The first picture I drew for _Punch's_ essence of Parliament was a portrait of Lord Randolph Churchill, "Caught on the Hip," to illustrate the following truly prophetic words of Toby, M.P.: "The new delight you have given us is the spectacle of an undisciplined Tory--a man who will not march at the word of command and snaps his fingers at his captain. You won't last long, Randolph; you are rather funny than witty--more impudent than important." That was written at the opening of Parliament, 1891. [Illustration: "THE G.O.M." AND "RANDY."] I must plead guilty to being the cause of giving an erroneous impression of Lord Randolph's height. He was not a small man, but he _looked_ small; and when he first came into notoriety, with a small following, was considered of small importance and, by some, small-minded. It was to show this political insignificance in humorous contrast to his bombastic audacity that I represented him as a midget; but the idea was also suggested from time to time by his opponents in debate. Did not Mr. Gladstone once call him a gnat? and do we not find the following lines under _Punch's_ Fancy Portraits, No. 47, drawn by Mr. Sambourne? "There is a Midge at Westminster, A Gnatty little Thing, It bites at Night This mighty Mite, But no one feels its sting." Two gentlemen of Yorkshire had a dispute about his correct height, and one of them, anxious to have an authoritative pronouncement, wrote to the noble Lord, and received the following reply: "2, CONNAUGHT PLACE, W. "Dear Sir,--Lord Randolph Churchill desires me to say, in reply to your letter of the 21st inst., that his height is just under 5ft. 10in. "I am, yours faithfully, "CECIL DRUMMOND-WOLFF, Secretary." [Illustration: MR. LOUIS JENNINGS.]