New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-08
LONDON IN AUGUST.
WITH BRIEF NOTES ON THE MISERY OF 1T
AND THE MEANS OF ESCAPING IT.
London. August "a.

London, August "a
There are people who profess TO like London IN
August Mr.. Henry James is one Of them; put
then Mr.. Henry James has partiality for London
which would exclude him from any jury that had
TO render a verdict on any question concerning
the metropolis He likes the fog, the SCOT, the
mud, the four-wheelers the street architecture OF
London, and there is probably no month in the
year that he would not rather pass in London
than anywhere else in Europe, whether town or
country. He is more cockney than the cockneys
But the people whose opinion is law in London
are not cocl1neys, or not many Of them. They
come to town for the session or the season-the
terms are by means convertible-and when the
object for which they came is attained, or the fun
period of their residence has expired, they Depart
and London during the remainder of the year Is
TO them but a municipal expression. Those VINO
cannot get away stay on and grumble; all put
Mr.. Henry James, who never gTumbes.
II there be any human being whose lot Is not
a happy one at this time, it is Minister or any
minor member of the Government, condemned by
the conditions of his official existence to toll on
in the House Of Commons, where Irish members
pitilessly spin out the session. It is one OF the
Joys of Opposition-there are many others-to get
away to moor or mountain, while the salarled
official is chained to his oar on the front bench
Mr.. Herbert Gardner has beaten the Government
on the Tithes bill and gone gleefuly off TO HON.
burg, while the beaten Government has to remain
and try not to be beaten other bills. Ministers
would all be dead men were it not for the Satur-
day to Monday in the country still left to them
Things are, or the whole, ordained IN a mercliul
spirit. Hosts and hOstesses may still be found
near enough to London to make visiting possible
to those who must be on duty again at the early
beginning of the week Few do so much good TO
their fellow-men as these benefcent beings Inc
radius of hospitality measurable from whitehall Is
a wide one. Weary Legislators think nothing OF
90 miles by rail to spend Sunday, or 200; they
and others have been known to go almost as far
for dinner
I met one of these much enduring men last
Sunday at a house not far from the East Coast;
one of the hardest-worl1ed of Ministers. lie was
actually rejoicing over the defeat of his own
Government If you ask me, 1 should say they
all rejoced over it, so eager are they to throw
off the yoke and escape for good from London
Ny friend is not the exception which proves the
rule he is the rule to which there is no exception,
unless it be the Prime Minister himself. Lord
Salsbury's power of work carries him easily along
where others stumble and groan; moreover, he
lives at Hatfield, and not in London at this time'
and Hatfield though within half an hour of Down
ing Street. is red brick Ehzabethan paradise
NJ green fields and peaceful seclusiOn. ProoaoV
Lord Salisbury grieves for the disaster which de-
lights his colleagues; it matters little TO MN
whether Parliament adjourns in August OF sep
TENDER. Or, if 1t matters, it Is DC
cause he is Minister Of that temper
which regards the House of Commons as neCes-
sary nuisance: hindrance to the real business OIL
governing, into which the heir OF all the CecllS
puts his whole soul, and so he rclolces when IL
adjourns itself out of the way. The IltneS bii'
or q new bill such as the ungenerouS olr William
Harcourt invited Ministers TO bring IN, woulo
have meant Mt least another fortnight or angry
contentious in the House of Commons 10 you
SUPPOSE any of us wanted that" qucned ms
Ministerial friend. He asked the question Dlahdly'
as if but one answer were possible. we SAT Oh
the lawn in the blaze of such sun as never
finds its way through the canopy OF perpetual
smoke that hangs over London. His House of
Commons manner had disappeared: the activity OF
a mind continually on the strain had subsidized;
be looked tired. and the lines OF the strong face
had relaxed. There was nobody to worry him with
questions, and so-for that is the secret OF con-
versation-he poured out his soul
If YOU had listened, you might have heard why
il is that House of Commons work prolonged into
Of n strong man. Into each day are crowded two
full DAYS of duties Departmental work is quite
enough of itself to get through, but when o'clock
in the afternoon comes the House begins, and
from then till midnight there is not q moment
that a Minister can call his own. tie has DIS OF
his own to get through, he has questions TO
answer to the House, he must be ready to lend a
hand TO any of his colleagues in difficulty, he
must be familiar with the whole course ana con-
duct of the general business of the Government
he must be ready to take part IN any DEBATE IhaC
arises-and debates arise as often not out OF the
oround with no warnng-and during all this and
much more messengers from his Department are
coming and going, permanent officials come III
for consultation, and in his room In the House, OF
in the lobby, or behind the Speakers chair, de-
cisions have TO be taken, often OF the graVest
Importance The toll is incessant, the burden OF
responsibility, which Is heavier than any mine
labor is never lifted. Perhaps, on the whole, he
NAV be excused for not regretting the llthes Bill
and the extra fortnight Of Parliamentary toll and
trouble. Mr. Henry James lounges IN his cool
library in the far West of Kensngton. and com
noses at leisure I'm elegant panegyric upon London
in August. 1t is charming but it Is not the
record of the life of the galleyslave who sits on
the Ministerial Front Bench of the House OF
Commons.
q never said the fugitive Minister, escape
from the Department. Wherever | 90 a box
follows me. They say the Permanent Oflc al
governs this country. I wish to goodness he did.
He makes me govern it, The only chance Is to
90 abroad; they do not send the box after me
when / am abroad. But they will not let me go
abroad" Tie breeze blew across the lawn, straight
from the sea that lay between us and the Con-
tinent for which the worn Minister longed. The
sunlight fell on his strong, tired face he lay back
in his chair, the softly spoken sentences ended in
silence. Books lay about on the outdoor table, he
would open none of them the one thing ne cared
for was the absolute rest which that lovely Sunday
morning had brought him. He would talk, but,
after his first outburst, of anything but politics
or business or London, and what was as striking
as ANYTHING else was the fact that TO him London