OF FULGORA CANDELARIA. 113 



subject now under consideration, — arguments entirely in favour 

 of tiieir view of the subject; but I must say arguments, which, 

 like their own, merely tend to show that it is difficult for us 

 to prove the luminosity of Fidgora candelaria. 



Sir, I, for one, refuse to submit to the line of argument 

 throughout adopted ; I most unhesitatingly insist, that the onus 

 probandi lies with the mover of the alteration ; we have chosen 

 a course, we have selected an ensign and a motto, and it is with 

 our opponents to prove that we are in the wrong, ere we shall 

 think ourselves called on to extinguish the ensign, to desert the 

 colours which we have so often led to victory, or to abandon 

 the motto which we have so triumphantly wreathed around our 

 brows. Let us nail our colours to the mast, — let us rally 

 around them, — let us guard them with love and veneration. 

 When we forsake or exchange them, we betray ourselves. Oh ! 

 as they have never been struck to the power of an enemy, it is 

 ray ardent, my sincere hope, they never may be lowered to 

 gratify the fancies of a friend. 



Mr. Bowerbank. — Mr. Chairman, I will just state that it 

 is my intention to support the amendment. I think alterations 

 of the kind now proposed always objectionable ; and I must 

 say that, on the present occasion, I have not heard one single 

 argument advanced in favour of the change, but what has been 

 fairly met, and completely overthrown by the supporters of the 

 amendment. 



Mr. Davis — {after a long pause, during which no one 

 rose.) — If Mr. Doubleday has any reply, now is the time. You 

 will recollect, gentlemen, that Mr. Doubleday's reply closes 

 the debate. 



Mr. Doubleday. — Mr. Chairman, my habitual deference 

 to the learned author of the Letters of Rusticus, and my unwil- 

 lingness to press a proposal which might cause some little 

 difference of opinion amongst our members, and disturb that 

 harmony in which our debates are generally conducted, induced 

 me to offer to withdraw my motion. I felt that I should be 

 left in a minority, not because my cause was a weak one, but 

 because I had no eloquence to oppose to that of the learned 

 Doctor, and of my friend, the author of Sphinx Vespiformis, 

 who, I was quite sure, would support the amendment directly 

 I heard it proposed. I felt that I had against me the opinions of 

 learned men, supported by the greatest talents and the greatest 



NO. II. VOL. III. Q 



