79 



tistics, the only difference between them is, that the 

 former has less health and vitality than the other, 

 and that he drinks more gin and less beer. Now 

 I must say, I do not see why a small (for it is only 

 very small), why a small inferiority in health should 

 qualify a man for having" a vote, when his more vi- 

 g"orous fellow-countryman is without one. But it 

 may be the g"in. Still the question remains. 



However, perhaps it is all rig-ht and just j but 

 there is one thing- very certain ; if it is not, the coun- 

 try must suffer. For wrong", injustice and unwisdom 

 must be paid for to a hair's breadth. I only repeat 

 this truism, because, in the House of Commons, every 

 thing 1 in the world almost seems to be considered, 

 except rig-ht and wrong", justice and injustice. This 

 interest and that interest are evidently immensely 

 studied and cared for ; but how about principle ?* 

 However, I suppose, if I were in Parliament myself, 

 I should know more about these matters. I suppose 

 I should soon learn, that patriotism means pliability 

 to pressure from without : and that statesmanship 

 means subservience of the wisdom of the few to the 

 folly of the many. 



It is a very sad thing-, but there can be no doubt 

 whatever that there are in our larg*e towns very 

 many drunken blackguards. Again, there can be 

 no doubt whatever, that of these men, if they can be 



* " I don't believe in princerple, 

 But oh I du in interest." 



The pious Editor's Creed in the Biylow Palters. 



