[Illustration:  “Scenting the Battle from afar.”]

What everyone gathered to hear was Prince ARTHUR’s views as to date of Dissolution.  He has, up to now, successfully maintained attitude of absolute ignorance that Dissolution is even pending.  Up to to-night the blessed word on everyone’s tongue has not passed his lips.  When, a fortnight ago, Mr. G. diplomatically approached topic, the Prince, with charmingly puzzled look, talked of something else.  Nearest approach he can bring himself to make to topic, is to refer to arrangements of public business.  This afternoon, when he stood at Table, a ringing cheer went up from serried hosts of Ministerialists; answered by closed-up ranks of Opposition.  “Ha! ha!” said STUART, scenting the battle from afar, “that is the first challenge and reply in the great fight.  Soon as BALFOUR’s finished I shall take the Shoreditch ’bus, and look up my Constituents at Hoxton.”

Prince ARTHUR, with eyebrows slightly raised, stood waiting for opportunity to speak; evidently marvelling at this unwonted and unaccountable outburst of clamour.  When it ceased, he observed, quite incidentally, that perhaps it would be convenient for him to make a statement “as to prospects of concluding business before termination of the Session.”  The Session, note.  Not the life of Parliament, nor anything to do with so disturbing a thing as Dissolution.  Kept this up through long business statement; only at conclusion accidentally stumbled on the word, and then regarded the prospect as so uninteresting and immaterial, that he could not come nearer to its contemplation than an interval of seven days.  Not before the end of one week, and not after the middle of another, was as near as he thought it worth while to approach such trifling contingency.

Business done.—­A great deal.

Tuesday.—­Quite touching to observe SQUIRE OF MALWOOD’s friendly interest in progress of public Bills.  GORST, in arranging business of Sitting, anxious not to appear too grasping, put down only limited number of Bills on Orders.  “Why not put down all you’ve got?” the Squire asks, with mildly benevolent glance bent on Treasury Bench.  “Supposing list is run through, there is end of your opportunity; whereas, if you put ’em all down you’re ready to benefit by any accident, and may some night do wonderful stroke of business, working everything off.”

[Illustration:  MR. GLADSTONE has addressed a letter to the Press:—­“SIR,—­The requests addressed to me by Liberal friends ... for personal visits, speeches, and letters have at this juncture become so numerous that it is impossible to reply to them,... or to do more than to assure them that my time and thoughts are incessantly applied to the best mode I can devise to the promotion of our common cause.”]

Prince ARTHUR listens attentively, regarding with questioning look the Grand Grey Figure on other side of Table.  “When I was at school,” he says, “we were taught, in a foreign tongue, a maxim about fearing the Greeks when they brought presents.  Not quite sure the right Hon. Gentleman is chiefly concerned for interests of Government and advance of public business.  But I’ll consider his suggestion.”