The Press.
London, England, 1855-06-16 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

No. 999.

SATURDAY, JUNE 16TH.

Omnium consensu cape% imperii nisi imperasset—TAClT.
MY Friend Sir ROGER DE COVERLEY. when we last met together
at the Club, desired to be satisfied how the Minister
deserved this Commendation which Tacitus useth of ()alba ; for
truly says the Knight, our Friend WILL, in the Compass of his
Leaxning,.saith it means only that he ought never to have had
his Place. I told him that it conveyed that Every-body would
have thought him capable of Affairs if he had never tried his Hand
at Them ; whereat the Knight shook his Head, and This Tacitus,
quoth he, was a clever Fellow enough, but he hath said no More
in this than the Proverb of the climbing Monkey ; and here, be-
thinking himself, my Old Friend coloured and said that he had a
great Mind to go to Drury Lane.

SATURDAY,

Aye, cried WILL HONEYCOMB, thou'lt find there a spice of
the late King CHARLES THE FIRST'S Days, All the Squires and
Gentlemen are to be turned away front Court. We are to pay our
Taxes into the City Chamber, and the Merchants are to rule every-
thing. I have read, says the Knight, in the " Universal History,"
that the Merchants did not manage their affairs in Holland so well
till they got their Prince's aid.

So we marched out to the Playhouse, where we placed him
betwixt us in the Pit. A very eager gentleman was discoursing
how all Affairs were going to Ruin and of the Help given them in
that direction by the Ministers of the State, especially in the ill-use
of the Fleet. If this be so, cried Sir ROGER, passionately, what
arrant Rascals these Ministers must be ! This, I warrant me, is
some honest Man who seeks to let us all know of the Danger the
Greatness of the BRITISH Nation is in. Doubtless he will help the
Parliament Men to pack Them off about their Business. If I had
remained Knight of the Shire this honest Man had been welcome
to my Vote. Here WILL HONEYCOMB laughed fairly out, much to
Sir ROGER'S Chagrin, and cried, That Fellow, I would have you
to Know Knight, has voted to keep these very Ministers in their
Places. All this Cry is about Something he calls the System. I
thought that Thou hadst been long enough in the Parliament to
weigh these same Fellows better. This System is a rare patient
Animal to bait. It will bear all men's Blame, and tike their
Punishment. And so these fiery Orators right well know ; but
once ask Them to change Those who use the System, to find out
and exercise its worst Capacities, for Those who will make the
Best of it, and then see how they turn about. Zounds ! added
WILL I know not which is worst, They or the Ministers.
But at least, says Sir ROGER, these Men are ready to come
forward and do all these Things better, and it is no light Thing to
undertake the puzzle of Business without time to tend One's own
Affairs. Here WILL HONEYCOMB, again interrupting our Friend
with a jaunty Laugh, says, Why, Knight, didst thou not hear them
say they would meddle with none of them, that they have their
own Affairs to attend to ? A most scandalous sight! exclaimed the
Old Knight, replacing his laced Hat and grasping his Cane, They
are as arrant Rogues as the Ministers ! I'll no more of them ! and
as we parted at his lodgings, Ah, Mr. SPECTATOR, quoth he, I have
no faith in mere railing accusations.