The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-30 00:00:00

PLAIN JOILN ORPINGTON.

"It was not his broad flat face, it was not his heavy
under-jaw, it was not even the unwholesome hue of his
complexion that inspired a prejudice against him. Neither
was it that his hands were red, or that his lank hair looked
draggled and damp. But the eyes, the terrible eyes—eyes
not remarkable for form or colour—in them it was that
Blanche Morten read the expression of what is, perhaps,
the most dangerous agent of evil upon earth—a pitiless
will. A cruel will, rampant, merciless, unscrupulous,
strong with the blithe strength of the serpent that can
twine his loose folds, as if in sport, around the trembling
antelope, and presently crush the bones and devour the
carcase. Poets have described eyes as the windows of the
soul. What sort of a soul was that, thought shuddering
Blanche, that glared out upon her from under John
Orpington's black brows 2"

How this pitiless will is exercised, and how Blanche's
terrors become justified and confirmed we shall not
reveal. We have said enough to promise the sensa-
tional reader a rare treat, and we may congratulate
the author of " Lady Flavia " on the production of
another clever novel, although the hero selected is
most repulsive, and the main incidents of the story
are not of a pleasing character.

The Quadrilateral. One Vol. Saunders, Otley,

and Co.

A volume of graceful verses written by three
friends and dedicated to a fourth—" the fourth
angle of our quadrilateral " in a complimentary in-
troduction. Some of these little poems are above
the average merit of such productions, and almost
all are melodious and attractive.

Mr. Gladstone as Leader of the House of

Commons.

" Warder," in the Sunday Times, writes: " I
am sorry to be driven to the conviction that
Mr. Gladstone has, in his first experiences as leader
of the house, systematically, and apparently with
deliberation, pursued a course of conduct disre-
spectful to, and inconsiderate of, that house. It was
an act of ostentatious distrust of that house to sepa-
rate the question of the re-distribution of seats from
the question of the extension of the franchise. Mr.
Gladstone told the representatives of the people, in
so many words, ' I have no faith in your integrity,
your sincerity, your patriotism, your honour.' Such
a challenge had in it not much that tended to lay a
foundation of future confidence, or to generate warm
personal sympathies. It was rude, dictatorial, and
defiant. Then, in smaller matters, Mr. Gladstone
has exhibited a lack of tact, ready judgment, and
practical wisdom. It was eminently injudicious, for
example, not to meet Sir Fitzroy Kelly in a more
amiable spirit in reference to the postponement of
the discussion on the malt tax. By not giving a
promise to provide that learned gentleman with an
early and suitable opportunity of bringing his mo-
tion before the house, he irritated a great number
of gentlemen whose feelings it should have been his
aim to soothe, and offended the most earnest of his
own partisans by an apparent indifference to the in-
terests of Reform. He lost a clear night to the
great debate, and thus forgot what was due to the
convenience of the Legislature in particular and the
country in general. The same mistake was most
flagrantly committed on Monday night last. Every-
body had expressed a desire that the debate should
not be prolonged until next week; and, therefore,
it was felt that none of the time of the Legislature
should be wasted which could by any means be de-
voted to the all-absorbing question. Mr. Sheridan's
resolution on the Fire Insurance Duty, however,
stood for Tuesday night. Mr, Gladstone is known
not to entertain the most amiable feelings towards
Mr. Sheridan ; and it may be presumed, therefore,
that he did not feel disposed to place himself
under any obligations to the courtesy of the hon.
gentleman. The consequence was, that another
night was sacrificed by Mr. Gladstone's peevish
egotism. This is a comparatively trivial incident,
perhaps, but it affords a significant illustration of
those elements in Mr. Gladstone's character which
disqualify him for the finer and higher responsibi-
lities of official statesmanship. It not only reveals
poverty of resource, but serious defects of temper.
And, above all, it forms another instance added to
many previous instances, of llr.Gladstone's habit of
looking at the House of emulous rather as a play-
thing of his policy or the ladder of his ambition, and
e
not as the responsible representation of that . public
opinion against the majestic resolve of which is
absurd in a man of even Mr. Gladstone's pretensions
to contend. But a more characteristic exhibition of
impatient vanity remains to be recorded. On the
introduction of the question of parliamentary reform,

Mr. Gladstone gave the house pretty distinctly to
understand that they need not expect any explana-
nations of the financial policy of the Government,
or of the financial condition of the state, until that
matter was disposed of. This was said with a cer-
tain tone of vaingloriousness and self-complacency,
as though Mr Gladstone was firmly persuaded that
the interest of the house in his financial measure was
so great as to constitute an inducement to hurry
the Reform Bill through the house against its in-
clination. On Thursday night he treated the house
to the very antithesis to this insult. He coolly
announced that, as it was agreed to close the debate
on the Reform Bill the following night, he should
make his financial statement on Thursday next !
He, in fact, assumes that he shall be in office at that
time. With the cunning of an electioneering dodger,
he pretends to entertain no doubt whatever of the re-
sult of the division. He is as certain of a good
working majority as though the lists were already
clever ;
in his hands. This is not amusing; it is not even
it is simply undignified and tricky.
" All these indications of moral infirmity have
had an unquestionable effect upon the House of
Commons, with whom Mr. Gladstone's relations are
at the present moment anything but comfortable or
encouraging ;
and, whether the second reading be
carried by a majoriy of two or twenty votesj ven-
ture to predict that the right hon. gentleman's reign
over that assembly is virtually at an end."

THIRD F2,DIT toN,

SUN OFFICE, 7 O'CLOCK.

TAT TERSALL S'— This Evening.

DERBY.
sto 2 agst Rustic (taken and offered)
5 to 2 agst Lord Lyon (taken and offered)
10 to 1 agst Redan (taken)
100 to 8 agst Vespasian (taken)
20 to 1 agst Bribery colt (taken)
28 to 1 agst Stabber (taken and offered)
28 to 1 agst Blue Riband (offered)
30 to 1 agst Monarch of the Glen (taken)
Student was struck out of the Derby at 3 p.m. to-day.

VICTORIA CLUB BETTING—TiIIs DAY.
GREAT NORTHERN HANDICAP.
6 to 1 agst Cathedral (taken)
6to 1 agst Windham (taken)
8 to 1 agst Dalby (taken)
10 to 1 agst Miss Haworth (taken)
10 to 1 agst Regalia (offered)
DERBY.
3 to 1 agst Rustic (taken)
3to 1 agst Lord Lyon (offered)
100 to 7 agst Rsdan (taken)
100 to 7 agst Vospasian (taken)
20 to 1 agst Bribery colt (taken)

ARRIVALS AT ASCOT.
Grapeshot, Eakring, Sealskin, Primrose, Clairvoyante
colt, Corsair, Plutus, Monitress, Clarice, Opoponax, Split
tile Difference, Achievement, Rescue, Provisor, Brahma,
Misfortune, Noisy colt, Marksman, Harpingdon, Seville,
Indian Star, Auditor, Kingmaker, Vcrulam, Birkdale,
Gunivere, Huntsman, Fripponier, Satire, Raven, Glacier.
Blinkhoolie, Little Gentleman, Dalesman, Hippia, Hasketon
Maid, Halifax, Idler.