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 the result such as might be naturally expected from such a system,—that the Secretary of State knows nothing about us, except as much cram as may be necessary to make a speech to an inattentive assembly a shade more ignorant than himself; that the Under-Secretary knows just enough of us to adopt some crude and impracticable theory like the one pound an acre scheme, or the civilisation of the aborigines, to which he adheres with the desperate tenacity of ignorance and presumption; and that the Clerk, our real Governor, who is utterly unknown and irresponsible—who will not be praised if we are governed well, or blamed if we are governed ill—should take it as easy as possible, and content himself with echoing back the despatches he receives, sometimes enlivening the matter by an occasional abuse of the Governor for something perfectly right, just to show he has an opinion of his own."

The last stroke is simply delicious.