26 JANUARY 1895, Page 19

Our sincerest thanks are due to Sir Henry James, for,

while speaking at Bow on Friday week, he actually con- trived to illuminate the dullness and darkness of the political situation with a joke. After declaring that the great charm of Lord Rosebery was that he never said the same thing twice, he illustrated his attitude on the question of Home- rule by the following story : — An old lady who was travelling by the Underground had a bad leg, and this made it necessary for her to get out of the carriage backwards. But whenever she tried to alight, a friendly porter—who imagined that she must be trying to get in—came and shoved her in from behind. No doubt that is exactly what happens to Lord Rosebery. He is always trying to get out of Home- rule, and is always being shoved back into it against his will.