* * * * *

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF TOBY, M.P.

_House of Commons, Monday Night, June 8_.--I knew DYKE first when
(good many years ago now) as DIZZY's whip he hunted in couple with
ROWLAND WINN; then always called HART DYKE. Like many other young men
he has in interval lost his HART, and now known as Sir WILLIAM DYKE.
Curious thing, as SARK reminds me, how absorbent is the name of
WILLIAM. Quite probable that before _Black-Eyed Susan's_ friend came
prominently on the stage he had some other Christian name, sunk when
he was promoted to shadow of yard-arm. Certainly there is an equally
eminent man sitting opposite DYKE in House to-night, who like him is
"Sir WILLIAM" to the present generation, and was VERNON HARCOURT to an
elder one.

DYKE, under whatever name, done excellently well to-night. Holding
comparatively minor appointment in Ministry, suddenly finds himself
in charge of principal measure of Session. Handicapped, moreover, with
recollections of time when he has uncompromisingly declared himself
against the very principle he now embodies in Bill, and invites House
to add to Statute Book.

That was first hedge for DYKE to take, and he went over in plucky
style that threw the scorner off his trail. Didn't live in close
communication with DIZZY through six long years for nothing. Not
likely to forget what happened in very earliest days of Parliament
of 1874, when DIZZY for first time found himself not only in office