RANDOM RECOLLKCTIONS OP THE HOUSE OP COMMONS. 6l 



At page 289, we have a masterly portrait of Mr. Pease, the quaker 

 member for Durham, — our author says — 



" Mr. Pease, the Quaker member for Durham, is one of the most use- 

 ful, though not one of the most shining, members in the house. In his 

 attendance on his legislative duties he is the most punctual and close of 

 any man I ever saw. He even beats Mr. Hume himself. From the 

 beginning of the business till the adjournment, no matter how late the 

 hour, there he is, not indeed in one particular seat, but in some part or 

 other of the house, all attention to what is going on. It is clear he acts 

 from principle. As to a party object, he knows not what it is. A more 

 conscientious or upright man never sat in the house. His amazingly 

 close attention to his duties in parliament has told visibly on his consti- 

 tution. He is much thinner, and much more sallow in his complexion, 

 than when he entered the house. 



Mr. Pease speaks pretty often, but it is chiefly in committees, or on 

 questions which do not call up the leading members. His mode of ad- 

 dress is, of course, different from that of other members. He never uses 

 the word " Sir," in addressing the Speaker, which all other members do 

 at almost every fourth or fifth sentence ; nor does he call any member, 

 according to the invariable practice of all other members when address- 

 ing the house, " the honourable member," but simply says " the mem- 

 ber" for such a place. In short, agreeably to the principles of the so- 

 ciety to which he belougs, he applies no honorary titles to any one. 



He speaks with great rapidity, and is never at a loss for words or 

 ideas. His style is correct but plain. In his manner there is no action 

 whatever. He stands stock still. His voice is weak, which with his 

 great rapidity of utterance, often renders him inaudible. 



He is about forty-five years of age. His stature is of the middle size. 

 His face is of an angular form, and is expressive of the mildness and in- 

 telligence for which he is distinguished. His complexion, as I have 

 already intimated, is somewhat sallow, and his hair of a light brown. 

 He is not a man of brilliant parts ; but his judgment is remarkaljly 

 sound, and he always takes the common-sense view of a subject. He is 

 not only a man of great intelligence, but is always correct in the state- 

 ments he brings to bear on any question. Taken all in all, he is, as I 

 observed in the outset, one of the most useful members in the house. If 

 he is a fair specimen of the society to which he belongs, the country would 

 have no reason for regret were the entire six hundred and fifty-eight 

 members selected from the Society of Friends." 



From our author's concluding remarks, (which are shrewd, and exhibit 

 that aptitude which evidently fitted him for the task he has done so well) 

 we take the following : — 



" I have often been struck with the number of members who have 

 shone on the hustings, and at public meetings, who have completely 

 failed in the house. The cause of this is sometimes to be found in the 

 members themselves, sometimes in the House, but more frequently in 

 both. The confidence which sustains public speakers when addressing a 

 mixed multitude, often forsakes them in their maiden eflbrts in the house, 

 and there is consequently a corresponding inferiority in the quality of 

 their matter — if the speech be not previously picparccK— and a propor- 

 tionate deduction from the excellence of the delivery. Nonnebut tlioso 



