But " Pistol hath a killing tongue and a quiet
sword, by means whereof 'a breaks words and keeps whole weapons." Mr. Gladstone and. Lord Granville quietly went into the country on Saturday, and on Sunday no party was ever in deeper dejection than the party of the noble Marquis who had cast this gage of battle on the floor of the House of Lords. They were going through that uncomfortable culinary process, which Prince Bis- marck, more graphically than politely, described as the fate of the French before the capitulation of Paris, and which he termed stewing in their own juice ; and profound was the anxiety to know how Mr. Gladstone would act. Addresses and telegrams came up from all quarters to the Prime Minister, exhorting him not to let the House of Lords spoil his Irish Land Bill. As the Prime Minister approached the House on Monday, a great crowd met him in Palace Yard, whose ringing cheers were heard within the House of Commons. As he entered that House, his party gave him cheer on cheer of passionate welcome, taken up again and again, as they died away. When Mr. Gladstone briefly moved that the Lords' Amendments be taken into con- sideration, and certain Irish Mem rs pressed for a general state- ment of the views of the Goveriient, Mr. Dillwyn rose, and appealing to that silent fidelity with which he had supported the Government alike against Irish and against Tory amendments, declared for himself, and certainly not a few of the independent Liberals, that he hoped the Government did not intend to let their measure be spoiled by " irresponsible '' persons in another place ; and said, amidst general cheering, that on any issue of importance he should feel Wand to support the Irish Party against the Peers, even though it might involve opposition to the Government.
