21 SEPTEMBER 1867, Page 2

There must be surely some very refined enjoyment in getting

your member not only face to face with you, but on his legs, quite apart from any word which may happen to pass "the bar- rier of his teeth." For the third time within three weeks the Oxfordshire Members have uttered the same " form of sound words " to their constituents. The last time was at Thame, on Thursday week, Mr. Henley on this occasion having wisely absented himself. Colonel North said, just as before, that the Government had done the best it could in the way of Reform in a very difficult position and under heavy responsibilities. Colonel Fans said, just as before, that Mr. Henley had done very much to promote it, and he hoped it would be all right, but did not quite like it ; and the constituents present, who had heard or read pre- cisely the same valuable remarks twice within the previous fort- night, felt apparently a third time the same glow of gratified attention. It is a great mystery—that delight in hearing your member drone over again and again the same verbiage of, political common-place. Is it not a sort of political ritualism, with the substitution of an after-dinner droning for the ecclesiastical in- toning ?