n trial , iqr if it miccccdod . iit a public dinner , why not at the publlo mooting P if on the platform , why not in Parliament P Tho last would bo a prodigious improvement , Tho debates might
consist altogether in solo and chorus ; a duet between Gladstone and Disraeli , with the antique strophe and anti strophe for the multitude behind each . Such occasions would afford the opportunity for native talent , and proceedings of Parliament would evoke more than a PurceH to set them to the proper score .
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CAB REFORM . In the days when Mr . Fitzroy ' s Cab Beform shall be an accomplished fact , the , cabman , nowso odious a monster to the riding public , will be a perfect gentleman , a George the Fourth , and then he will be reasonably entitled to ask for the corresponding cab-rider reform . One can imagine a scene in that paulo post future day , when the meek and accomplished cabman shall be exposed to the gross indignities which are now shared , not monopolized by the driver *
Seated in a carnage , which is delicately fitted up in every part , the rider will lounge with bis feet upon the front seat . On alighting , the cabman will make no allusion to the fare , and the rider will pay him only half what it ought to be . " Sir , " the cabman will say , quite unlike one of the order when he is imposed upon now , " I fear you have miscalculated the space that we have traversed , and , -unintentionally no doubt , you have offered me a sum incorrectly estimated . " " Go to the devil . JTknow the distance . "
" Pardon me , it is my lot to trace it much oftener than yourself , sir j and , with whatever inferior faculties , perhaps my humble position has given me a more considerable familiarity with practical geometry than your own . " " You must take that or nothing , and be - ——" [ Here follows a burst of idioms not fit for publication . ] _ Cabman thinks passenger seems to be rather intoxicated , but delicately avoids all allusion to the circumstance , even " by so much as a look . Cabman only smiles a polite intimation that he retains his own opinion .
" What are you grinning there for , you * * * Am I to be treated in this * * * impertinent way P I shall take your number , sirrah ; and fcy * * * Yes ; * * * your soul to * * * if I don't . " , . , •' Possibly , sir , you might prefer to submit the question to some judicial authority ; there is my number , and here is my card ; and I will with pleasure wait upon you to-morrow morning , when you may be — more at leisure to consider the metrical , topography of the district we have threaded . " " Be * * * J shan't give a farthing more . Police !"
" You have the advantage of me , for you have no badge . But , perhaps , sir , you would not mind telling me your number P " " My number , you scoundrel ! I am Number One , and I know how to take care of myself ! !" Finding that tho passenger is not open to reason , and roluctant further to irritate a fellowcreature by raising a controversy on the last point •—for a rider is a man and a brother , even though ho may be an M . P . caught in Whitehall in " tho sma' hours "—the cabman calmly retreats from the contest , grateful that the pecuniary amount
in dispute is a trifle , which a littlo -privation will easily make good . Why , he reflects , should money create discord between man and manP But perhaps if riders also had their badge they might fool a littlo more responsibility . Perhaps , also , ho reflects , a different system might bo better for all parties . Being badged wo arc badgered ; being fixed in our fares tliero is never knowing what those rough fellows will pay . Now , if hacknoy carriages were altogether on a different footing " , men might emulate each
other in bringing good carriages , good horses , and good drivers on to tho stand . Free-trade in fares would bo quito compatible with certainty , if the rato per mile were iixed on tlio sido of tlio cab . If the police are to moddlo in detail , why not lot one constable witness the bargain in entering the cab , and another roceive the cash for tho journey at tho opposite end , as a way of paying into court tho always litigated amount P Mr . Fitzroy has half anticipated this last idea of tho cabman ' s , but hostill violates froo-tradoin fares .
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"A STRANGER" IN PARLIAMENT . No . 32 , ChuNhiiin-plncu in our British Tcnnple of Janus j and its owning at 1 o'clock to-day ( if tho plans of tho week are not changed at tho hut moment ) in tho signal that thoro m war again in tho land . Mr . Dim-noli in roportcd to havo said recently , previous to Uio dolivory
of the budget , " Strong Government—Bali ! 1 can turn them out whenever I like : " and the question of the day is—does Mr . Disraeli like to turn out the Government ? Pakradeen , as those who remember the sketch , of Disraeli by Disraeli , in " Tancred , " know , excelled in " combinations , "and there are severa } at his disposal now . Mr . Disraeli and Mr . Duffy are images of eachi other- — ethnological evidences of the contact of the Semitic and Milesian races—and fate seems to suggest , as oddly , a political confederation ,, headed by these leaders , of the extreme Protestant and Tory with the extreme Catholic and Revolutionary party against a . Government whi ^ h
has coalesced , and so cancelled , and thus admirably represents the period in its recommendatory negations . It is an age of coalitions ; a coalition turned , out Mr . Disraeli ; a coalition . threatens to turn out Mr . Gladstone ; and this result of national acquiescence in the cry of " measures , not men "—manhood , put not man- — is the attainment of an admirable party , juste inilieuthe state of dead lock . Listen to an Irish Brigadier laying it down to Mr . Hayter , who , strokes his chin , ¦ while calculating is there any place , that would suit i $ e hon . member : " You see you must give us what we ask ; neither you nor the Tories can keep power if we fceep
aloof from you . Give us a repeal of the Ecclesiastical titles Bill and Tenant Bight ( and , by the % , get rid of that infernal Keogh ) and we'll disband . We have you on the nip—we have Disraeli on the hip— -ahdyou must make terms , or—of course I never talk to him , but I have occasionally met Mackenzie—prejudiced about Maynooth , but a deuced good fellow—or , —I inerely throw this out as a suggestion , —he ynll . " A Great Briton , like Hayter , does not Hke being at tlie mercy < jf the Brigade : but he knows all this is true i and if England is to be sold , Hayter would rather not let Mackenzie make the bargain . Observe the position of parties ;
remembering that Mr . Duffy can get 30 whipped—for Ireland is in earnest , and would only return the Faith ful—and a dissolution is not impossible .. . t Say that Disraeli leads an amendment for a differentiation of the income-tax , he has 200 at his back . The Radicals would , much against their will , shrink away from , the Government—Disraeli and Gladstone ( not cputiting on all the Radicals even ) would then be fairlv jmatched ; and Messrs . Duffy and Moore could turn the scale . Again , supposing Mr . Disraeli led an amendment against the extension of the income-tax to Ireland , and that tie would have the whole of the Irish members with him
( not an impossible rascality ) , the Government could hardly escape . Supposing that Mr . Gibso" leads an amendment for the total repeal of the advertisement duty , Mr . Disraeli would vote with him ; and there again the Brigade could choose which jobbery should be heaviest . If the Brigade does turn out the Government , England would be tolerably disposed to disfranchise Ireland ; and consideration of the consequences may induce sagacity . If Mr . Disraeli put the Government in a minority , and so tested the Government threat— " the Budget or a Dissolution "—Mr . Disraeli would only he bringing Government back to power with greater strength and chances than ever ; find Fakradeen does not affect" combinations" for tho sake of resultless
kaleidescopic groupings . Mr . Disraeli is not . read y ; tiord Derby had no policy to announce last Saturjjwv in St . James ' s-sqnare , where Lady Derby allows followers—and Tadpole would decidedly dissuade from going to the country without a cry—without even a whimper about Protection—more especially as those " cussed committees , " cut up bo awfully this year ; it would bo no joke finding the Colonel Dicltson class to " bleed /* The budget , then , has a good chance of pacing ; and , of course , if Ministers saw they were safe from any attempts to turn them out , they wpnld consent to one or two alterations in detail . So much the Radicals think they aro entitled to ask as salvo for forswearing their devotion to differentiation . And Gladstone , too , to
have refused them this—Gladstone , the greatest differentiator of his ago—u man who not only spread tlio ono hide of Oxford over tho whole of Rome—but , first of all , split all tho hairs ! But isn't this position of Radicalism ,- —obliged to vote for that income-tax which their Committee reported against , and which they told thoir constituents they would never have ,- —ruther impotent , and ludicrous ? " There is not tho slightest compulsion , " fln independent government observes , " but if you don't /—voto against uh , certainly , —we'll dissolve and appeal , "
There ' s tho pound of ilchih you bargained tor ; - —will you " bleed" ? People ' s party in Hulky , but tamed : tho " Manchester school , " which talked oo largo on Monday night , on Tuesday , and even on Wednesday limln even Manchester it * not with it , and gloomily gives way . They don't like tho Government ; they aro angry with Palmorston for his ko-too to Francis losoph : they aro voxod with Osl > orno bocausa ho only jostt ) nt thorn ; with Molosworth Ikmmiuho , liko other parvenus , ho affects having lived in tho Cubinot all hifl life , and lias got moro ehort-sightod tliiWl CVW—tho
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gg £ tiie Leader . QfowftSift ,.
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), April 23, 1853, page 398, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1983/page/14/
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