ENT.

EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF TOBY, M.P.

_House of Commons, Monday, March 20._--"That's the best speech
HARCOURT has made this Session," said GEORGE CURZON, as we walked into
Lobby to support Government against onslaught of SAGE OF QUEEN ANNE'S
GATE, who disapproves its Uganda policy.

"Which speech?" I asked, eagerly, always anxious to learn. GEORGE
CURZON just back from far East; has sat astride the Wall of China,
and taken five-o'clock tea with the QUEEN OF COREA. ULYSSES, with his
twenty-years' tramp, not in it with him. "Which speech?" I repeated.
"The speech he didn't make just now in reply to CHAMBERLAIN," said
CURZON, in that sententious tone, and with that grave manner he has
learned among the Apaches of the Ural Mountains.

Wants thinking over, this; but is quite true. A great temptation for
the SQUIRE; would have been irresistible at one time. JOSEPH had made
a brilliant speech, scintillating with diamond dagger-points. Yielding
to the habit of heredity, he had been more than usually disagreeable
towards his Brethren. "The original JOSEPH," as the SQUIRE remarked,
in a little aside, whilst the speech went on amid uproarious delight
of the Gentlemen of England, "had one soft place in his resentful
heart. But our JOE finds no BENJAMIN among us--unless, indeed, it be
TREVELYAN, and, I believe, if, after filling up his sack, he had put
in any extraneous substance, it would not have been a cup of silver."

Time was when the SQUIRE would have jumped at this opportunity.
Benches crowded with jubilant gentlemen in dinner dress; excitement
of cheers and counter-cheers filled House. Few things delight it more
than encounter between these two brilliant swordsmen. Only half-past
eleven; Twelve-o'clock Rule suspended; plenty of time for business
by-and-by; half an hour's sport hurt nobody.

When SQUIRE rose, a ringing cheer went up from Ministerialists. Their
turn now. JOE was "going to catch it." But SQUIRE knew better than
that. Opportunity tempting; almost irresistible. But business first,
pleasure after. With touching air of resignation, SQUIRE said they
had listened to a very good speech, and now he hoped the Vote would
be agreed to; at which point he meekly sat down. Shock so sudden and
unexpected that no one but NOLAN moved, and he, finding himself on
his legs, had no words ready. Whilst he was gasping in search of them,
Closure moved; Chairman, who is getting well into the saddle, put
question with lig