6o Four-m-Hand in Britain. 



upon social and political subjects to such an extent in 

 public as to seem to you almost hypocritical when com- 

 pared with what he will say freely in private. The 

 M. P. of the smoking room of the House of Commons 

 and the same man on the floor of the House, for in- 

 stance, are two distinct personages, for it is understood 

 that whatever is said below is to be above as if unsaid. 

 I have often wondered how they merge the one char- 

 acter into the other when the day's words and acts 

 come under review ere the eyes close in sleep — there is 

 such a miserable fear in the breast of the free-born 

 Briton that he will in an unguarded moment say some- 

 thing which he feels to be true, but which society will 

 not think '' good form." The great difference between 

 a Radical and a Liberal in England is, it seems to me, 

 that the one holds the same opinions in public and in 

 private, while the other has two sets of opinions, the one 

 for public, the other for private use. The maintenance 

 of old forms, from which the life has passed out, is no 

 doubt the real cause of this phase of English political 

 life, apparently so inconsistent with the Saxon love of 

 truth ; one sham requires many shams for its support. 



We all have our special weaknesses as to the articles 

 we leave behind at hotels. Mine is well known ; but I 

 smile as I write at the cleverness shown in preventing 

 my lapses during the excursion from coming before the 

 congregation. It was a wary eye which was kept upon 

 forwarded parcels, mark you, and not once was I pre- 



