The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. II., No. 10, September, 1836Various
General
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. II., No. 10, September, 1836
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
The other Ministers in the House of Lords hardly deserve any
particular notice; if of any service in council, they certainly are
not on the floor of the House. The long, dark, impassible figure of
Lord Auckland is rarely drawn from its retreat; it is only when some
question touches the affairs of the admiralty, of which he is the
first Lord, that a few bashful words escape him. Lord Glenelg,
recently elevated to the Peerage, as rarely suffers himself to be
drawn into a debate, if the colonies have nothing at stake. Lord
Glenelg has had his days of eloquence, and was much more distinguished
in the Commons when simple Mr. Grant. Assuredly he is no longer a
young man, for his head is covered with gray hairs, though he looks to
be older than he really is. He is completely worn out, both in soul
and body, and is one of those mystic sensualists who sacrifice real
existence to the mysterious dreams of an opium-eater.
An enormous, round, pale bald head, with great black eyes, and huge
white whiskers, resting on broad shoulders, is every thing that
remains of Lord Holland, the nephew of Fox, and once an accomplished
orator of his uncle's school, and a tolerable writer. Of the rest of
his body nothing can be said; the gout has eat him up by little and
little, and he ends, absolutely, like a fish. It is only after much
time and exertion that his two crutches transport him to the end of
the bench on {639} which he sits, opposite Lord Melbourne. Moreover,
his chancellorship of the Duchy of Lancaster is not such a sinecure as
people have said; he supports his colleagues at least with all the
vigor of his lungs, if with no great strength of argument. He assumes
the responsibility of applauding their speeches, and acquits himself
conscientiously of the duty, for he makes more noise with his cheers
and ‘hears’ alone, than all the rest of the Whig party put together.
It is quite an amusing spectacle to see this stump of a man, bawling
out his applauses, looking for all the world like one of those Chinese
toys representing a great fat buffoon, which, loaded at the bottom,
and without legs, constantly resumes its upright position, however
often it may be thrown to one side or the other.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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