The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-02 00:00:00

A PARLIAMENTARY BORE.

"The Parliamentary. bore is generally a person without
anything like method in his mind, who has no system to
go upon, and no definite plan of procedure. He pecks at
an estimate. He dislocates a bill. On a supply day he
barks the bark of a foolish dog at the wrong person. He
asks a question, at a most unfitting time, upon some sub-
ject respecting which all prudent men would be glad to
avoid any discussion whatever. If he calls for a return,
and if, by chance, the matter in question is worthy of hav-
ing a return made about it, the terms which he uses to de-
scribe what he wants are so vague and so extensive, that
the return, when made, will generally be found to have
produced nothing but a loss of public time.
" The Parliamentary bore, when he comes from his study
into his drawing-room, feels a complacent sort of pity, as
he a-serves his daughter practising the polka or doing
crochet-work. He thinks what a waste of time those
feminine occupations are I And, all the while, he carries
in his pocket (as he is just going down in a great hurry to
the house) a foolish bill, or an inapt amendment, or a mo.•
tion for an impossible return, or a draft of an irrational
question with which ho is about to molest some unfortu-
nate Minister. In fact, he is hurrying to waste a nation's
time, and to weary out the patience of all the people who"
will, hereafter, have to deal with his bungling work. 011
that ho would but remain at home, and practise the polka
with his daughter Or, if,that be too undignified, that he
would sit down,quietly and spend some hours in learning
the mysteries of crochet-work—thus, for one eveninr at,
least, preserving the nation from the ludicrous mischief
which he will probably effect, if he allows himself to go to
the house with that fatal paper in his pocket."
Mr. Whyte Melville continues his story of " Good
for Nothing," and exhibits the old picture of" Cross
Purposes" in a new form. The tale of " Ida Con-
way,' also proceeds, and the heroine begins to pia
our respect, though the story is somewhat tedious.
The pleasant essayist, A. K. H. 8., gives us his re-
flections " Concerning Things Slowly Learnt," jo
his old discursive style ; professing to pride himself
on his ability, to say a very little in a good many.,
words. It is at least a satisfaction to his readers 11
they share his opinion, that he says it so pleasantly,
combining humour and refinement, and although
keen enough to detect the little foibles
and meannesses 'of his neighbours, quite
ready to regard them with genial pity and kind-
ness. Those who have been recently lamenting
the universal enemy, that wind from the east whieli
manis and beast,"
the old rhyme" tßealldsfuora
may find some consolation in studying the lavis
which are supposed to influence their tormentor. .
A brief paper on " The May East Winds,v gives
an interesting account of the causes which it 10
conjectured may regulate our spring weather. it"
review of a work entitled " Soldiers and their
Science," which bears .a melancholy interest frogs
the fact of its having been the production of 0,0
late lamented Captain Brabazon, contains much
interesting matter. It sums up the chief charac-
teristics of the great military leaders of history,
from Epaminondas to Napoleon. A thoughtf!l
paper on " The Individual and the Crowd" will
repay perusal. The author maintains that great
men are what their age has made them, and
that they are merely
not its leaders ; that
t h tehe exponents
prevailing
feeling
'or
r s
spe
meat must find a mouthpiece for its expression
America, he says, would have been discovered with
out Columbus, and the Reformation would have
taken place without Luther. Yet, though the!'"
is doubtless some truth in his views, he carves.
his theory to the extreme, since all such great
minds have left their impress on their age; they
have often anticipated its convictions, they halro
awakened it to a sense of its wants, and hale
moulded or influenced its expression. However
much they may have been hampered by the be
glec
t thator n
theo prejudicesg
ialonfthmeiinr
at time,
, passedwe m
away
sure w
leaving the world as he found it; but though
the science he explored was looked on with indite''
rence, and the truths he enunciated rega_ridvel
with suspicion, yet his life and his influence _
and worked after him, preparing the way for
better and clearer day. There are also papers
o,
oa
TChurrkoneyicleanodf CPU)
eventful record. rlarnendt;
Hanidstoaryc,onwthinieuhatTon
nervy. the

Bentley's Miscellany.
We have already noticed, at length, the edito6/
brilliant romance, which occupies a considerable
portion of the magazine. •-The best of the other
stories is the continuation of Dudley Costello
of the adventures of " Lorn Loriot," which proceedo
with spirit. " Ouida" has deserted English coull:
try houses and ball-rooms for Parisian steamers an
faubourgs. His story is . entirely of a different
character this month, and is consequently refreshint
from its novelty. It tells an amusing tale of tb
adventures of a hapless Englishman who was raj!:
taken for a runaway debtor, and pounced upon 13;
a set of indignant tradesmen and cheating nlo°61;
lenders, headed by a fair French coquette, svto.
's historl
claimed seven thousand francs lost to her at ecar
Those who have really involved themselves ill site
lar difficulties may learn how to avoid some of, Of
dangerous class of liabilities, known as debts
oa
honour, by studying a very clever pounded
" The. Science of Card-sharping." It is o,
on M, 11011thiff3 Work, ;pal exposed the