MR. BRIGHT AT FISHMONGERS' HALL. [TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.']
me-in the interest of your deluded readers to say a word on the third paragraph of your last Saturday's notes on the week. At Fishmongers' hall, "lie [Mr. Bright]," you tell them, "sat down without a cheer." Mr. Bright was snore loudly and cordially cheered, alike on sitting down, on rising, and throughout his speech, than any member of the Government. His remark about the Bishops "produced such a silence," you say, "that Mr. Bright hoped to be pardoned for anything he bad said or left unsaid," during the evening. Mr. Bright's remark was received with a few good-humoured cries of protest, and with more general cheering and laughter. The apologetic conclusion was not associated with the imaginary silence; there were several sentences and minutes between. The truth is that you have made history out of the accidental omissions of a Times' reporter, taking down his notes amid plates, glasses, and talk, at 11 o'clock on Thursday night, and transcribing them amid clamours for copy at between 2 and 3 o'clock on Friday morning. This is rather hazardous, and not quite fair either to Mr. Bright or to your readers. The bad
taste of his allusion to the Bishops I admit. It was the solitary exception, scarcely appreciated at the time, to an otherwise capital after-dinner speech. Mr. Bright's manner sufficiently indicated that on this and on other topics he did not expect to be taken an serieux.—I am, Sir, &c.,
A G VEST OF THE FISHMONGERS.
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