eir mouth. Our poor old Parliament,
thousands of years old, is still good for something, for several
things;--though many are beginning to ask, with ominous anxiety,
in these days: For what thing? But for whatever thing and
things Parliament be good, indisputably it must start with other
than a lie in its mouth! On the Whole, a Parliament working with
a lie in its mouth, will have to take itself away. To no
Parliament or thing, that one has heard of, did this Universe
ever long yield harbour on that footing. At all hours of the day
and night, some Chartism is advancing, some armed Cromwell is
advancing, to apprise such Parliament: "Ye are no Parliament.
In the name of God,--go!"

In sad truth, once more, how is our whole existence, in these
present days, built on Cant, Speciosity, Falsehood, Dilettantism;
with this one serious Veracity in it: Mammonism! Dig down where
you will, through the Parliament-floor or elsewhere, how
infallibly do you, at spade's depth below the surface, come upon
this universal _Liars_-rock substratum! Much else is ornamental;
true on barrel-heads, in pulpits, hustings, Parliamentary
benches; but this is forever true and truest: "Money does bring
money's worth; Put money in your purse." Here, if nowhere else,
is the human soul still in thorough earnest; sincere with a
prophet's sincerity: and 'the Hell of the English,' as Sauerteig
said, 'is the infinite terror of Not getting on, especially of
Not making money.' With results!

To many persons the horoscope of Parliament is more interesting
than to me: but surely all men with souls must admit that
sending members to Parliament by bribery is an infamous solecism;
an act entirely immoral, which no man can have to do with, more
or less, but he will soil his fingers more or less. No Carlton
Clubs, Reform Clubs, nor any sort of clubs or creatures, or of
accredited opinions or practices, can make a Lie Truth, can make
Bribery a Propriety. The Parliament should really either punish
and put away Bribery, or legalise it by some Office in Downing-
street. As I read the Apocalypses, a Parliament that can do
neither of these things is not in a good way.--And yet, alas,
what of Parliaments and their Elections? Parliamentary Elections
are but the topmost ultimate outcome of an electioneering which
goes on at all hours, in all places, in every meeting of two or
more men. It is _we_ that vote wrong, and teach the poor ragged
Freemen