ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF TOBY, M.P.

_House of Commons, Monday, May 30._--House met to-day, with pretty
assumption of things being just as usual. SPEAKER in Chair; Mace on
Table; paper loaded with questions; House even moderately full. Mr.
G. not present, but SQUIRE OF MALWOOD makes up for that, and all
other deficiencies. Quite radiant in white waistcoat and summer
pants; wish he would crown the effect by wearing white hat; draws the
line at that. "People are apt to forget," he says, "that my father
was a dignitary of the Church. It is well sometimes to hint at the
circumstance, and it would be impossible to do it from under the
brim of a white hat." The item scarcely needed to complete joviality
of Squire's appearance and bearing; looks like the best man at a
wedding-party. "That's just what I am, TOBY," he said; "Mr. G. is
going to the country to wed the majority at the polls, and I'm the
best man."

[Illustration: Truculent Tim.]

Meanwhile, farce of there being nothing particular in the wind
admirably kept up. Odd to see how even mention of that blessed word
Dissolution is avoided. Even when, last Thursday, Mr. G. and Prince
ARTHUR practically settled the matter, the word not uttered. Mr.
G. hinted at possibility of ARTHUR's sometime, in some convenient
circumstances, making a statement as to the business of the Session;
the Prince, adopting the phraseology, said he would do so. Since then
the same precaution been observed.