only 159 were Liberals.
On the county bench there were 522 Unionists and 142 Liberals. This was
a crushing reply, and an even more satisfactory retort came in the shape
of the division, when 260 voted for the Government, and only 186
against.

[Sidenote: Tommy "Burt."]

Nearly three hours of precious public time had been wasted over this
wretched business, and at last, for the third or fourth time, the debate
was resumed on the second reading of the Employers' Liability Bill. An
amendment of Mr. Chamberlain's had been the obstacle which stood in the
way of the Bill all this time. After the debate had gone on for hours,
Mr. Chamberlain got up and declared that his amendment had served its
purpose--an awkward way of putting it, which the Liberals were not slow
to take up. The debate was made remarkable by the first speech of any
importance made by Mr. Burt since he became a member of the Ministry.
Mr. Burt is the most popular of members, and there was a ring of genuine
delight in the welcome given to the honest, modest, genuine working man
standing at the Treasury Bench, and symbolising the revolution of the
times. Mr. Burt spoke ably and well, but it was in a foreign
tongue--which it takes a little time for even a quick linguist to
understand. This Northumbrian burr is the strongest accent in the House;
even the broadest Scotch is less difficult to catch. It is curious how
the different parts of the country betray themselves by their speech.
There are Scotchmen whom it is not easy to follow, and there are very
few of them who speak with anything like an English accent. Even the
most fluent of the Welshmen speak with a certain hesitation, betraying
their bilingual infancy and youth. The Irish have as many accents nearly
as there are members. The Northumbrian burr, however, is a tongue apart.
It has the pleasantness of every foreign tongue, and since Mr. Joseph
Cowen left Parliamentary life, Mr. Burt is the only member who speaks it
in its pristine purity. The Tories were closured finally, though they
had their revenge by preventing the Bill from going to the Grand
Committee, and the work of justice is a little longer postponed.

[Sidenote: Mr. Goschen playful.]

On Thursday, April 27th, the debate began on Sir William Harcourt's
Budget; and it found Mr. Goschen in an unusually playful mood. He had a
task for which his talents eminently fitted him. Irresolute, timid,
changeable, he is the very worst man in the world fo