The great leaders are being consoled for their defeat at
the
polls by gifts from their constituencies or political admirers. At Newcastle Mr. John Morley received a chiming clock and an oaken library-chair carved out of the wood of a submerged forest; and Lady Harcourt is to be presented with a silver tea-service. We doubt whether such gifts are true kindnesses, though they are certainly kindly-intended. The chiming clock will always be reminding Mr. Morley of the hour of his defeat, just as Dr. Blimber's clock always ticked out for little Paul Dombey, "How is our little friend " in the solemn and patronising accents of his worthy master. And as for the carved oak of the submerged forest, it will always be a symbol to him of the submerged Home-rule policy. Lady Harcourt's silver tea-service will look more like a wistful memorial of the disastrous Local Option Bill on liquor, than a testimonial to Sir William Harcourt's courage and audacity.
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