roamed very wide, and gave many of his hearers an idea that
his erudition had carried him into regions in which it was impossible
to follow him. The gist of his argument was to show that audacity in
Reform was the very backbone of Conservatism. By a clearly pronounced
disunion of Church and State the theocracy of Thomas a Becket would
be restored, and the people of England would soon again become the
faithful flocks of faithful shepherds. By taking away the endowments
from the parishes, and giving them back in some complicated way to
the country, the parishes would be better able than ever to support
their clergymen. Bishops would be bishops indeed, when they were no
longer the creatures of a Minister's breath. As to the deans, not
seeing a clear way to satisfy aspirants for future vacancies in the
deaneries, he became more than usually vague, but seemed to imply
that the Bill which was now with the leave of the House to be read a
second time, contained no clause forbidding the appointment of deans,
though the special stipend of the office must be matter of
consideration with the new Church Synod.

The details of this part of his speech were felt to be dull by the
strangers. As long as he would abuse Mr. Gresham, men could listen
with pleasure; and could keep their attention fixed while he referred
to the general Conservatism of the party which he had the honour
of leading. There was a raciness in the promise of so much Church
destruction from the chosen leader of the Church party, which was
assisted by a conviction in the minds of most men that it was
impossible for unfortunate Conservatives to refuse to follow this
leader, let him lead where he might. There was a gratification in
feeling that the country party was bound to follow, even should he
take them into the very bowels of a mountain, as the pied piper did
the children of Hamelin;--and this made listening pleasant. But when
Mr. Daubeny stated the effect of his different clauses, explaining
what was to be taken and what left,--with a fervent assurance that
what was to be left would, under the altered circumstances, go much
further than the whole had gone before,--then the audience became
weary, and began to think that it was time that some other gentleman
should be upon his legs. But at the end of the Minister's speech
there was another touch of invective which went far to redeem him.
He returned to that personal question to which his adversary had
undertaken to