OF THE
MOTHERLAND.
Made to the Cabinet in Full Session, crowned, robed, and regardant, and ordered to be enrolled among the Imperial Archives
Under the Great Seal, the Privy Seal, and the Mace Statuant.
Your Committee—
Did first consider whether they should pursue the course of stating their reasons before their conclusions; or, secondly, their conclusions before their reasons; or, thirdly, their reasons only; or, fourthly, their conclusions only; or, fifthly, a sort of rhodomontade in which there should be neither reasons nor conclusions, as is the more common practice. Your Committee divided upon each of these questions, when it appeared that—
The first course was rejected unanimously.
The second course was rejected by acclamation.
The third course was rejected by inspiration.
The fourth course was rejected by infatuation.
The fifth course was rejected by error.
It having thus arrived, in the heat of the moment, that Your Committee had by accident rejected all courses, and had nothing left to go upon—there being no precedent for such a misadventure—
Your Committee
Thereupon decided to begin de novo et ab ovo, and there was drawn up by