Business done.—­Education Bill in Committee.

Thursday.—­Land Purchase Bill came on in Lords for Committee stage.  House unusually crowded; quite animated in appearance; when at length it gets into Committee LORD CHANCELLOR leaves Woolsack and, still wearing wig and gown, lends new air of grace and dignity to Ministerial Bench.  Sits between MARKISS and ASHBOURNE.  Wonder what the MARKISS thinks of him?  For a cheerful, social, soothing hour, imagine nothing more supreme than the confidences of the MARKISS in respect to some half-dozen other of his colleagues.

[Illustration:  Lord Colchester.]

Before Committee is reached, The MCCULLUM MORE comes to front, and modestly engrosses attention.  Other Peers prepared, once in while, to buckle down to hard night’s work, fighting over Clauses of Bill in Committee.  That sort of obscure labour might suit them, but not the thing to attract the MCCULLUM MORE.  Had already enjoyed himself on Second Reading, delivering one of those orations which, as COLCHESTER says, may be magnificent but are not debate.  That should have satisfied vanity of ordinary man; but the MCCULLUM MORE not an ordinary man.  There were several things he forgot to say in the speech.  Others had occurred to him since.  He might, without stopping progress of business, work them off in Committee; but in Committee he must needs stand on level with ordinary Peers anxious to get on with business, and his observations would probably not be reported.  Thing to do was to move Instruction to Committee.  This would bring him on first thing in a full House, before Peers had wearied themselves with application to real business.  So gave notice of Instruction.  Doesn’t matter in what terms; sufficient that he was able to deliver his speech.  MARKISS a little sarcastic in begging him not to press Instruction.  Nobody showed inclination to debate it, but it had served its turn.  Having delivered his speech, The MCCULLUM MORE stalked off home, leaving to others the drudgery of Committee work.

Business done.—­Land Bill through Committee in Lords.

Friday Night.—­Education Bill through Committee.  Last scene of all a little lively owing to revolt on Conservative side.  RICHARD TEMPLE led it in speech of unwonted eloquence.  Quite overflowing wealth of imagery:  described School Board as the ogre that eats up everything; that enough by way of description; but TEMPLE rising to fresh heights, went on to characterise it as the thin edge of the wedge.

Capital speech of quite another kind from JENNINGS.  As the Member for Sark says, JENNINGS when he has anything to say to the House of Commons talks, doesn’t speechify; style excellent, and so is the matter.  House would like to hear a little oftener from JENNINGS; due to it from Stockport who has also sent us GEDGE.

Business done.—­Education Bill through Committee.

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