TOPICS OF THE DAY.
WISDOM OUT OF SEASON.
AT this period of the year, when the journals are relieved of the debates-= Parliament, the space becomes available for a variety of interesting matter, and i it s astonishing to see what a flood of use- ful knowledge and wise suggestion .is poured upon a favoured pub- lic—preoisely at a season when nobody is attending to important affairs. Were these lessons vouchsafed in February, at a time when legislators are full of good intentions and vigoura refreshed, they might have some -useful fruits ; but then the instructive press is comparatively silent. The printed Gamiliel holds forth most diligently when there is no pupil at his feet. The teacher is most
i eloquent when the disciple s astray in the moors.
The ideal supposition, indeed, is that Ministers employ the re- cess in arduous preparations for the session ; and Punch attempted a week or two since to lend his witty countenance to the hallu- cination; but the delusion is dispelled by a hard-headed Scotehman, who has actually seen the Premier amusing himself with his chil- dren,—just as Punch says he does not,—by sending up paper bal- loons and chasing them over the lawn at Birnam. The self-sati- rizer ! Now there is no objection to Lord John's sending up paper balloons in the recess, if he did not blow bubble bills in the ses- sion; but it is hard upon the befooled public that he should be so sportive at both seasons. Whomsoever we blame, the fact stands good, that the instructive press holds forth in vain, and all the sug- gestions of the shooting-season are dispersed fruitless. What is everybody's business is nobody's : as Ministers radi- cally neglect so much wisdom, might it not be well to appoint one specially for the purpose, who should keep his eyes, his ears, and his note-book open ; taking note of all passing suggestions and storing up a treasure of ideas for the session ? Lord. Brougham may almost be called a candidate for such an office,, so effectively does he amass one branch of retrospection and suggestion in his recently published letter to Lord Denman. He reviews the legis- lation of -last session, its failures, and its frustrations. He reminds us how Ministers, in their oblivion or perverse councils, opposed their own intentions on the County Courts question; • how blank is the legislation in the crying departTnent of Criminal Law ; how, against all reason,and principle, the great ,promised reform which was to divide the political and judicial functions of ho Lord Chan- cellor was only promised, without a prospect .t)f performance. We are duly reminded of that standing public grievance, and duly instructed in the expediency of a reform ; but, we say, it is of com- paratively little use to ponder such matters :nap : the thing wanted is, to recall it in February, when the machinery of legislation is at work and the public attention is open.
Judging by the forcibleness of Lord Brougham's letter rather than by sad' experience, we might almost be " green " enough to hope that it will stimulate Ministers to a little better employment of the recess---a little more zeal of preparation for the session, than they have been wont to display. For once, Lard John might try if he cannot leave paper balloons and institute the work of prepara- tion. He may never have the chance again. And if want of prac- tice forbids his dealing with any new or unaccustomed ideas, he might employ his energies most usefully, though he transferred them to measures already promised, and—we suppose—duly di-
gested. Such, for example, as this reconstruction of the Chancel- lorship, on which Lord John has been ruminating for ten years. If that measure has not been duly digested in his mind, we do not know what can be so. Or the Jew Bill, at which he has kept up an appearance of labouring for three sessions. Or the great mea- sure which—though as yet unnamed—he must have had in hA
mind when he delivered his immortal oration on Colonial Goven-
ment Indeed, ever since he was in office as Peel's successor, AO has been laying down such a pavement of good intentions that cie
is quite impatient to see him begin to walk upon it. We ktow that he is delicate, and possibly he does not feel strong miens' to do anything rougher than playing with paper balloons. Bit we
say he may never have such a chance again ; and if he fets too weak for a final effort, it really might be worth while to iaprove the holydays with a strengthening regimen: suppose he, and all our little Ministers too, were to try sea-bathing
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