RAXDOM KECOLLECTIONS OF THE HOUSE OF lOUDS. 367 



phatic sense; for he has no voice, in the ordinary acceptation of the term. 

 He emits certain sounds, it is true, but they are altogether unlike the o rdinary 

 tones of the human voice. The words which proceed from his mouth have a 

 sort of yelping or growling sound, and are generally so imperfectly pro- 

 nounced, or in so low a tone, as to render it an altogether hopeless task for 

 any one not immediately beside him to perceive what he is saying, however 

 great may be the attention paid to him. Whether or not this singularly 

 imperfect enunciation be the effect of any physical cause, is a question on 

 ■which I am unable to express an opinion. He speaks seldom, and generally 

 not more than about half a dozen sentences at a time. The longest speech 

 I ever heard him deliver — if the few sentences uttered in so short a period 

 should be dignified by the name of speech — did not occupy more than five 

 minutes in the delivery. When addressing the House, his manner is most 

 mild and conciliatory. No one, who did not know him, would ever suppose, 

 from his manner, that he could be so ultra in his Toryism, or so zealously 

 attached to his opinions. He stands quite motionless : there is no emphasis 

 in his voice, nor the slightest appearance of warmth about him. He looks 

 a perfect model of political moderation. He never, or at least, but seldom, 

 and even then, under very peculiar circumstances, applies a harsh or offen- 

 sive epithet to his opponents. There is no man in the House who causes 

 him a fiftieth part of the annoyance that Lord Brougham does, and yet he 

 will allude, from time to time, with the greatest apparent good nature, to 

 certain observations of the learned Lord. Nay, in a day or two after Lord 

 Brougham, in one of his furious attacks on him, had called him " the 

 Illustrious by courtesy," I saw his Royal Highness lean across the table 

 and converse for some time with his Lordship with as much apparent 

 kindness and cordiality of feeling as if nothing had happened. What are 

 the real feelings with which he regards Lord Brougham are well known to 

 His Royal Highness's friends. He is an excellent politician, however, in 

 so far as external conduct is concerned ; it suits his purpose to appear to feel 

 as little as possible under the attacks of his opponents; and he sustains the 

 assumed indifference admirably well. 



" He is a man of no talent. He has not the remotest pretensions to intellect 

 of any kind, or in any of its various modifications. He has not even the com- 

 mand of tolerable words wherewith to express any sentiment, such as it is, he 

 may entertain. His late memorable letter to the chairman of the Select Com- 

 mittee for an inquiry into the alleged introduction of Orangeism into the army, 

 afforded the most humiliating proof of his utter ignorance of the plainest 

 rules of composition. 



" He has not the slightest direct influence in the House. No nobleman, 

 except perhaps Lord Kenyon, is directly guided in his conduct by the views 

 which his Royal Highness entertains on any public question. He contrives, 

 however, by indirect means to influence several of the more ultra of his party. 

 In fact, he is, by no means, so bad a tactician as his opponents suppose. He is 

 not deficient inthat species of cleverness which is more generally called cunning. 



" In my work on the other House of Parliament, I have mentioned the 

 names of several members who are most exemplary in their attendance on 

 their legislative duties. I doubt not many will be startled when I state the 

 fact, that there is not a member in either House who can at all, in this re- 

 spect, be compared with the Duke of Cumberland. From the moment the 

 doors are opened until they are again closed, you see him in his seat. He is, 

 literally — the door-keeper of course excepted — the first man in the House and 

 the last out of it. And this not merely generally, but every night — no matter 

 how uninteresting the business to be transacted — from the commencement to 

 the close of the Session. 



The intellectual ciiaracter and personal appearance of the Duke 

 of VVellinu;l«)n is thus portrayed by our author. It is a sketcii 

 which will be read with interest: — 



