Random HKCotLuoTioNS op the Housa o^ gommonb. 5? 



As, however, our learned and renowned brothers of the press have 

 descanted so largely and ably upon the unquestionable merits of the work 

 before us, we think we cannot do better than proceed to those parts of 

 the " Random Recollections" we are anxious to transfer to the pages of 

 the "Monthly." 



We remember, quite well, a humorous afi'air of Sheridan's during an 

 unusually heavy debate. A member who had generally been prudent 

 enough to confine his legislative exertions to voting, astonished the 

 "House" by suddenly addressing the speaker. " Sir, have we laws, or 

 have we no laws? If we have laws, to what purpose are those laws?" 

 Sheridan was on his legs, and instantly replied : — "Mr. Speaker, has the 

 honourable member spoken, or has he not spoken ? If he has spoken, to 

 what purpose did he speak ?" But Sheridan is gone to his account, and 

 his brilliant wit and fine oratory, where are they to be found ? 



Take, for example, the following, which may serve as introductory : — 



" Some amusing {mistakes from ignorance of the rules of the House 

 occasionally occur. In the session of 1833, a Scotch Highlander, newly 

 arrived from his native hills, got, by some strange oversight of the 

 officers, into the side gallery appropriated for members, on the right of 

 the Speaker's chair. He knew no more of the rules or localities of the 

 house than he did of the politics of Timbuctoo, Never suspecting that 

 he was transgressing any law, human or divine, in entering the side 

 gallery, or when there, taking the best place he could find, he at once 

 advanced to one of the front benches, and there seated himself with the 

 utmost imaginable coolness, — just as if about to " rest himself " on the 

 brow of some of the heath-clad mountains of Caledonia. There were a 

 few straggling members in the side gallery at the time, and perceiving 

 at once from his Highland costume— he was dressed in tartan — that he 

 did not belong to the fraternity of St. Stephen's legislators, they richly 

 enjoyed the amusing blunder which Donald had committed. He mean- 

 while, after gazing with boundless astonishment on the huge propor- 

 tions of the Speaker's wig, and witnessing the bustle that was going on 

 on the floor of the house, turned his eyes towards the stranger's gallery, 

 and seemed quite amazed that so many persons should quietly submit to 

 be so closely squeezed together — to the imminent hazard of their ribs — 

 that they looked like one solid mountain of mortality, while there were 

 BO many cushioned and comfortable unoccupied seats in the place where 

 he had located himself. At this moment one of the members on an ad- 

 joining seat, seeing poor Donald had transgressed from ignorance, 

 whispered to him to make himself scarce in a moment, or that otherwise 

 he would be tal<en into custody. A word to the wise is enough : the 

 mountaineer, took the hint of the friendly M.P,, and darted out of the 

 house as well as the gallery in a twinkling. I am credibly assured that 

 he ran at his full speed, not casting one " longing lingering look be- 

 hind," till he reached Somerset House in the Strand, a distance of full 

 one mile and a half." 



" On another occasion, during the session of 1834, a lady, the sister 

 of one of the members, entered the side gallery by mistake, instead of 

 going to the only place above the ceiling whence " the sex" were per- 

 mitted to have a " peep," for it was nothing more, at the house. She 

 immediately, to speak in parliamentary phraseology, " caught the eye of 



