The Mother of Parliaments

Moore's "Life of Sheridan," vol. i. p. 348.

344

Forster's "Biographical Essays," vol. ii. p. 195.

345

Dr. King's "Anecdotes of His Own Time," p. 114.

346

"Eloquence," said Bolingbroke, "must flow like a stream that is fed by an abundant spring, and not spout forth a little frothy water on some gaudy day and remain dry the rest of the year."

347

Dalling's "Historical Characters," vol. ii. p. 175.

348

Barrow's "Mirror of Parliament" (1830).

349

Sir J. Mackintosh's "Memoirs," vol. ii p. 192.

350

Grattan used to walk about the park at Windsor haranguing the oaks in a loud voice. A passer-by once found him apostrophising an empty gibbet. "How did you get down?" asked the stranger politely. O'Flanagan, "Irish Chancellors," vol. ii. p. 416.

351

Letters, vol. ii. pp. 328-9.

352

"Lord Colchester's Diary," vol. i. p. 23.

353

"Pitt spoke like ten thousand angels," wrote Richard Grenville to George Grenville in November, 1742 ("Grenville Papers," vol. i. p. 19).

354

"Memoirs," vol. i. p. 490.

355

Prior's "Life of Malone," p. 361.

356

Samuel Roger's "Recollections," p. 80.

357

"Memoirs of Thomas Moore," vol. iv. p. 215. (Francis Howard compared Pitt's eloquence to Handel's music, see "Memoirs of Francis Howard," vol. i. p. 149.)

358

"Letters to his Son," vol. ii. p. 329.

359

"Letters," ii. 121.

360

"The hon. gentleman has applied to his imagination for his facts, and to his memory for his wit," is a remark he made in different forms on more than one occasion. See Harford's "Wilberforce," p. 167; Brougham's "Sketches," vol. iii. p. 294, etc.

361

Stapleton's "Life of Canning," p. 21.

362

"Men and Manners in Parliament," pp. 56-59.

363

Mr. R. Tennant, member for Belfast, in 1834, on O'Connell's motion for a repeal of the Union, made a speech which he had learnt by heart and sent to the papers, which lasted three and a half hours. Grant's "Recollections," p. 66.

364

Wraxall's "Memoirs," vol. iii. p. 402.

365

"Men and Manners in Parliament," p. 109. (Further on the writer describes the peculiarities of another member who used to fold his arms tightly across his chest when he spoke. Thereafter a constant struggle went on, the arms restlessly battling to get free, and the speaker insisting that they should remain and hear the speech out, p. 130.)

366

"Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding."

367

"Don't quote Latin. Say what you have to say and then sit down!" was the Duke of Wellington's excellent advice to a young member. Walter Bagehot, on the other hand, stated that he had heard an experienced financier say, "If you want to raise a certain cheer in the House of Commons, make a general panegyric on economy; if you want to invite a sure defeat, propose a particular saving!" "The English Constitution," p. 136.

368