akes no part in debate; never goes on Midlothian Campaigns;
belongs to no faction; has no political following; and should have no
enemy. British public, regarding with close attention the fascinating
arena at Westminster, have evidently formed clear opinion of its present
President. When list of guests whom LORD MAYOR delighted to honour read
out by Toastmaster, name of SPEAKER received with enthusiastic and
prolonged applause. House of Commons men present, of whom there was
large muster, evidently taken by surprise. They know the SPEAKER,
because they daily live with him. How outside public should have been
seized with such keen appreciation of his worth was more than they were
prepared for.

This may have been, probably was, to some extent a _succes d'estime_.
Mr. PEEL'S speech was genuine triumph; very brief, the shortest of the
series, but incomparably the best; lofty in tone, perfect in delivery,
saying just the right thing at the right moment in the right way. Its
effect at Mansion House something like that which electrified House when
Mr. PEEL, standing on steps of Chair, faced it for first time as its
SPEAKER, revealing, even to those who had known him long, the full
depths of his nature and the towering height of his capacity.

"_Mon Dieu_, TOBEE," said an eminent Frenchman, "the world in both
hemispheres has always envied you the possession of your House of
Commons. Now we know you have a Speaker worthy of its best traditions."

Banquet a great success; certainly the most brilliant galaxy of guests
drawn together in same place since Mr. PHELPS, the American Minister,
said farewell in memorable speech. Much struck with completeness of
arrangements. Even the waiters imbued with consciousness of great
occasion.

"Hope you enjide your dinner, Sir?" said one to me, when dessert placed
on table.

"Excellent," I said; "perhaps the whitebait done a little too much;
showed tendency to present itself in fragments; but 'twas nothing."

"Yessir," said the Waiter, diligently brushing off imaginary crumbs.
"I'm going now, Sir."

"Ah," I said; "then I suppose you don't wait to hear the speeches; flow
of reason, you know, quite a treat."

"Yessir," said he, still pegging away at the spotless table-cloth. "Can
I get you anything more, Sir?"

"No, thank you," I said, quite touched at the man's considerate
attention, the more marked since, as far as I recognised him, I had not
seen him before. "I've done excellently."