THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



remember last year's clouds. He said a good deal about the 

 dearth of good speakers in the House of Commons, declaring 

 that they drowned the poverty of their conceptions in the 

 excess of fine words, while he himself was dealing out tropes 

 and figures by the dozen, on mere commonplace subjects. But 

 it struck me his favourite figure was the synecdoche, which ^ 

 implies saying one thing and meaning another; for, although 

 he more than once spoke of " our good King George," it is well 

 known he would rejoice to see him dethroned to-morrow, 

 because he refused to make him a baronet. And in the course 

 of his speech he let the cat out of the bag, b}^ quoting from 

 Shakspeare in support of his assertion, that he himself was 

 neither to be bought nor sold — 



..." O, how wretched 

 Is tliat poor man, that hangs on princes' favours ! 

 There is, betwixt that smile we would aspire to. 

 That sweet aspect of princes, and their ruin, 

 More pangs and fears than war or women have ; 

 And when he falls, he falls like Lucifer, 

 Never to hope again." 



' Ho, however, concluded his oration with a very sensible 

 remark, and which showed that he has looked into books as 

 well as into sugar, and I question whether he might not make 

 a much better M.P. than myself. When alluding to the 

 measures proposed in Parliament, he said, it was the duty of 

 its members, when any great undertaking is proposed, to 

 ask themselves these questions : — " First, is it practicable ? 

 secondly, is it consistent with the interest, the honour, and 

 the safety of the country ? They should then carefully weigh 

 such points as are likely to make for or against it ; — what is 

 to be feared, what to be expected; — what consequences may 

 be the result of ill success, and how such consequences are to 

 be repaired : — lastly, whether the extent of our risk do not 

 more than counterbalance the probable advantages of the 

 enterprise. When deliberating upon these matters, those who 

 address the House should examine the subject thoroughly 

 in every point of view — not only real, but possible. After 

 making themselves masters of it, they have nothing more to 

 do than to set forth those circumstances, and to state their 

 arguments for and against the measure with force and sim- 

 plicity. Here is no room for displaying beauties, for tickling 



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