WAITING ON PUBLIC OPINION.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR:1 SIE,—I was much struck with the remark made in the Spectator of July 18th in reference to a speech of Mr. Leatham's at Huddersfield. You say,—" Nevertheless, we think that honestly popular Governments like the last might feel more confidence in the disposition of the people to follow their guidance, and need not wait so anxiously, as they often do, on opinion." I have heard the same idea expressed by moderate men of both parties, and to that want of confidence may be traced several of the mistakes made by the late Government in Egyptian matters. A rather striking parallelism to your remark I find in "Society in London," in which, in the chapter on "Diplo- matists and their Hosts," the author says :—" Dread of respon- sibility and sensitiveness to public opinion are the besetting
sins of Whiggism."—I am, Sir, &c., B.
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