By 7 p. m. , or a littlo after, as a general rule,
nearly all the memlers havo gono to dinner,
and tho chamber presents a lxiggarly array of
empty benc hes. To these empty benches and
to the . w eary speakers the boixs and wind
bags hold forth for three mortal hours. Tho
period from 7 to 10 is generally sacred to
them. They have nothing to say and tbey
say it very badly. You havo read or heard
all the old dreary arguments a hundred times
over; but these men bring them out as im
pressively os though they were stating new
ideas of the most profound nature. There is
no time limit to Kcccbcs iu the house of
commons; and it is possible that this whole
three hours might be taken up by one bore,
though that ii not often the case. At about
8 o'clock there is usually a brief cessation,
when the speaker goes out for refreshment
(which is H)pularly suppled to con
sist of a mutton chop and glass of
claret); on his return the drouing con
tinues. At about lOo'cl.'Kk jx m. the members
begin to drop in, fiver al of them hi evening
dress. If a good speaker is on his legs ILU is
a lively time; if not, rcverol of the gentlemen
who have eaten and drank not widely but too
well go to sl-?p. Sometime between midnight
and - o'clock in the morning tue achate is
either adjourned (generally after a wrangle),
or there is a division; then, as the newspajiera
sa3', "the remaining motions are disposed of
and the house adjourns."
Of the house cf lords I will say nothing; it
is too terrible a theme. A dozen jeers and
three or four bishops sitting for an hour con
stitute the nomiual session of that body.
