Parliament. 25 



correct in our impression, but we believed that even 

 had they been strange to us we could nevertheless have 

 understood every word. Since my return to New York 

 I have heard this oratorio given by the Oratorio So- 

 ciety, and am delighted to note that Dr. Damrosch has 

 greatly improved his chorus in this respect ; but the Eng- 

 lish do pronounce perfectly in singing. This opinion 

 was confirmed by the music subsequently heard in 

 various places throughout our travels. In public as 

 well as in private singing the purity of enunciation 

 struck us as remarkable. If I ever set up for a music 

 teacher I shall bequeath to my favorite pupil as the 

 secret of success but one word, " emmciationy 



Some of us went almost every day to Westminster, 

 but dancing attendance upon Parliament is much like 

 doing so upon Congress. The interesting debates are 

 few and far between. The daily routine is uninterest- 

 ing, and one sees how rapidly all houses of legislation 

 are losing their hold upon public attention. A debate 

 upon the propriety of allowing Manchester to dispose 

 of her sewage to please herself, or of permitting Dun- 

 fermline to bring in a supply of water, seems such a 

 waste of time. The Imperial Parliament of Great 

 Britain is much in want of something to do when it 

 condescends to occupy its time with trifling questions 

 which the community interested can best settle ; but 

 even in matters of national importance debates are 

 no longer what they were. The questions have already 



