Bancroft was less respected at Paris
than the Marquis of Normanby, or that Lord Cowley would less powerfully
represent England were his salary of 10,000 pounds cut down to 2,000
pounds. A thoughtful man can see, in the glitter and glare of gilded
saloons, filled with flunkies and worshippers of the golden calf, nothing
very creditable, or worthy of admiration. At the same time it must be
remembered that, if the nation has efficient service, it is not grudging
as regards expense.

PATERNOSTER ROW.

The "swinish multitude," as a term of reproach, in these days of ours is
gradually becoming less and less in vogue. There were times when
gentlemen were not ashamed to use it--when the people, degraded and
oppressed, demoralised by the vices of their superiors, were scorned for
the degradation which had been forced on them against their will. Not
voluntarily did the people give up its inherent rights and its divine
power. The struggle was long and severe before the man relinquished his
birthright, and sank into a savage or a sot. The divine in man had to be
expelled--the instinct in manhood had to be repressed--conscience had to
be seared--fatal habits had to be engendered--ere this final consummation
took place; and kings, with their brute force and men of war, and with
their priests slavish enough blasphemously to affirm the voice of the
king was the voice of God, found some trouble in effecting it. But they
succeeded in time. They fancied that at last they had controlled what
was as much beyond their control as the winds of heaven or the ocean's
stormy waves. They thought they had inscribed upon humanity at last the
proud command: "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further." Nor even did
the philosopher show himself above the delusion of the age. Gibbon, in
closing his story of Rome's decline and fall, pitied the future
historian, for whom would exist no parallel passages similar to those
which had lent such thrilling charm to his own eventful page. Adam Smith
calmly predicted the perpetuity of society as it then was, utterly
ignorant of the greatness and the glory yet to come. Yet hardly was the
ink dry which recorded these sage predictions, when they were singularly
falsified. Suddenly, without one word of warning, without one note of
preparation, a change came as the lightning flash. There was a shaking
amongst the dry bones--a hurrying to and fro of armed men in the imperial
halls of Versailles.