CH. xxxii LIGHTENING HIS BURDENS 103 



by gout. We begin to see a tendency in him, in 

 these last few years of the century, to lay down 

 some of his official burdens, partly, no doubt, that 

 he might have the more time to give to his books. 

 It was this year that he began to work on the 

 Scenery of England, being in reality a discourse 

 on the connection between its outer aspects and 

 their geological causes. He also brought out his 

 Buds and Stipules book. But when in London 

 he was constantly taking the chair at this or the 

 other meeting, speaking in Parliament, reading, 

 and sometimes accepting, addresses. The Work- 

 ing Men's College presented him with what he 

 terms " a charming address on my resignation of 

 the Principalship." 



A day or two later he writes in his journal : 

 " Golf with the Speaker at Chorley Wood. On 

 Tuesday Swift MacNeill made a very amusing 

 speech against Ministers holding Directorships. 

 He referred to Mundella, saying ' and if I shut my 

 eyes, I can see him sitting on the Treasury Bench.' 

 Being called to order for some strong language, 

 he said, ' I am sorry, Mr. Speaker, I am sorry. I 

 will withdraw it, and will say it again.' ' He 

 objected,' he said, ' to Government guinea-pigs 

 roosting on the Treasury bench.' " 



If only Speakers of the House of Commons 

 would treasure all the humour, conscious and 

 unconscious (but especially the latter), that they 

 could gather in that high position, they might 

 give us great entertainment. 



At the request of the Bankers, Sir John had 

 asked Mr. Lecky to their annual dinner, as a 

 compliment to literature, and received what he 



