31 MAY 1890, Page 2

But the most remarkable part of Professor Tyndall's speech was

the part in which he attacked, not Mr. Gladstone, but Mr. Gladstone's friends and followers, and called them Mr. Glad- stone's " phonographs." " Whatever he speaks into them they will repeat as long as he likes, until he speaks something else into them, and then they will repeat that something else just in the same way. For instance, he said boycotting was no better than murder. Throughout the Press and from every platform they repeated, Boycotting is no better than murder.' He let them go on repeating that for two or three years; then suddenly he spoke again, 'Boycotting is only exclusive dealing;' and immediately the response came from the same Press and from the same platforms, 'Boycotting is only exclusive dealing.' Then, again, he said Parnellites are steeped to the lips in treason.' The phonographs faithfully responded, 'Parnellites are steeped to the lips in treason.' He let them go on saying that for several years ; then one fine morning he spoke again, and said, The Parnellites are the purest patriots ;' and im- mediately the Gladstonian Press and platforms resounded with 'The Parnellites are the purest patriots.' The Edison phonograph, you know, is so perfect that it will return the sound of a trumpet, the crowing of a cock, or any nonsense you may speak into it. So will the Gladstonian phonographs. I verily believe—nay, I am prepared to make a wager—that if Mr. Gladstone were to take it into his head to say to these phonographs of his,' Cock-a-doodle-doo is the highest wisdom,' you would find next morning the Gladstonian Press and plat- forms would be resounding with Cock-a-doodle-doo is the highest wisdom." That is powerful; but is it not the truth and a truth quite inconsistent with the earlier assertion that

Mr. Gladstone,—at all events in relation to Home-rule,— " handed himself over to the pushes and pulls of mobs and masses "? On the contrary, the mobs and masses handed them- selves over to his pushes and pulls, which is a very different matter indeed.