We are told by the provincial papers,—and we have been
led to believe that the report is true,—that the Queen did one of those supremely gracious acts with respect to Mr. Bright's acceptance of office by which from time to time she wins the hearts of her subjects. She sent word, it is said, to Mr. Bright that he would not be expected to kneel like the other Ministers on his interview with her, in deference of course to his hereditary religious scruples as a Quaker. "The Right Honourable John Bright" sounds odd enough, but the right honourable John Bright stand- ing when all his colleagues knelt, must have seemed, after all, far more like plain John Bright than he has now any right to seem. The Queen was *evidently grateful to him for his defence of her two years ago against Mr. Ayrton's attack, and indeed, it is said, in her own dignified way, said as much. If Mr. Bright is to be not unfrequently "the Minister in attendance on Her Majesty," it will be an interesting problem iu the dynamics of two particles, whether the throne will stir from its orbit the poli- tical centre of gravity of the Quaker tribune of the people, more or less than the Quaker tribune of the people will stir from its orbit the political centre of gravity of the throne.
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