Page:Manners and customs of ye Englyshe.djvu/42

MR. PIPS HIS DIARY. Iriſh Members not to preſs their ridiculous Motions to a Diviſion, wheedling and coaxing them, as (railing and civil as Haberdaſhers! The Bill to be reported to-morrow; and then the Houſe to a little ordinary Bufineſs; and Bill poſtponed, through the Iriſh cavilling and squabbling. Then a Debate on naming the Committee on Savings Banks; and made an Iriſh Queſtion too; the Diſpute how many Iriſh Members were to ſerve on the Committee: and the End, the Naming of the Committee delayed. This Way of doing Buſineſs in the Houſe of Commons makes it no Wonder how little is done; and the chief Cauſe is the Iriſh Members haranguing upon Nothing and quarrelling about Straws, which do ſeem to me a childiſh and ſpiteful Attempt to give Trouble to Government. I did hope to hear a Speech from, but was diſappointed, which did vex me; but heard a few Words from , which made mighty Laughter, and were as ſenſible as any Thing I heard all the Evening: and the Colonel in a brave Waiſtcoat, with his droll figure, did divert me much. Laſt of all, a Settlement of the Smithfield Committee: and I do wonder this became not an Irivh Matter too. The Houſe adjourning at half-paſt One in the Morning; and to ſee the Number of Members lying aſleep on the Gallery Benches! All this While Nothing whatever done of more Importance than Pariſh Buſineſs at a Veſtry. I off to Supper in the Haymarket on pickled Salmon and Stout, coſt me 1s. 6d., and then Home and to Bed, paſt 1 o'Clock, and my Wife do ſay that the Houſe of Commons keep worſe Hours than any Tavern in Town.