A Letter to the Queen, signed "A Friend of the
People," a small pamphlet of forty.five pages, has been recently published, and has ex- cited some interest, from the notion entertained of its being the com- position of Lord BROUGHAM. How such an impression originated, we are at a loss to conceive. Although the noble and learned Lord has sometimes shown his talent in transformation, it is only his sen- timents that he has been able to obscure; his style, so far as we are aware, has always refused to be disguised. The opinions contained in this pamphlet are by no means altogether coincident with those pub- licly expressed by his Lordship at the present moment,—the Ballot, for instance, is discountenanced ;) but this may not be considered any se- rious argument against the affiliation. The style, however, has little or nothing of BROUGHAM in it, being somewhat disjointed, not very diffuse, and rather business.like than rhetorical. It is different even from the style of his Tomkins tracts. Lastly, there are two or three positive breaches of Priscian's head, of which his Lordship is certainly to be acquitted.
We have no room this week to notice the brochure ; which, however, contains some valuable matter. Next week we may return to it. Whether it be the work of Lord BROUGHAM or not, its suggestions are well timed and deserve all consideration. The mystification may be a ruse of the publishers; who, we understand, intimate that the manuscript reached them from the country through thirteen different hands! (and how many waggons ?)
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