Lord Rosebery, speaking at Stourbridge on Wednesday night, made a
most amusing as well as most eloquent speech. We cannot, owing to the immense flow of oratory this week, deal with the subject at length, but for the following delightful passage we must find a place :—
" There is no greater variety performer than your distinguished neighbour at Birmingham, and I confess that his absence from the play-bills robs this season of much of its customary sest. Whether we see him pensively blowing soap-bubbles on which the experienced eye may still discern the inscription of old-age pensions, or whether we see him in a smock frock with a side of bacon under one arm and a sheaf of Indian corn under the other, doling out the blessings of cheap food to the people, or whether we see him clad in purple thinking Imperially and doling out to every cottage in the land the blessing of a farthing a week and a united Empire, he is always a versatile and accomplished per- former. But for the rest of the company—those who were called, almost in derision, the Government of this country—they have almost disappeared from view, the curtain has long been descend- ing upon them, and you can now scarcely see their legs."
With what Lord Rosebery said as to the need of economy we are heartily in agreement, but we wish that he had omitted from his speech the passages dealing with foreign policy.
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