The Waiter observed, that he could not but express his surprise and indignation that no Gentleanan had thought proper for to propose the health of an individual, who though newly come to his situation, he felt sure would prove an ornament to the Club-he meant Mr. Rattsley. (Loud cries of, Coming, Sir; Coming, Sir.) The Hon. Waiter was proceeding to animadvert in rather strong but expressive language, on this apparent neglect, when he was called to order by

*

Mr. Stuart Ratley, who said, he, for one, would be free to say such conduct was most disorderly. (Hear! hear!) He declared he never would be schooled by any Waiter. (Loud cries of Hear! hear!) He was sure the company would go along with him in thinking that he was as well qualified as any Waiter in the land to (Cries of Order! order! Chair!)

The Waiter remarked, that the Hon. Gentleman was himself descending into personal allusions, which, however, he would not condescend to notice.-As long as he held a napkin under that arm, he would do his duty; nor was

* Vide Hansard's Debates, vol. xxxii. p. 978.

he to be wiped and dusted by the high tone assumed by the Hon. Gentleman; he would, therefore, propose the health of his much-respected friend,

"Mr. H. Rattsley and the Rats of Staffordshire."

Mr. Rattsley returned thanks in a modest and melodious tone-disclaiming all merit in his little line, which was, he said, only to be found in the partiality of his near and dear friend, who had introduced him to the notice of the company.

This trifling breeze did not, however, disturb the conviviality of the company. Many popular toasts were given; and it was not until a late hour that the last Rat was seen creeping home to his domestic enjoyments.

MEETING OF COUNTRY
GENTLEMEN.

March 30, 1816.

We understand a meeting of the most respectable Country Gentlemen, friendly to Government,

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took place on Saturday last, at the Treasury, when Lord CASTLEREAGH submitted to their consideration the expediency of giving way to the economical clamour which had been raised through the country.

We understand that the meeting unanimously agreed, that such a measure was unnecessary. The following is a correct list of the principal independent representatives of the landed interest who attended :

Mr. TEED, Member for Grampound.

The unanimity which on this occasion prevailed, must have been truly gratifying to the

Noble Lord and tends to show the falsehood of those reports so maliciously forced into circulation, of the Country Gentlemen having at length withdrawn their support from Government. Mr. Gooch, Sir J. GRAHAM, and Lord CompTON were expected; but Lord CASTLEREAGH, after waiting some time, expressed a doubt whether they had not turned their backs on themselves.

BEAUTIES OF CASTLEREAGH.

No. I.

There is a prone and speechless dialect

Such as moves men-Besides, he hath a prosperous art, When he would play with reason and discourse.

MEASURE FOR MEASURE.

March 27, 1816.

If we have felt it our duty to congratulate the public on the display of that true British independence, which this Session of Parliament has, happily for ourselves and our posterity, brought to light; if we have hailed with delight those occurrences, in common with the rest of our fellow

citizens, which alone could have rescued that assembly from the contempt under which it had laboured for many years; we feel it no less to be our duty to remark, that those discussions have elicited a display of oratory, the least expected, from an individual who bids fair to be the happy instrument of redeeming the House of Commons from the imputation of having never retrieved that reputation for eloquence with which it had been so pre-eminently decorated by Fox and Pitt, and which seemed to have disappeared with their existence:-the orator to whom we allude is no less a person than Lord Castlereagh.With every disadvantage of voice, manner, and ability against him, he has, with the most undaunted perseverance, established a school of eloquence entirely dissimilar, we allow, to that which we have studied from the days of Demosthenes to those of Fox; but at the same time, we trust, equally entitled to the notice of States

men.

The public at large have hitherto been but little acquainted with his peculiar style; arising in a great measure from the difficulty under which reporters labour of following his Lordship through

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