LORD ADVOCATE snubs CAMPBELL, and he momentarily resumes his seat.  Ten minutes later shrill cry of pibroch heard again.  Everyone knows that CAMPBELL is coming, and here he is, tall, gaunt, keen-faced, shrill-voiced, wanting to know at the top of it which of HER MAJESTY’S Ministers advises HER MAJESTY on questions of precedence?

“There is,” said GORST, reflectively gazing on his manly form, “one precedence we would all concede to CAMPBELL.  We would gladly write on the bench where he usually sits—­

  ‘Not lost, but gone before.’”

[Illustration:  FANCY PORTRAIT OF ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE.

On reading the Parliamentary report in Wednesday’s Times.

“Mr. W.H.  Smith.  I asked my colleagues near me whether they had seen or read the publication—­(Mr. A.C.  Swinburne’s poem about Russia) and none of them had.”

“And this,” exclaimed Algernon Charles Swinburne, the poet, “this is fame!”]

But which is his seat?  Usually the lank form and the shrill voice simultaneously uprise from the middle of the second Bench behind Mr. G.; but GEORGE has a little way of pleasantly surprising the House.  Members looking across see this Bench empty.  “Ah! ah!” they say to themselves, “the CAMPBELLS are gone.  Now we’ll have a few minutes’ peace and get on with business.”  Suddenly, a propos of anything that may be going on, or of nothing at all, the unmistakeable voice breaks on the ear from under the shadow of the Gallery, from the corner of the Bench, sometimes from below the Gangway, and a deep low groan makes answer.  Again a little while and this seat is vacated; the Minister in charge of Bill, looking hastily round, flatters himself that CAMPBELL really has gone, when lo! from some other remote and unfrequented spot the terrible cry is uplifted, and, without looking up, men know CAMPBELL is making his fifteenth speech.

“On the whole,” says PLUNKET, “I’m not sure that the habits of POE’S raven were not less irritating.  It is true that on its first arrival it hopped about the floor, wherein it resembles our honourable friend; but afterwards, having once perched upon the pallid bust of Pallas, it was good enough to remain there.  Bad enough, I admit; but surely that situation preferable to ours, not knowing from moment to moment from what particular quarter CAMPBELL may next present himself.”

Business done.—­Police Bill obstructed.

Tuesday.—­HANBURY came down to-day full of virtuous resolution and stern resolve.  Privileges of House of Commons have been struck at, and through him; DARTMOUTH, Lord-Lieutenant of Staffordshire, has been writing things in the papers; rebukes HANBURY, “as a Magistrate for Staffordshire,” for having made certain speech in.  Commons about Grenadier Guards.  HANBURY hitherto said nothing in public on the matter; has been in communication with DARTMOUTH by post and telegram; has boldly vindicated privileges of Commons; has brought the insolent Lord Lieutenant to his knees; but till this moment has made no public reference to the part he played.  Has borne, unsoothed by companionship, the sorrow of the House of Commons.