SHOWING HOW THE SHAPE OF A HOUSE MAY BE A
MATTER OF SOME CONSEQUENCE.
Cu:al-Aix curious inquirers have traced the moral obliquities of dist ingiiished malethetors—such as IIICILARD the Third and others-- to the influence of' their bodily maleformation. Something of' the kind ina,v be observed in houses also. We do not mean mere dwellieg-houses, but houses so called by a figure of speech,— hoLV:e6 Of prayer, houses of' Commons, and so Ibrth. Thus, many attempts have been made to approoriate old cathedral churches, built in the days of' Popery, to the celebration of divine service according to the Refbrmed Protestant ritual. It has been, evr, fl.und fla: a preacher to preach, or a congregation to hear with profit, in the long-drawn aisles thickly clustered with pillars, devised to give effect to the scenic show of the exaltation of the 114),:t amid the swell of choral symplumies and the wreathing of clouds of' frankincense. The only result lets been dull sermons
.nan drowsy listeners. But perhaps the strongest example of the
bad consequenees of' an ill-shaped hou a; is to he found in our own House of Conmions. In the Chamber of Deputies, the majority s,:herleg to the ...1;nisters seats ite,elf io the centre ; and the dis- ssntient, from Mit,i,terial policy, according as they blame it 1hr want or thr exce,s bf range themselves on the left or the right eetremitie-; of t;ii, solid phalanx. Thus all find place, awl at the eime time all can hear and make themselves heard ;la (WM.
Now, mark the contrast in our narrow oblong !louse of Genevans. 'line' only two positions in the House where wen eon hesr or be heard to advantage— the immediate vicinity of the Speaksr's cheir, on his right hand or OD his left- —are occupied by the Mini n ':11 by the leaders of tine organized Opposition. An instep! whait Member, if he v,ish to keep apart from both, milet pima_ himself e, here he cannot conveniently take part in the hte,i- nsss of the 'foie, 11', for the purpose of hearing or making him- sir heard, he verdure into the precincts we have indicated, he regarded with jealousy as /u sort of' eavesdropper, and lweies ti entertain ail uneasy frar that he is OW% Ile ea her relinquishes ths iitteitipt to participate in the bui,iuess, or be gets acelimaiizefl lit it %ere to the region of' the house he frequeots so awkward V, be at variance With lia•fl among whom he bits night. after night. They v.ho complain that there are 11011e hint. IllerC Whig :IAA Tory partr-aus inn the House of Commons, would do well to think of Ibis: : and desise Walla tflealla or separating the sheep from the itoath• , Great allow:mei: must be made for the bnekslidings of
tar,' various until the shape of the I loiii III changed.
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