well contented with himself, but on this and other matters holding strange doctrines, wherein he standeth alone.

I have heard many questions put very genteelly by a Mr. Bennet,* an honourable; who is in my mind mighty well bred, though he disfigureth himself by wearing a green wig. He is attentive to business, and hath lately discovered a mistake of three farthings in an account of thirty millions: but he somewhat surprised me by calling the Secretary at War (the Munro of this Country,) his honourable friend and a very infamous man, in the same breath.

He hath a brother † elder in years but less in sta

* The Honourable Henry Grey Bennet, M. P. for Shrewsbury. At Eton he was sometimes called Bennet with a green baize wig, and sometimes' frothy Bennet:' the reason of the former name, which is alluded to in the text, I cannot explain; the latter is obvious enough. These names are frequently alluded to in subsequent articles.-E.

+ Lord Ossulston, M. P. for Knaresborough. His Lordship was Comptroller of the Household to his Majesty during the Talents' administration; an office of little or no importance. It is reported

ture than himself, who rarely speaketh, the which I attribute to his having held an important office of the State, which hath taught him to be wise and keep silence. I know not more of his office, than that the insignia thereof consisted of a staff or stick many feet longer than him who bore it.

I must not forget the mention of Sir Charles Monck,* whom I reckon a merry and facetious jester. He hath kept the whole House in a state of merriment upwards of three quarters of an hour, by reading an ancient missal respecting something which he called the Order of the Bath. He was, however, despite of his jests, grievously disposed to blame an addition of forty marks to the salary of a deputy messenger, which he said was a violation of the Consti

of him, that the mode of his dismissal was the sovereign's taking the white staff out of his hand, and putting it on the mantle-piece of the closet out of his reach.-E.

• Sir C. Monck, M. P. for Northumberland, appears about this time to have made a motion relative to the new regulation of the order of the Bath, notice of which had been given (as it seems from these papers) by Mr. Robert Gordon.-E.

tution, and a discharge of the subjects of the realm from their allegiance; and such is the wretched state of the finances of this country, that this worthy Country Member protested he did not know where the forty marks were to come from.

Lastly, let me name to thee a youngster, who hath been mistaken for a wit in foreign parts, by the name of North Douglas.*-He seemeth to belong to no party, and yet willing to belong to all. He is a forward and frequent speaker-remarkable for a graceful inclination of the upper part of his body, in advance of the lower, and speaketh, I suspect, (after the manner of an ancient) with pebbles in his mouth. He hath a strange custom, when speaking, of holding his hat in one hand, and smoothing the felt of it with the other, the which made me at the

*The Honourable Frederick North Douglas, son of Lord Glenbervie, M. P. for Banbury. It would seem that the fourth Melody, p. 126, alludes to this Gentleman, who seems by the parliamentary debates to have voted with the Administration the first half of the Parliament, and with the Opposition the second.-E.

first entertain a ludicrous notion that he was recom.

mending the hat to the Speaker, and exhorting him to purchase it.

I must now bid thee farewel, but I have much more to communicate to thee.

Thy Friend,

EZEKIAL GRUBB.

SECOND LETTER

FROM MR. EZEKIAL GRUBB TO MR. TOBIAS BRANDE

WORTHY TOBIAS,-In my last I expounded unto

thee, with what skill I could command, the charac

ters of most of the persons in the Parliament House, who go by the name of the Opposition-insomuch that I have little more at this present writing to impart to thee on that head.

It seemeth good that I should now present unto thee some information regarding the nature of the business upon which the said Parliament House and the Members thereof are ordinarily engaged. Upon the table of the House there lieth a sort of ledger or entry book, in the which a Member purposing to propound any matter inscribeth it beforehand, that due notice may be had thereof. By the favour of Martin, I have procured a sight of this valuable register or record; and shall, for the better edification and induction into the mysteries of the legislation of this people, indulge thee with certain transcripts thereof. And let me first premise unto thee, that in many cases the precise nature of the business is not easily to be comprehended (by a stranger at least) from the entry thereof in the book.

B