The Johannesburg Star professes to report Lord Randolph Churchill's opinion
that Mr. Gladstone will win the General Election, and that Lord- Salisbury is so much of a recluse that he knows no more of the drift of British opinion than Lord
Randolph knows of the opinion of " the electors on the planet Saturn." Perhaps the reporter of the Johannesburg Star may have invented Lord Randolph's statements, or perhaps Lord Randolph, who is not very much in love with Lord Salisbury for valuing his Lordship's capricious support at so very moderate a figure, possibly, indeed, at so negative a quantity, has really spoken in this sense. It does not much matter. If Lord Randolph were not a Duke's son, we should hear ex- ceedingly little of his political opinions, probably rather less 'than we hear of Sir John Gorst's, who, by-the-way, is supposed to be the " favourite" for Mr. Raikes's place as Postmaster- General. Why Sir John Gorst should be rewarded for his disguised attack on the Government of India in the Muneepore affair, we cannot imagine.. Of course he is a clever man, but clever men who are not also straightforward men, should be let severely alone.
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