Page:Passages from the Life of a Philosopher.djvu/302

286 decide about this Presidency of the Board of Manufactures. The appointment requires an able man; of rather peculiar attainments. Mr. Turnstile has been mentioned to me; and his claims I am told, are strong:—long devotion to science,—great expense and loss of time for public objects,—high reputation, and weight of opinion, as a man of science.

Smooth. I believe that he has left science; at least, he wishes it to be so considered. He is my colleague at Shoreditch; and, of course, I wish to support him;—but,—when business is to be done;—and men,—and things, to be brought together,—I own,—I doubt—whether a more practical man,—might not——

Shift. And that poor Turnstile certainly is not He must always have a reason;— nothing but the quod erat demonstrandum; a romancer; if you have anything to do, his first object is to do it well. I am quite sure he will not answer our purpose.

Closewind. He talks too much about consistency; and on party questions, you are never sure of him: last week he did not divide with us, on either night.

Lord A. Well; I am quite indifferent I did hear of his being at Lord Flumm's; and after what had just passed in the Lords, a personal friend of mine would, perhaps, have kept away from that quarter. Is there no other person?

Smooth. (Hesitatingly.) Davies Gilbert.

Shift. (Laughing.) Pooh! Pooh! Poor Gilbert! No, that will never do.

Smooth. Or—Warburton?

Shift. (Sneering.) Worse and worse!— if ever there was an impracticable——

Closewind. But we don't know that Turnstile is sure of his seat. Smooth, hasn't MacLeech been talked of for Shoreditch?