Lord Palmerston on Saturday distributed the prizes awarded by the
judges to exhibitors at the South London Industrial Exhi- bition. The proceedings were of the usual character, Lord Palmerston making a speech which may be summed up in the Scotch saying, " Grup at a gowden gown, and ye'se get a sleeve et," but an unusual incident oecurred. There were three classes of prizes—silver medal, bronze medal, and a card of honourable mention, and the judges were elected by the exhibitors them- selves. Still there was some dissatisfaction, and three men successively stepped up to receive their cards, and in the savage bitterness of wounded vanity tore them up and flung them in the faces of Lord Palmerston and the judges. They were promptly hustled out, and the body of people in the hall cried " Shame !" but the incident marred the day. It was curiously characteristic of the English workman's worst point,—his deficiency in self- restraint. Educated men would have been just as savage, but would have abided by the award of the judges, as by any other. unpleasant but irresistible decree ; where Goble and Co. swore with vexation, they would have laughed ; the sentiment would have been the same, but the expression as different as a sarcasm and a kick.
