"GREAT EXPECTATIONS."
["As persistent attempts are being made to show that Mr. Balfour and Mr. Chamberlain are at variance respecting the tactics which should be adopted by the Unionist Party in Opposition, we may state that more thorough accord never existed than at the present moment."—The Times, March 8, 1893.]
Gargery Chamberlain. "You know, Pip, as you and me were ever the best of Friends!"
Balfour Pip. "Dear Jo!"
Friday.—Prince Arthur, and Statesman to whom Austen Chamberlain distantly alludes as "My Right Hon. friend," sit separated by width of House. But, in assaults on Government, they are not divided. Idle stories about differences of opinion arising between them quite unnecessarily denied.
"I never look at them," said Trevelyan, "without recalling to mind a passage in what is, I think, my favourite among Dickens's novels. You remember the scene in Great Expectations, where Joe Gargery visits Pip, in his day of prosperity, in London? 'Ever best of friends,' says Joe (Chamberlain). 'Dear Joe,' says Prince Arthur. 'You know, Pip,' says Joe, 'as you and me were ever friends, and it were looked forrerd to betwixt us as bein' calc'lated to lead to larks.'"
The expectation not lacking of past fulfilment; full of promise in days near at hand.
Business done.—Sat from two to seven discussing whether we shall sit to-morrow in order to make progress with public business. Finally decided we shall. Meanwhile, morning sitting slipped away.
Vino Italiano Con Temperanza.—Signor Vitali, of the Italian-Wine-in-England Mission, writes to us to say that Sir Wilfrid Lawson might temper his favourite beverage of Aqua Pura with half a gallon flask of Vinum Purum Italianum, such as Chianti, and he would be none the worse for it. We are inclined to agree with the Signor Vitali, as, in our opinion, there is small likelihood of any Italian wine-drinker "getting any forrader." Of course Signor Vitali, being somewhat interested in the matter, and therefore, most hopeful that his enterprise will result in orders for any number of flasks, and not end in an empty fiasco, would not fail to point out that Italian wine is likely to have a prolonged existence in this country, as it is not lacking in Vitali-ty.
TONE AND TINT.—(By a Wearer of the Green.)
Your Orangeman swears—he's a terrible fellow!—
They shan't set the Green o'er his favourite Yellow.
His shout's "No surrender!" And is he so Green
As to think we'll turn Yellow because of his spleen?
No, no! He may vow in his last ditch he'll die,
But—we're not to be scared by a Hue and a Cry!