bidding politics as a subject for discussion in the house, and
confined the general conversation exclusively to fish. That this
thoughtful act was appreciated by the overworked politician it is
needless to remark; he settled down to his brief respite with a tranquil
contentment and complete blankness of mind which only the cleverest of
us can assume at will.

Athletic from birth, Snurge cast his line repeatedly far out to sea with
the strength and dogged perseverance which characterised his every
deed--but alas, nearly fifteen hours went by before his patience was
rewarded. Day had turned to dusk and the sun was setting when he was
suddenly jerked from the fishing stand into the water. With an exultant
shout, he clambered on to a rock still clasping his rod--"A Bite, a
Bite!" he cried in tones strangely alien from those he customarily
employed when addressing a civic conference. "A Bite at last!" Playing
his submarine quarry with extraordinary finesse, he eventually, amid
laudatory shouts and frantic cheering, landed an exquisitely striped
bass, which lay at his feet gasping, apparently quite exhausted by its
struggles to evade captivity. Now comes the point of the story, Snurge
surveyed his catch quietly for a few moments--those standing near by
noticed sternly repressed tears in his eyes--then he said a thing which
come what may will eternally prove him the possessor of unparalleled
insight and humanity. Touching the recumbent fish gently with his foot
he sighed deeply--

"This bass is Democracy," he murmured, "And see what I have done with
it!" Superstitious observers state that at this point the bass closed
its eyes wearily, but this may only be a fanatical exaggeration.

Then with a set face he lifted the fish high above his head and flung it
back into its native element, thereby undoing the efforts of many hours'
untiring labour and patience.

I have told this story in order to illustrate definitely the initial
weakness in his lifelong policy, call it folly if you like, or even
imbecility, but I prefer to assign to it the one all embracing
word--"Generosity." He was too generous, all through his career he
sacrificed everything through his generous capacity for seeing and
sympathising with both sides of every question. Many, many times he
would shelve the carefully formulated schemes of months on the sudden
realisation of what the Opposition would suffer if he carried them
through.

Think--as I sometimes thin