NEW BROOMS. 



" NEW BROOMS sweep clean," says the proverb, but pro- 

 verbs are not infallible, and it would be more correct to 

 say that new brooms start on their career with the inten- 

 tion of sweeping clean. It is not at all certain that they 

 will succeed in so doing. 



At present (A.D. 1869) we have "new brooms" every- 

 where, and the political, social, agricultural, and sporting 

 floors may equally expect a thorough polishing. The 

 schoolmaster is abroad, and no mistake; everything is 

 capable of improvement ; no institution is to be left 

 unaltered no matter whether it may hitherto have suc- 

 ceeded or not, it must do better in future. Is not every 

 innovation a reform (in the eyes of some people, at all 

 events) ? and is not this an age of progress ? Retrench- 

 ment and increased efficiency are the order of the day, 

 and there is no time to waste in the untying of knotty 

 points. Out with the knife and cut them ! Has there 

 been a difficulty in finding cornets for our cavalry ? 

 What is more simple than to obviate this, by saying that 

 in future we shall only require half the number ? We 

 can do without them; at all events, Mr. Cardwell will 

 try the experiment. Our colonies take a great deal of 

 guarding, and the process is expensive. How are we to 

 retrench here ? Nothing more simple let them guard 

 themselves. We can by these means reduce our army 

 considerably, and depend for home safety upon the volun- 

 teers. But the people's money must not be wasted upon 



