[Illustration:  Weighed down with Thought.]

“You go to him,” says PARNELL, “and demand certain pledges on Home Rule scheme.  If he does not consent, he will be in a hole; threatened with loss of Irish Vote.  You will be in a dilemma, as you cannot then side with him against me, the real friend of Ireland; whilst I shall be confirmed in my position as the only possible Leader of the Party.  If, on the contrary, this unrivalled sophist is drawn into anything like a declaration that will satisfy you in the face of the Irish People, he will be hopelessly embarrassed with his English friends; I shall have paid off an old score, and can afford to retire from the Leadership, certain that in a few months the Irish People will clamour for the return of the man who showed that, if only he could serve them, he was ready to sacrifice his personal position and advantages.  Don’t, Gentlemen, let us, at a crisis like this, descend to topics of mere personality.  In spite of what has passed at this table, I should like to shield my honourable friends, Mr. TIMOTHY HEALY, Mr. SEXTON, and that beau ideal of an Irish Member, Mr. JUSTIN McCARTHY, from references, of a kind peculiarly painful to them, to certain proceedings in a court of law with respect to which I will, before I sit down, say this, that, if all the facts were known, they would be held absolutely free from imputation of irregularity.”

General cheering greeted this speech.  Members shook hands all round, and nominated Committee to go off and make things hot for Mr. G. Business done.—­In British House Prince ARTHUR expounded Scheme for Relief of Irish Distress.

Friday.—­A dark shadow falls on House to-day.  Mrs. PEEL died this morning, and our SPEAKER sits by a lonely hearth, OLD MORALITY, in his very best style, speaking with the simple language of a kind heart, voices the prevalent feeling.  Mr. G., always at his best on these occasions, adds some words, though, as he finely says, any expression of sympathy is but inadequate medicine for so severe a hurt.  Members reverently uncover whilst these brief speeches are made.  That is a movement shown only when a Royal Message is read; and here is mention of a Message from the greatest and final King.  Mrs. PEEL, though the wife of the First Commoner in the land, was not une grande dame.  She was a kindly, homely lady, of unaffected manner, with keen sympathies for all that was bright and good.  Every Member feels that something is lost to the House of Commons now that she lies still in her chamber at Speaker’s Court.

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THE DRAMA ON CRUTCHES.—­A Mr. GREIN has suggested, according to some Friday notes in the D.T., a scheme for subsidising a theatre and founding a Dramatic School.  The latter, apparently, is not to aid the healthy but the decrepit drama, as it is intended “to afford succour to old or disabled actors and actresses.”  Why then call it a “Dramatic School?” Better style it, a “Dramatic-Second-Infancy-School.”