Note 174 — Chapter IX · LITERATURE Wit, Humour, Romance

One of the best is the invective against the collapse of Peel’s “sliding scale:”—“... Of course the Whigs will be the chief mourners; they cannot but weep for their innocent, though it was an abortion. But ours was a fine child. Who can forget how its nurse dandled and fondled it? ‘What a charming babe! Delicious little thing! So thriving! Did you ever see such a beauty for its years?’ And then the nurse, in a fit of patriotic frenzy, dashes its brains out, and comes down to give master and mistress an account of this terrible murder. The nurse too, a person of a very orderly demeanour, not given to drink, and never showing any emotion, except of late when kicking against protection.”