29 OCTOBER 1881, Page 2

Sir W. Harcourt made a very witty and effective speech

at C la.sgow on Tuesday, on being presented with the freedom of the city, in which he compared Lord Salisbury, Sir Stafford Northcote, and their colleagues in the recent political tour, to " the three jovial huntsmen" :—

" They hunted and they 'hollered' Till the setting of the sun,

And had nought to bring away at last When the hunting-day was done ; And one unto the other said, 'This hunting doesn't pay, But we've powdered up and down a bit, And had a rattling day."

"I say," declared Sir William Harcourt, "that they've powdered up and down a bit, and had a rattling day, at New- castle. Beverley, and Hull, but I ask myself what is their bag ?" That is very amusing ; only the Tories may reply that huntsmen don't usually make "a bag," though they sometimes bring back a brush.