of our Algernon Sydneys. Owing to the vicious system of rhetorical drilling which has so long prevailed at our public schools, (and of which indeed Harrow, with all filial respect be it said, has produced the most melancholy examples,) and to a too great anxiety to shine in a department for which Nature has withheld the qualification oratory, Sir Robert cannot address the House on the most trivial topic save in a tone of pompous verbosity which would be ludicrous but for its leaden monotony; while "words that breathe and thoughts that burn" flow from the lips of the Hon. Member for Westminster, with an artless facility which seems the effect of unconscious inspiration. Then the Right Hon. Member for Tamworth never directly and explicitly denies or asserts any proposition, but with consummate address insinuates the defects and quasi evils of his adversary's doctrines, leaving the hearer to infer for himself that the opposite opinions only can be the right ones-while Sir Francis, without any evident anxiety to put himself forward, utters plain truths in plain language with the energetic tone of one who could not if he would suppress the expression of his own heartfelt convictions. There is also an intermittent energy in the Hon. Baronet's eloquence which contrasts with the equable flow of Sir Robert Peel's rounded periods. If the former often offends you by leaving his six-a-breadth sentences but half-finished, and by his abrupt transitions and absence of one ness of purpose; the other never even by accident transports you by a lofty sentiment or glowing vehemence of expression. Notwithstanding, however, this nil magnificum-nil generosum sapit defect of the Right Hon. Ex-secretary's eloquence, it is but justice to add that he is just now by far the ablest debater in the House of Commons, and that for every-day-work he is more than a match for not only the hero of Purley,-but for the whole of the present occupants of the Treasury bench into the bargain.

"It was true," said Sir Robert, "that he had uniformly opposed Reform; and he had done so because, to use the words of an hon. and learned member, he was unwilling to open a door which he did not see the prospect of his being able to shut again, and because he was of opinion, that a Government which should unsettle the minds of the people on this subject, would be responsible for the consequences that might result. For this reason he had refused to give representatives to Manchester, and to other large towns; and he had been right in that course, if the appetite of the people for Reform were such as it was described to be by the gentlemen opposite for if their description of the people's appetite were correct, it was quite clear that the people would not have been satisfied with such a Reform. It was said by the gentlemen opposite, that the people were determined on Reform, and that they were so dissatisfied with the constitution of that House, that no Government could possibly be carried on without a large alteration in that constitution. If this were the disposition of the people, he very much regretted it; but, with very great respect, he must say, that he could not help retaining his own opinion upon the subject of Reform. At the same time, he was bound in fairness to say, that if such were the disposition of the people, he knew not what could prevail against it. Still, however, he thought this was a delusion-that the people were asking what was against their interests. If he were wrong, he still had the consolation of knowing that the motives by which he was actuated would be respected by the people; at least, he flattered himself with that consolation."

THE COMMITTEE.-Quem Deus vult perdere-prius dementat. Is the opposition mad? Let the following dry chronological extract from the "Votes" answer the question.

Mercurii, 13° die Julii, 1831.

"Motion made and question put-That the debate be now adjourned till this day :' -The House divided; ayes 102, noes 328: Question again proposed, 'That Mr. Speaker do now leave the chair:'-Whereupon motion made and question put, 'That the House do now adjourn :'-The House divided; ayes 90, noes 286:-Question again proposed, That Mr. Speaker do now leave the chair:'-Debate arising thereupon, motion made, and question put, That the debate be adjourned till Thursday :-The House divided; ayes 63, noes 235:-Question again proposed, 'That Mr. Speaker do now leave the chair:Whereupon motion made and question put, That the House do now adjourn :-Motion by leave withdrawn :-Question again proposed, 'That Mr. Speaker do now leave the chair:'-Debate arising thereupon, motion made, and question put, That the debate be adjourned till this day :'-The House divided: ayes 44, noes 214:

-Question again proposed, 'That Mr. Speaker do now leave the chair:'-Whereupon motion made and question put, That the House do now adjourn :'-The House divided; ayes 37, noes 203:-Question again proposed, That Mr. Speaker do now leave the chair :-Debate arising thereupon, motion made, and question put, That the debate be adjourned till Friday :'-The House divided; ayes 25, noes 187:-Question again proposed, That Mr. Speaker do now leave the chair:'-Whereupon motion made and question put, That the House do now adjourn :-The House divided; ayes 24, noes 187-Question, That Mr. Speaker do now leave the chair,' put and agreed to: -Bill considered in Committee; Committee report progress; to sit again this day."Adjourned at eight o'clock in the morning.

Is it possible that even faction can blind the most ordinary capacity to the mischievous folly of such a course of proceeding? Do they suppose that the people of England are dolts and idiots? or that, as the Irishman says in the farce," they can keep out the tide with a pitchfork?" Is it possible that a grave and venerable county member could have submitted such a proposition as Sir John Brydges is reported to have made after the fifth division-"I propose, Sir, that we toss up or draw lots whether you leave the chair now or to-morrow!" Again we repeat-"Quem Deus vult perdere, prius dementat."

As to Sir Charles Wetherell's conduct and demeanour, we know nothing like it in ancient or modern history save that pursued by the Persian despot towards the rude sea. "When Xerxes," says the father of history, "heard that his bridges (rotten boroughs) were carried away, he was much vexed, and ordered three hundred lashes to be given to the Hellespont, (the unanimous acclaim of the people of England for Reform,) and a pair of fetters to be cast into it. And I have heard that he sent even at the same time to brand the Hellespont. Moreover he commanded those that inflicted the stripes to use unholy and barbarous language, (the corporation robbery and "do what I like with my own assertions,) saying, “thou bitter water, thy master inflicts this punishment upon thee, because thou hast wronged him, having received no injury at his hands. And King Xerxes will cross thee whether thou wilt or no: and, as is fit, no one sacrifices to thee, because thou art a salt and crafty river. So he ordered them to punish the sea thus."

20th. CAPTAIN GORDON.-The House of Commons affords curious specimens of national and moral peculiarities, particularly in the department of Bronze;-in which it abounds in living illustrations of all shades and varieties. There is Mr. O'Connel with his Irish Catholic Association impudence; Mr. Hunt with his English mob impudence; Mr. Croker with his Albemarle-street impudence; Mr. Spencer Perceval with his fanatical impudence; Mr. Goulburn with his farthing per cent. mare's-nest-discovery impudence; Lord Castlereagh with his dandy impudence; Sir James Scarlett with his Whig apostacy we were sent here by the people!" impudence; Mr. A. Baring with his purse-proud impudence; and Mr. Calcraft with his foppish weathercock impudence; but not the sum of all these impudences together produces a tythe of the disgust which the trading bigot Scotch impudence of Captain Gordon excites in the mind of every person condemned to, for a moment, witness its exhibition. It is not merely the "Cibberian forehead and the Cibberian brain," of which Nature has been so lavish, nor the mixture of the Conventicle whine with the vulgarest species of Scotch brogue, nor the presumption of a man who never opens his mouth without betraying what a short portion of his life has been spent under the schoolmaster, and who yet "thanks his God that he has assisted in the education of a people with whom it was all darkness and profanation;" nor even the circumstance that he has turned his itinerant trade in bigotry into a most profitable account on the side of profane cash-that disgusts us when listening to his narrow-minded, low-bred intolerance; but the recollection of the fact, which we have from unquestionable authority, that he and his associates have contributed more to the religio-political dissensions of the people of Ireland than it is possible years spent in the practice no less than the precept of Christian charity can heal. But for this positive evil effect of his trade in intolerance, he might, for aught we should care, spend his days among the unhappy victims of credulity who receive the ravings of the Macdonalds at Port Glasgow as proofs of the gift of tongues; or he

might prophesy to his heart's content that the millennium, or doomsday, or antichrist was near; or was typified by the scarlet gentlewoman with the naughty name, whilom of Babylon-eke of the seven hills. As, however, he has been the author of incalculable mischief unredeemed by a single benefit, it delighted us to witness the contempt and disgust with which his whining bigotry was scouted by the House of Commons. We will not waste our pages with a notice of the nauseous trash which called forth the following lofty-toned rebuke from Lord Milton.

"The petition," said the high-minded nobleman, “stated that the Catholic religion was marked out for destruction by the Divine will, along with the kingdoms which supported it. How could such frail and ignorant beings-he would not say as the petitioners were, but as men in general were-how could the honourable member himself know anything of the future designs of infinite and omnipotent Wisdom? Supposing, however, that this statement of the petition were true, what necessity was there for the House to interfere with the designs of Providence, as the petitioners requested? With regard to religion, he was himself, if he might be permitted to use such a phrase, an Ultra Protestant; but knowing the infirmity of human judgment, he bore with patience what he believed to be the erroneous but conscientious opinions of those who differed from him on points of religion. He was sorry to say that men had often just enough of religion to hate one another; he sincerely wished that they had enough to teach them to love one another. He was sure that it would not conduce to the peace of society to encourage in petitions the condemnation of religious opinions, to which in all probability those who condemned them had not given any consideration."

23rd. Well, thirty-eight boroughs out of fifty-seven contained in schedule A have been consigned to the tomb of the Capulets amid the joyful shouts of the people of England-and that too not only in spite of the Tory faction, (who to do them justice" died game,") but of the feeble meanwells to whom the Great Measure of national regeneration is entrusted. In the name of common sense what could have induced Lord John Russell to have invited a ministerial defeat in the case of the borough of Downton? "Ministers do not consider that Downton falls within their line of disfranchisement, and therefore are indifferent whether it be included in or excluded from schedule A." If so, why insert at all in that schedule, or afford the enemies of the Bill even a temporary triumph on a point of detail. After such a declaration, is it surprising that the ayes should be but thirty more than the noes 244? The wonder is that the majority was not reversed- -as indeed it would have been but for the vigilant control which that great organ of the public will-the daily press-holds over the acts of Hon. Members "pledged" to the Bill, the whole Bill, and nothing but the Bill. Notwithstanding, however, this wholesome check, the "feeble meanwells" of the ministerial bench have contrived to lessen their own majorities in each division. Their first majority was 136; second, 118; third, 97; fourth, 97; fifth, 111; sixth, 75; seventh, 74; and the Downton one, out of a house containing 518 members, gave them a majority of only 30. Oh! that the Bill was passed, that we might put five-sixths of the present administration in a new schedule A.

Our limits do not admit of our doing justice to the ability displayed by Mr. Croker and Sir E. Sugden against the Bill, and by-nobody on the ministerial bench in support of it-save Mr. Stanley, who, however, is-he may take our word for it as yet a Triton only among minnows. In the Lords the Ministers are almost too powerful.

We intended to notice the debate on Mr. Mackinnon's motion for taking the census of 1831 instead of 1821, as the basis of the Bill. The question involved is of much more importance than Hon. Members seem aware:

"Protinus ad Censum; de moribus ultima fiat
Quæstio."

Stockport, with its 60,000 inhabitants, is to have but one member-while Calne, Malton, and Tavistock, not altogether 10,000, are to retain six! This will never do.'

26th. The FEEBLE MEANWELLS still at their mischievous antics, compelling their best friends to vote against them.

SKETCHES OF THE ENGLISH BAR, NO. V.

Sir Charles Wetherell.

"SIR CHARLES WETHERELL is the oddest and honestest man at the English Bar." This is not mine, most kind and indulgent reader, but the chances are a hundred to one that you have never seen it before, and, as I could think of nothing half so good by way of introduction to the subject of our sketch, I hope you will be content. Should, however, your passion for originality be so great that you cannot be satisfied with any thing else, and should you be a person of agreeable conversation,—which I do not in the least doubt, but put it hypothetically through a habit of caution, merely-come down with me any fine morning to the Court of Chancery, and I shall have much pleasure in showing you the greatest “original” you ever saw in your life in the person of the learned knight, of whom at present it is our hint to speak.

I knew a sour cynical fellow, who used to say to me that Sir Charles Wetherell ought to study the mathematics, and when I asked him why, he would reply," because Lord Bacon tells us, if a man's wits be wandering let him study the mathematics." But he who spake thus could not taste the humour of the man, which is merely eccentric, and errs no farther from the strictness of the matter in hand, than the peculiarity of his style occasions, still keeping steadily in view the object which he has to accomplish. The current of his discourse-his "torrens dicendi copia-" resembles the course of some river, which now roars along in foaming violence, and now disports itself in eccentric windings; here reflects in its clear bosom the turrets of some antique castle, and there the sober shadows of classic groves; in one place rolls over the remains of Roman architecture, and in another carries an old woman's petticoat aloft upon its crested wave, but still finds its destined home at last in the sea, and is pleasanter the while to travel with, than any artificial aqueduct in the world, however direct and regular its course.

According to the ancient rule, I should here set forth the true parentage of the subject of our sketch, with the maiden name of his mother, and the date and place of his birth, but not happening to be learned in these particulars, and moreover being aware that the present fashion does not run high in favour of historical painting or sketching, I shall only tell you that his father was a learned man, principal of one of the Oxford Colleges, the friend of Johnson, as touching his fortunes prosperous, and who dying bequeathed a good name and a large fortune to his son Charles. I shall pass over the records of the youth's school days, for the same reason that they are often passed over in biographical notices; nor shall I dwell upon his college career, but the reader may depend upon it that he was called to the bar sometime between the year 1780 and 1810, and further that I first saw him in the year 1826, when he was already Sir Charles, and his Majesty's Solicitor General. One morning in the spring I sallied forth from my chambers in high good humour with myself, having read law for three consecutive hours without yawning much, and brimful! of Blackstone and anticipation of the glories of the wig and gown, I Aug. VOL. XXXII. NO, CXXVIII.

NO.

K..

hied me through the rural precincts of Chancery Lane to Lincoln's Inn, where the Chancery Court was sitting, in order to gather inspiration from the learned yet good-humoured aspect of that profound sage of the law, Lord Eldon, who then occupied the Chancellor's chair. I found the Court unusually crowded; Lord Eldon sat so silent, and his eyes so shaded by his overhanging eyebrows, that one might have thought he slumbered, but for his favourite exercise of rubbing his thumbs against his fore-fingers, as his hands hung down on either side, while before him there raged a man who seemed as full of obstreperous activity, as if he had heard a voice crying, Sleep no more." It was one of the cases about Mr. Long Wellesley and his children. Sir Charles was the counsel against him, and he it was who was speaking with so much violence. His left-arm was concealed somewhere in the folds of his gown, while the right was raised almost in a menacing attitude. Perspiration stood upon his brow, and it seemed almost as if passion impeded his utterance. At length he burst forth, bringing down his hand with violence upon the bench before him,- "This Mr.-this- this Mr. Wilney Tong Lellesly;" whereupon he spun round, and turning his back to the Chancellor, addressed the bar behind him, with the same earnest gesticulation as before," This-this Mr. Lilney Wong Tellesley has had the -the-I think I may say the hardihood, to swear such an affidavit as this, and to put it upon the file of this court;" and thus he went on, forcing out, as it were, his passionate sentences from an overcharged breast, while Hart lifted his lazy lustrous eyes, and thrust out yet further his immeasurable length of legs. Horne drew down his frowning brows and slightly curled his lip, and Sugden, occasionally laying down his pen upon one of his enormous pile of briefs, smiled for a moment, and then plunged again into the intricate mazes of" devisor and devisee," "reversions and remainders," and " terms to attend the inheritance."

Sir Charles is a tall man with a considerable stoop, and a swing in his gait-his face is intelligent and rather remarkable; the forehead expansive, the eyes not large but expressive of humour; the nose straight and rather short, or appearing so from the unusual length of the upper lip and chin; his voice is good but not musical, and his manner is sometimes calm and impressive, but, for the most part, his efforts, even upon the most important occasions, are attended by a whimsicality which is the most distinguishing feature of his manner as an advocate. In former days he used to be accused of idleness, but, whenever he took up a case with interest, there could be no more useful advocate; for, however odd his manner, his views were shrewd and to the point, and there is no beating him down; he will insist on having the last word; and yet there is nothing offensive or overbearing in his pertinacity, but it seems so much the result of honest zeal, and is so mixed up with his strange peculiarities, so garnished with odd quotations and ludicrous illustrations, that his opponent is forced to yield to his humour, and to join in the laugh, though he does not win.

His oratory is a most curious combination of really serious and sound argument with out-of-the-way irrelevancy, or what seems irrelevant, until he, by some odd application, which no one under heaven but himself would have thought of, contrives to connect it