Page:Australian views of England.djvu/96

  book from which he never raised his eyes. The young Prince sat on the far side, and kept constantly leaning forward and raising his head as if to see the most of that portion of his mother's free subjects who unceremoniously stared at him. He seemed to think there was some fun in it, and could hardly restrain himself from laughing at times. He does not look older than he is—twelve years; he has brown hair, fair complexion, and large restless eyes. After all, as one good old lady observed, "he is very much like other little boy&"

In the political world the champion Disraeli is buckling on his armour. Twice recently he has bitterly assailed Mr. Gladstone's management of the finances, and has cleverly struck upon the sympathies of the Parliamentary economists by declaring against a war expenditure in the time of peace. Lord Palmerston's Government exists by a support in the House of Commons which may crumble away at any moment. The financial reformers and radicals who sit below the Ministerial gangway are all in a state of disaffection, the Irish members for the most part are savagely hostile, while a party of men sit round Mr. Disraeli, per-