Page:Eminent English liberals in and out of Parliament.djvu/88

 His cause, the cause of international arbitration, is a growing one. In spite of appearances, the day-dream of Mazzini will yet be realized. There will be a United States of Europe, as of America, and the sad Italian—

will be numbered among the world's greatest seers.

Sir Wilfrid has likewise, in the matter of the royal grants, along with Sir Charles Dilke and Mr. P. A. Taylor, done all that one faithful representative could to rescue the people' s hardly earned money from the devouring maw of useless princes and princesses.

For the rest, the member from Carlisle, on subjects with which he is less familiar, alwa3's follows the best lead; and his vote will never be found recorded among the ayes when it should be among the noes.

He is not what can be called an orator; but his style of speaking is admirably adapted to the matter, which is no less closely reasoned than wittily conceived. He is the readiest and perhaps the most pungent writer of satirical verses I ever met. If he were setting himself to it, he could fill columns of "Punch" every week, to the great advantage of the proprietors. I subjoin a very recent specimen, consisting of a paraphrase of the ministerial reply to Mr. Samuelson's question regarding the language officially used in Cyprus:—