imself to take sides, is in the position
of the looker-on who sees most of the game," was truthfully written of
me _a propos_ of this letter--but why _a propos_ of this letter? Why not
of my serious work instead? No, my "airy persiflage" was only a cloak. I
was seriously and instantaneously accepted as a serious political
prophet, and otherwise criticised:

"_To the Editor of the 'Times.'_

"Sir, In a letter signed by Mr. Harry Furniss, which appeared in the
_Times_ of the 21st inst., the writer concluded by predicting that there
would be another general election within thirteen months, and that the
result would be a Unionist majority of fifteen.

"Mr. Furniss is evidently fond of odd numbers, but may I point out to
him, and to many other political prophets who have fallen into the same
trap, that the fulfilment of his prediction is an impossibility?

"In a House of 670 Members, or any other even number, if divided into
two parties, the majority (in the sense he uses the word--viz., the
difference) must always be an even number. It is true that the division
lists sometimes show a majority which is an odd number, but in such a
case an odd number of Members must have been absent from the division.
Mr. Furniss must prophesy either fourteen or sixteen.

"The English language is so defective that the word 'majority' is used
to mean 'the greater number,' and also 'the difference between the
greater number and the less.' Cannot a new word be invented to replace
'majority' in one or other of these meanings, and so avoid the use of
the same word for two distinct ideas?

"Your obedient servant,

"GEORGE R. GALLAHER,

"Fellow of the Institute of Bankers.

"44, Fenchurch Street, London, E.C."

I suppose F.I.B. stands for "Fellow of the Institute of Bankers."
Anyway, before I had time to reply to the courteous captious critic the
_Times_ published the following:

"_Political Prophecy._

"Sir,--In endeavouring to correct Mr. Furniss your correspondent Mr.
Gallaher has forgotten that, although the House of Commons consists of
an even number of Members, one of those Members will be elected Speaker;
and that consequently, if all the Members were on any occasion to
attend, the majority would be an odd, and not an even n