PS.—Wouldn't this Claretian name of "Marquis de Termes" be a good title for the Markiss of Salisbury, that "master of flouts and gibes"?
ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.
EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF TOBY, M.P.
House of Commons, Monday, June 9.—Last time I saw Old Morality was in the lovely estuary of the Dart. He had just cut away from Parliament, called together his seamen bold, and steamed out Westward in the Pandora. When we on the Hiawatha woke up on Sunday morning, there was the Pandora lying alongside, with Old Morality in pea-jacket, straw hat, telescope under his arm, and sea-boots above his knees, though there was not a ripple on face of water that mirrored the old castle at the point, the church, the trees, and the green hills. Nevertheless, there he was, pacing the mizzen-deck, every now and then bringing his telescope to his weather eye, on the look out for Irish Members or Sage of Queen Anne's Gate lurking in underwood. We ran up at our foretopmost peak, all taut by a couple of bowlines, the signal, "England expects that W. H. Smith this day will do his duty." There was a soft gleam in Old Morality's starboard eye when he recognised the signal, and he brought the telescope to the salute.
"Very kind of you, Toby; very thoughtful of your Commodore. You know, nothing is nearer to my heart than the desire to do my duty—duty to my Queen and Country; at the same time, of course as far as is compatible with the supreme incentive, desiring to meet the convenience of Hon. Gentlemen in all parts of the House."
Haven't seen Old Morality since, till he turned up to-night, Been seedy, everybody sorry to hear; judiciously added a week to his regular holiday. When he entered House this afternoon, good rattling cheer went up, testifying to his popularity.
"Yes," said Wilfrid Lawson, dropping into poetry—
"Ex-First-Lord from over the sea!