"The greatest display of eloquence that I ever witnessed at that club was made by a man some years our senior, the now renowned Lord Macaulay, and it still lingers in my recollection as the most heart-stirring effort of that true oratory that it has ever been my lot to hear, saving perhaps a speech delivered by Mr. O'Connell to an immense crowd in the open air. Macaulay, in point of power, passion, and effect, never equalled that speech in his best days in the House of Commons." E. Strutt (Lord Belper), Macaulay, and Cockburn all supported the reform of the Commons at the end of the last century. Cockburn and Lytton prevailed on the House to carry a motion "that a systematic opposition to the measures of an administration is beneficial to the country." A great debate of this period had for its subject "that the Constitution of America is more favourable to the liberties of the people than that of England." Macaulay, Praed, and Cockburn approved, and were carrying the House with them, when up rose Lytton so eloquent and persuasive that he won his case for England by 109 votes to 37. In Mr. Skipper's pamphlet may be found the following interesting description of the Society in "an unpublished squib," written at this time by Praed:-- The Union Club, of rhetorical fame, Was held at the Red Lion Inn; And there never was lion so perfectly tame, Or who made such a musical din. 'Tis pleasant to snore, at a quarter before, When the Chairman does nothing in state; But 'tis Heaven, 'tis Heaven, to waken at seven, And pray for a noisy debate. The question is Reform, and after the opener has addressed the House, Lytton's rising is thus described:-- Then the Church shakes her rattle and sends forth to battle The terror of Papist and sinner, Who loves to be seen as the modern Mæcenas, And asks all the poets to dinner. After one speaker has intervened, Macaulay rises:-- But the favourite comes with his trumpet and drums And his arms and his metaphors crossed, And the audience, O dear! vociferate Hear! Till they're half of them deaf as a post. Macaulay's speech is thus summarized:-- Oratoric, Metaphoric Similes of wondrous length. Illustration--conflagration, Ancient Romans, House of Commons, Clever Uriel and Ithuriel, Good old king, everything. And Charles Austin rises:-- Then up gets the glory of us and our story, Who does all by logic and rule, Who can tell the true difference 'twixt twopence and threepence, And prove Adam Smith quite a fool. [Illustration: THE MAGAZINE ROOM--CAMBRIDGE UNION. _From a Photo by Messrs. Stearn, Cambridge._]