will be struck by the amplitude
and the freshness of his knowledge, the clearness of his views, the
coherence in all his efforts, and often--a point for which he never had
sufficient credit--by his graphic idiom.

The best speech on the affairs of Cracow, for example, the most
vigorous and the best informed, touching all the points with a thorough
acquaintance, was that of Lord George Bentinck. The discussion on
Cracow, which lasted several nights and followed very shortly after
the defeat of his Irish bill, appeared to relate to a class of subjects
which would not have engaged his attention; but on the contrary, he had
given days and nights to this theme, had critically examined all the
documents, and conferred with those qualified to supply him with any
supplementary information requisite. He spoke several times this session
on questions connected with our foreign affairs, and always impressed
the House with a conviction that he was addressing it after a due study
of his subject: as for example, his speech against our interference in
Portugal, and the statement in which he brought forward the claims of
the holders of Spanish bonds on the government of Spain before the House
of Commons. In the instance of Portugal, a motion of censure on
the conduct of ministers had been introduced by Mr. Hume, and the
government were only saved from a minority by the friendly interposition
of Mr. Duncombe, who proposed an amendment to the motion of Mr. Hume
which broke the line of the liberal force. Lord George Bentinck in this
case followed Mr. Macaulay, whose speech, as was his wont, had been rich
in historical illustration. 'The right honourable and learned member for
Edinburgh,' Lord George replied, 'had entered into a very interesting
history of various interferences which had taken place in the affairs
of Portugal; but in making that statement he forgot to mention one
circumstance which had occurred in that history, and it was this

--that when Philip II. of Spain sought to conquer Portugal, the method
he had recourse to for that purpose was one which he thought her
Majesty's ministers had successfully practised on the present occasion

--he persuaded the leaders in Portugal to mix sand with the powder of
their troops. And so, on this occasion, her Majesty's ministers had
prevailed on the member for Finsbury, and those other members who were
so ready to profess a love of liberty, to mix sand with their powder.'

In a previous