distasteful in the one class of studies number, it was stated that the colas in the other, and therefore real legers were members of “

a sepaeducation as exceptional as ever. rate football and cricket club." For, after all, the grand question to This statement is not literally corbe solved will be that which Lord rect; the words of the Report are Devon, in apparent despair at its —"They do not play together [i.e., being solved in any way by him- with the oppidans), except at fives, self or his brother Commissioners, in some of the cricket clubs, and puts to one of the young Rugby in the first football club." (Rewitnesses, and gets little help from port, p. 68.) It was stated in the his answer

same article that “no oppidan had “ 2216. Can you suggest any mode

now gained the Newcastle scholarby, which a boy can be prevented from ship for seven years.". This was being idle ?–I cannot.”

the fact as appeared in the evidence given before the Commission

in 1862; but Mr Fremantle reNOTE.- In the previous article trieved the honour of the oppidans on the Eton Report in our June in this respect in 1863.

ART.

Is this the stately shape I saw

In Greece a thousand years ago,
Who ruled the world by Beauty's law,

And used among the gods to go?

Who, wheresoe'er she turned her eyes,

Below her saw a reverent throng,
Whose praise was taken as a prize,

Who made immortal with a song ?

Now, scant in garb, a mendicant,

She stretches forth her prayerful palms,
And wealth, in pity for her want,

Contemptuous tosses her its alms.

This gift is not for charity,

But love, that at thy feet I lay.
Oh, take my heart that throbs for thee !

And smile as in the ancient day.

W W. S.

GIULIETTA.

Ah, how still the moonbeams lie

On the dreaming meadows ! How the fire-flies silently

Lighten through the shadows ! All the cypress avenue Waves its tops against the blue, As the wind slides whispering through

He is late in coming !

There's the nightingale again!

He alone is waking ;
Is it joy or is it pain

That his heart is breaking?
Bliss intense or pain divine ?
Both of them, O Love, are thine !
And this heart, this heart of mine,

With them both is thrilling.

From the deep dark orange-grove

Odorous airs are steaming,
Till my thoughts are faint with love-

Faint with blissful dreaming.
Through the slopes of dewy dells
Crickets shake their tiny bells,
And the sky's deep bosom swells

With an infinite yearning.

On my heart the silent weight

Of this beauty presses ; Midnight, like a solemn Fate,

Saddens while it blesses. All alone I cannot bear

This still night and odorous air; Dearest, come, its bliss to share,

Or I die with longing.

I have listened at the doors,

All are calmly sleeping;
I alone for hours and hours

In the dark am weeping.
Only weeping can express
The mysterious deep excess
Of my very happiness,

Therefore I am weeping.

Like a fountain running o'er

With its too great fulness,
Like a lightning-shivered shower

For the fierce noon's coolness,
Like an over-blossomed tree
That the breeze shakes tenderly,
Love's too much falls off from me

In these tears of gladness.

Ah, beloved ! there you are !

I once more am near you;
Walk not on the gravel there,

Somebody may hear you.
Step upon the noiseless grass,-
Oh! if they should hear you pass
We are lost, alas ! alas !

We are lost for ever!

Hark! the laurels in the light

Seem with eyes to glisten;
All things peep and peer—and night

Holds its breath to listen.
Deeper in the shadow

move, For the moon looks out above, I am coming to you, love,

In a moment coming.

W. W. S.

THE Ministry is as good as dead, fully set forth and minutely critiand only waits to be buried. It cised. Both parties did their best, has lost its influence abroad, it has but the course of the argument lost its character at home. It is has shown clearly that the Opposian inert chrysalis, in which the tion had a good case, that the soul of Lord Palmerston is expiring. Ministry had none. Horsman, It is the ghost of his reputation Cobden, Roebuck, and Bernal Osof a name that has been famous borne made elaborate speeches in in Europe – which has kept the condemnation of the Ministerial Ministry in a nominal existence. policy; and the fact that the three The waverers who decided the re- first-named gentlemen voted with cent vote in favour of the Govern- the Ministry, after all, adds special ment shrank from terminating the weight to the anathemas with which career of a great minister by plac- they felt compelled to assail it. ing on the records of the House of Other members of less note acted Commons a formal condemnation in similar fashion. They could of his policy. But the debate has not resist the force of the evidence virtually killed the Ministry. It against the Ministry, but they has laid bare the unparalleled blind- sought with eager ingenuity to deness and blundering which have vise excuses for voting with it

. Mr marked their foreign policy. The Roebuck did so by attempting to whole story of the negotiations has disconnect the conduct of the Fobeen placed in full view of the pub- reign Minister from that of the lic; and so strong was the case Cabinet. Mr Horsman, with a against the Government, that the similar disregard alike of constituindependent members, who sup- tional principles and of the facts of ported the Cabinet with their votes, the case, held that Parliament, by were the most unsparing in their not sooner expressing its opinion condemnation of its blundering on the question, had become accomand abortive policy. The House plices in the miserable policy of of Lords condemned the Govern- the Ministry. Mr Cobden openly ment by a majority of nine; the confessed that he would vote that House of Commons acquitted it black was white rather than termiwith a verdict of Not Proven by a nate the rule of the Liberal party. majority of eighteen. And so the Mr Osborne, while pouring his Ministry still exists, although its withering sarcasms upon the whole reputation is extinct and its hours Cabinet, declared that the “ great are numbered.

Liberal party” was already defunct, The debate which took place on yet was not disposed to help the vote of censure is, we do not the Tories into office. Had the hesitate to say, the most remark- motion condemnatory of the foreign able that the oldest member of policy of the Government been deeither House has witnessed. It cided upon its merits, it would is the most important debate on have been carried by an overwhelmforeign policy that has occurred ing majority; and even as a party since 1815, and the speeches were struggle—as a vote of want of concharacterised by a fulness of know- fidence-it was a sentiment of reledge, by an ability of statement, spect for the past greatness of Lord and by a sharpness and power of Palmerston which alone saved the rhetoric, which have not been sur- Ministry from a decisive overthrow. passed in any similar discussion. Seldom in its long history has the Every side of the question-nay, British Parliament had so grave an every nook and cranny of it—was issue to decide, or so sad a position

VOL. XCVI.-NO. DLXXXVI.

R

to contemplate. England has be- and to repudiate their policy by a
come a hissing and a byword among vote of censure.
the nations. The public which re- It is a poor plea for any Minis-
members the commanding position try to excuse itself by throwing
which our country occupied at the the blame of its errors and failures
close of the war of giants which upon Parliament. It is the bounden
terminated at Waterloo - who re- duty of a Ministry to resign if it
member the dominating influence cannot carry out the policy which
of England when Castlereagh con- it believes to be right. But, in the
ducted our foreign policy, and Wel- present case, no excuse of this kind,
lington led our armies—who read poor though it be, could be pleaded
in every history, even in that of M. by the Government. It took every
Thiers, that it was England which means in its power to prevent its
broke the power of the first Na- foreign policy being examined and
poleon, and delivered all Europe discussed by Parliament. It de-
from bondage—were stupefied to layed in a most unusual manner to
find that our Government had sunk lay the record of its negotiations be-
into so humiliating a position. forethe House; and first by one plea,
Ten years ago, at the commence- then by another, it staved off dis-
ment of the last European war in cussion until with the failure of the
wbich we took part, the influence Conference all was at an end. The
of England was so great that, if she papers were furnished in driblets;
had spoken her mind in time, there when one batch was printed, another
would have been no war.

It was
was promised; and

at last came the the vacillation of a Liberal Ministry, miserable project of the Conference, of which Lords Russell and Pal- not to save Denmark, but to save merston were members, that occa- the Ministry. Even taking the facts sioned the Crimean war, by leading as stated by Mr Layard, the papers Russia to believe that we should (he ought to have read a portion of not oppose her attack upon the them) were laid on the table of the independence of the Porte. But House at the beginning of March; where is our "just influence" now? and it would take a week before Russia and France disregard our members could have time to master solicitations-Austria and Prussia, the contents. Well, what took as well as the minor States of Ger- place then ? Lord Ellenborough, many, despise our bluster, and set who on several occasions had fretted at defiance our threats. England at the Ministerial delays, and who has become isolated, hated, and considered that it was a matter of ridiculed. The fault was not that the utmost importance that Parliaof the country, but of the Govern- ment should expressits opinion upon ment. The conduct of the Minis- the foreign policy of the Government try has been alike alien to our tra- before the Easter recess, gave noditional policy and at variance with tice of a motion which would have the wishes of the nation. England led to a full discussion of the queshas been humbled solely by the cul- tion; but when the day came Lord pable incapacity of the Ministers; Russell made a most earnest appeal and the right and only possible to him to abandon his motion, on way of retrieving her position, and the ground that any discussion placing herself in her just attitude would embarrass the Government towards Europe, was to disconnect and impede the progress of the neherself from the conduct of the gotiations for peace.* What could statesmen who misrepresented her, Lord Ellenborough, or any one in

* "I rise, on public grounds, to request the noble Earl not at present to bring on that discussion. I do not expect that anything that falls from him will tend to increase the difficulties which surround the settlement of this question ; and, for