214 Four-in-Hand m Britain. 



" The affairs of England, Sire, most urgent. Charles 

 The First has lost a battle that decides 

 One half his realm — craves moneys, Sire, and succor. 



King. He shall have both. Eh, Baradas ? 



Baradas. Yes, Sire. 



Richelieu. {Feebly, but iviih great distinctness^ My liege^ 

 Forgive me — Charles's cause is lost. A man. 

 Named Cromwell, risen — a great man — " 



That is enough, a great man settles things ; a small 

 one nibbles away at petty reforms, although he knows 

 nothing is settled thereby, and that the question is only 

 pushed ahead for the time to break out again directly. 

 English politicians are mostly nibblers, though Gladstone 

 can take a good bite when put to it. 



Will you lay " violent hands upon the Lord's anoint- 

 ed ? " *' I'll anoint ye ! " says Cromwell, and then, I take 

 it, was settled for the future the " divine right of kings " 

 theory ; for since that time these curious appendages 

 of a free state have been kept for show, and we hear 

 nothing more of the " divinity which doth hedge a king." 

 Some one of the party remarked that we had not seen 

 a statue or even a picture of England's great Protector. 

 I told them a wise man once said that the reason Crom- 

 well's statue was not put among those of the other 

 rulers of England at Westminster was because he would 

 dwarf them. But his day is coming. We shall have 

 him there in his proper place by and by, and how small 

 hereditary rulers will seem beside him ! 



We noticed in the Pall Mall Gazette a curious proof 



