our time than that to which Dr. Kenealy aspires, namely, to be the People's Prime Minister. Forster, Stansfeld, Hartington, Goschen!!! all these are mentioned for the Leadership!! Why, even Disraeli is as good a Leader as any of these; and yet he leads his men always "into a ditch." We believe that Heaven has raised up Dr. Kenealy to be the Leader of the English People, and the Leader of the English People ought to be the People's Prime Minister. We believe he never would accept a subordinate place; and we can fancy him in his place in Parliament, descending in thunders and lightnings on that poor Wandering Jew, Disraeli, who is now working all the powers of money and the Carlton Club to keep him out of his proper place in Parliament. . As to the amazed Whigs, they know not what to do. Morley, it is said, has given a large sum to the Walton Trade Unionists to enable them to fight the Doctor: the Carlton Club has joined in. One of the leading men at the Reform Club said the other night, "We ought to give a Hundred Thousand Pounds to keep Kenealy out otherwise he will break us all up." Well, Dr. Kenealy has been Member for Stoke for upwards of three months now, and it must be confessed even by the most hopelessly deluded elector that he has been something of a failure. Even in respect of the cause he was specially retained to advocate he has knocked the last nail in its already well secured coffin. He has received from the House of Commons a hearing which even he, blurred as is his vision of facts, has admitted was most generous. Quite apart from these references to the House of Commons and to distinguished members, here collected for the first time, the Member for Stoke has outraged one of the keenest sensibilities of the House, -namely, its love for what is straightforward, manly, and true. In the few appearances he has made in the House he has invariably done some audacious tampering with a man's character, and has then shuffled off the responsibility of either proving his case or withdrawing the accusation. His retort upon Mr. Morley when that gentleman rose indignantly to declare that he was misrepresenting an alleged conversation between the Member for Bristol and some of his constituents was eminently characteristic of the man. “That is a question," he said, "which Mr. Morley must settle with his own constituents. I have nothing to do with it!" There was an air of simple conviction about this statement that for once assured the House of the sincerity of the Member for Stoke, and conveyed to it the knowledge of the fact that here was a man who really thought he was at liberty to make all sorts of statements in the House of Commons injuriously affecting another member without in any way concerning himself about their accuracy, that being a matter the accused was to settle with the gossips who were said to have made the statement originally! I have preferred to let the Member for Stoke describe himself, his objects, and his capabilities, rather than attempt to do it of my own imagining. The picture is of towering proportions, and is painted in lurid colours. I have, through a wealth of materials, taken only such sketches as those in which the master hand portrays Dr. Kenealy as a prospective Member of Parliament. But I feel that the picture would not be complete if we were to turn aside altogether from the aspect under which he has presented himself— forgive the reproduction of the impious similitude-as "a man of sorrows." Here is a little etching done on the occasion of his being summoned to the police-court to answer a charge of libel preferred by Mrs. Pittendreigh Somewhat of the same loathsome insolence was observed when they thrust Dr. Kenealy into the dock; and when his brave fond wife followed him half madly, and put her foot upon the dock step, and a policeman inside called out "Keep that female back"; and she was obliged to leave-oh, so tearfully—and was kindly and tenderly helped to her former seat near the reporters by two officials whose hearts were not quite hardened; you could see the wretches exult-as the Red Indian exults-and Coleridge gloated with his expression of "sanctimonious sensuality" (for thus a great master of language described it), and F. Cockburn ("my cousin ") laughed and sneered, and there was that sort of hellish joy which if Englishmen and Englishwomen had seen it would have made their hearts boil over with rage. And the filthy, insolent farce proceeded; and Dr. Kenealy (who could scarcely support himself in the chair) was called on to stand up and plead; and the odious tale was listened to gravely by that grimy old Recorder, and there was nothing in it, and the jury were told to acquit, and Russell Gurney said not a word in condemnation of the horrid affair (which was a disgrace to our courts) and had not a word of sympathy for this suffering gentleman; and he was finally carried out of the dock half fainting-panting for fresh air, which he inhaled like wine when he got into it, while a sip of brandy alone prevented him from falling, and a scene ended which England will ever be ashamed of. Wiping away the tears that well into my eyes as I read this touching passage, I look across the floor of the House of Commons, and see sitting behind Mr. Bright a short stout man who leans back with one arm thrown carelessly over the back of the bench: for though the House is full there is plenty of room in the neighbourhood of the Member for Stoke. He is gazing steadfastly up at the ceiling-apparently not greatly caring to look his fellow-men in the face. Presently he slowly rises and turns towards the Treasury Bench a face in which the most prominent feature at first glance is a pair of gold spectacles. Above these towers a high red forehead, crowned by much hair. Round his chin, skirting his shaven cheeks, and leaving in full view a large mouth, is much more hair. speaks with slow deliberate manner, in a harsh voice that contains a metallic tone singularly repellant. He makes use of few gestures He beyond the occasional holding up of a "podgy" red hand, the coarseness of which is made more apparent by the large number of big rings with which it is dressed. If you care to observe him in the House it would be well to make the most of the current opportunity, for he is not often here. All those magnificent schemes with which Stoke was deluded whilst yet he was but a candidate seem to have been abandoned when the purpose of their promise was served. The Member for Stoke would doubtless "manage the House of Commons" with exactly as much ease as he "muzzled and chained Cerberus" in the Court of Queen's Bench; only he is so much engrossed in the lucrative business connected with the publication of the Englishman that he is not often able to find time to attend to the affairs of the nation. "His ambition is," as we have seen, "to marshal and lead the Great People of England under the banner of Magna Charta"; only the weekly pennies coming in from the Magna Chartists have to be looked up, and the accounts of local treasurers to be sharply audited, which takes time. Mr. Disraeli is still uncrushed; Mr. Gladstone is yet uncowed; Mr. Lowe yet flaunts his white crest on the Front Opposition Bench; Mr. Brand's head is still safe on his shoulders; the special interests of Stoke as a constituency are still neglected-but the "provincial tour" is prospering, and let us "make our money whilst the ball's a-rolling." Thus it comes to pass that we do not know much in the House of the Member for Stoke. But I live to tell that on one occasion at least I listened to him for the space of two hours, and heard in place of argument misrepresentation, and instead of eloquence blatant talk that sometimes merged in balderdash. I believe the feeling that pervaded the House of Commons when the Member for Stoke resumed his seat after his great effort was less of disgust towards the reckless traducer of fair fames, strong as was that feeling, than of marvel that so many of the people of England-albeit of the most ignorant should be gulled by so poor a practitioner. Beside this gigantic popular delusion of modern times it seems a common thing that Titania should have fallen in love with Bottom, and sitting beside the lout in the wood near Athens, should have coyed the transformed weaver's amiable cheeks, stuck musk roses in his sleek smooth head, kissed his fair large ears, and cherished him for her "gentle joy." FIN BEC'S WAIF FROM THE SCHILLER. N the morning of the 11th of May I received a large official envelope, "On Her Majesty's Service," marked in the corner :- "Saved from the Schiller." Within the envelope was the wet wreck of a letter from my friend Mr. Horace Howard Furness, of Philadelphia, the distinguished Shakespearian. It was a kind invitation to be his guest some day. "Small cheer and great welcome,'" he said, "make a merry feast,' and we'll do our best to make you comfortable." The words were blurred and the paper was blistered with the salt water. The message had come to me out of the storm and deathstruggle of that awful Friday night, on the Retarrier Ledges, by the Bishop Lighthouse, Scilly. It has been the regular custom of my correspondent to send me the menu of the Shakspere Society of Philadelphia, for some years past; to keep my collection from the beginning complete. His stained and torn letter is accompanied by the menu of 1875-also blurred with its stormy bath. It is a production which does infinite credit to the Shakespearians of Philadelphia; and puts us to the blush, for certain am I no such scholarly menu was laid before Shakespearian diners on this side of the Atlantic on the last 23rd of April. Let the candid reader judge :- TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL DINNER OF THE SHAKSPERE SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA, King. Set me the Stopes of wine vpon that table :-V. ii. 273. Mar. Fran. Polon. Hora. Ophe. Cour. George Allen FRIDAY, 23rd APRIL. So hallow'd, and so gracious is the time.-I. i. 164. come most carefully vpon your houre.-I. i. 6. Enquire me first Looke you Sir, * And how, and who; what meanes; and where they keepe: a list of lawlesse resolutes For foode and diet-I. i. 98. Quarto 1604. Courtiers, Soldiers, Schollers: Eye, tongue, sword, Richard L. Ashhurst Laer. King. Ham. Ham. Hor. Ham. Laer. Clo. Hora. Hora. Pol. Ham. Hor. Hee may not, as vnuallued persons doe, Heere in the cheere and comfort of our eye, BILL OF FARE. Here's the Commission, read it at more leysure :-V. ii. 26. heeere and there, Shark'd vp-I. i. 98. Excellent Ifaith, of the Camelions dish: I eate the Ayre LITTLE NECK CLAMS. your chast Treasure open To his vnmastred importunity.—I. iii. 31. dig'd;-V. i. 42. harbindgers preceading-I. i. 122. Quarto 1604. And prologue to the Omen comming.-I. i. 123. Quarto 1604. WINE Chablis 1865. Giue first admittance to-II. ii. 51. Soup. Bisque aux Ecrevisses à la Royale. a Crab.-II. ii. 207. away with the shell.-V. ii. 191. WINE: Topaz Sherry. |