316 LIFE OF SIR JOHN LUBBOCK ch.xxiv 



printed on the Agenda paper, and to withdraw it 

 would have been almost equally undesirable. 



After conferring therefore with a few of the 

 Chairmen of Committees, he determined to avail 

 himself of the rule allowing the Chairman, if he 

 thinks fit, to accept a motion " that the question 

 be now put." It was arranged that as soon as 

 the seconder sat down several members should 

 jump up and move that the question be now put. 

 This was done. The motion was put and carried, 

 and the Address itself was then put and carried 

 before the opponents had recovered their surprise. 



They were excessively angry and threatened 

 to move the adjournment. He said, " Certainly, 

 but that on the motion for adjournment he would 

 not permit any discussion on the Prince." Then 

 Mr. Burns threatened a vote of censure. He said 

 he " would give it precedence at the next meeting, 

 that he knew he had done a strong thing, and 

 could not complain if they abused him, but that 

 on such a motion they could not attack the 

 Prince " ; on which Mr. Burns laughed good- 

 humouredly and said he had the best of them all 

 round. 



He heard no more of the threatened censure, 

 and had reason to believe that after a few days' 

 reflection even his opponents quite approved 

 what he had done. The above is but one of 

 several instances which might be cited of an 

 extreme dexterity in the management of meetings, 

 which his frequent experience gave him, and of 

 an audacity, concealed under a very gentle 

 courtesy of manner, which often took the enemy 

 off his guard. 



