Star.
London, England, 1830-03-26 00:00:00

SKETCHES IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS.

From the Edinburgh Evening Post.
Dv IC r. or Wct.i.t NoTow.—The Duke of Wellington
14 always to be found at his post. There he sits at the head of the
Treasury side of the house. Ile is not to be mistaken. Not another
member list his hat on bolt himself, and it is drawn con.
temptuously over his brows like a helmet. He is not a man to
be frightened, at least if we can read that inexpressible coon.
tanner he has got. His features seem carved in stone—so
stein, ao cold, and so rigid. There is not such another face
in the world. The nose is es erect and defying as a lifeguards.
min. The eye is as peneuathig as a bayonet. The lips look
like the scabbard of a sword: There is a hardness about the
wink face which puts us in mind of some pictures of the
devil, with which our nurse was wont to alarm our infantile
=lt is entirely of a military cut. In fact, the Duke
ening* watt berm to be great soldier, if we may be
allowed's* predict a thins after it has happened. We doubt
not that Lavine would have luxuriated over the feature' of
the premier. His countenance, however, though it betrays
acuteness of perception, indicates none of that content,
plative sagacity which gee are inclined to look fin in a statesman or
a philosopher. Judging from facial expression, we should at once
believe that the faculties of the Duke are guided more by a certain
kind of Instinct, which men vulgarly call number one, than by any
of the higher powers of the intellect, such as reason or knowledge.
His face seems merely a refinement of the animal propensities._
Then is nothing, however, of affectation or false pretension magi.
felted in his looks or his bearing. He eyes the house with a cold
stare and an unmoved muscle ; so that it would be utterly impossi.
We for any one to say what is passing in his mind, lire seems
tired, yet patient. There is a passive activity about him which,
we should imagine, must help considerably to perplex those pet.
sons who are accustomed "to wonder, and to their wondering find
no end !"

Td r. MARQUIS or LAWSDOW X Z.—Ti: Marquis of Lansdowne
is a plain man, with an embrowned aspect,

" speaking of Flora and the country green."
He was not born to grace the ranks of the whirs. With a figure by
no means of the attenuated order be possesses an easy self-confident
•demeanour which gives to what he says more weight than really
belongs to most of his opinions. He reminded us somewhat of Hus-
_

•bisson ; though he certainly has less of the fluency and gentlemanlike
baring of the free-trade Corphous. On the occasion when we heard
him speak he bad nothing particular to say ; and. u those are
only idiots or knaves who wish to be thought singular in
small things, the marquis very sensibly delivered himself in

a manner suitable to his matter. It would be well if all Noble
Lords were so sincere and consistent as the Marquis of Lansdowne,
or if they exerted their abilities with as much vigour; fur we are
certain that in tide case ten times more business would be got over,
and ten times leas of party feeling would be manifoted. He a
man either whig or tory, or even radical, let him 'ln fixed in
hlalprlnciplett, and the tatuntry will be !knelt) obi soarmi-
tigated= from his nseennees ; foe it is VIII** leipientows
and few.and.far-between occasions that a demonstfatlin of ele-
mental principles (as they may be called) is required. The
ordinary routine of business esquires sagacity, decision, and
promptitude ; and it can never be properly accomplished
by persons who are eternally running off at a tangent, and
needlessly involving minor details with the original outlines of

government. But it is too true that the Marquis of bersedowee bee
been often drawn out of that sphere of usefulness, to which we NM
sure, from his appearance in the House of Lords, be is well adapted.
Hod he not imbibed wrong principles, but attended to the ordinary
business of the House, we are sure he would have been an useful a

member of the lords as the peerage ever presented. But, alas! be
is a whig.
THE MARQUIS or CLANRICARDE.—The Marquis of Clan.
ricarde, who is considered a rising orator, in a debate upon the poor
laws attempted to take a display. He Is a tall, pale-faced, dark.
cempleximed young man. His delivery is exceedingly constrained,
aad, were it not that be takes care to put his hat in one hand, be
would And some diSailty in evincing any powers of gesticulation
at all. His voice is husky ; and, in fact, we arc inclined to believe,
as the house seemed to warrant, that he is in general " rather tole-
rated than heard, rather endured than tolerated." It is, indeed,
somewhat ton much for any body to listen, and listen with respect,
t►ekollitions, the stapleof which is, «Ahem ! ahem ! ahem ; such
la the eloquence of the youthful 3larquis of Clanricarde, whatever
the relationship of Canning may have done for his fame or his
fortune.

Toe Dune or Boca INGHAM—IV. were rnther taken by star.
prim when we araociated the figure of the pre-ent Duke of Buck.
ingham with that which hirory has drawn of the lucky George
Villiers, his ance‘tor. Ills grace appears " two single noble.
neon rolled into one." Ilia voice is somewhat varied, and he
speaks with a disagreeable stutter. Set he remains on his legs
as long as most other lords. We never had the pleasure of
seeing Lord Nugent, who is famed for his rise ; but we should
pe lath to.make any other exception in saying that his Orace of
4aeltinghant is the largest man on the peerage roll. In
iPasking of As general habits of his compeers, he took the op.
portunity of remarking that most of them lived away from their
tenants ; but he thought it proper to mention that he resided on his
own estates,a piece of information which did sot seem to be relished

on the Treasury site of the House. We ■Mwld pronounce the
Duke of Buckhtsham one of the most ordinary of mortals ; and,
Weed, we never heard that he had any pretensions to the character
ot a statesman.

The EARL or Liretnica.—The hall of the loads resents
specinims of Mummer of no ordinary occurrence. Amongst these
we hold the Fad of Limerick as une of the most remarkable. He
is an Irishmen. His years are by no means few, and we should
believe that that '• good old gendemsnly " disease, the gout, has
Mid an embargo upon his extremities. He is rather below the
middle sin, and somewhat dumpy. His air bespeaks him to
have " sailed the salt.ma ocean ;" sod he hes all the adroit rough.
nem of an " old commodme." One noble lord drew him out.
lhe Irish ireesantry had area rather oeverely handled; and
with a kindled nationality, which we bad scarcely looked fur,
the WI of LiMstrielt apes, sad defended them in a elk which
would bare made Comissellor O'Connell himself commit a blush.

Really there ins ostossiting so single-heatedness in the words, and
mere so I. the manner of this " old meat♦ eloquent," that, dough s
few of their lordships seamsthes unarm we aisaelwes timid net help
giving the innocent pea a art of Miter:ad lag in our mind's arms.
Ravin s stick lt► his laid, he occasionAly brandished it wltk■aa
'air of severs energy, which stoned to cartmsod the ationdom9l the
(pan-644 duke hinialL But ws mad not help
.assmirking the
mast osacies of a few of his triads, who kept palls( bis skins,
evidsoidpoilmid ht the phlegmatic mane she* Sago lams&
dare is the mks than was either szpedlent se silinsidelm.

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