London at the End of the Century:A Book of Gossip
a Beckett, Arthur William
1900
PARLIAMENT UP TO DATE.
BECAUSE someone called the House of Commons, in a moment of inspiration, the idea has gone abroad that the life of the representative of the people is one of luxurious ease. The fact that a seat in Parliament never (or scarcely ever) goes a-begging, has no doubt done much to confirm the impression. There is a magic in the letters that is particularly attractive to a vast number of men. To a barrister in good practice with an ambition to change the wig of the advocate for the tonsured coiffure of the judge, the position is necessary. As no Lord Mayor of London can occupy the Mansion House without having served the office of Sheriff, so a Q.C. must have worked for his party before he can hope for the chief seat on the Bench. Of course, he may not have succeeded in passing the bar protected by the Serjeant-at-Arms, but at any | |
39 | rate, he must have made the attempt. In such a case as this he will find promotion in India or the Colonies, if there be no available appointment in the Mother Country. Then, of course, a Member of Parliament has special claims to the attention of the company promoter. A board of directors can never be considered perfect unless one or two of its members can carry the glamour of the House into the homes of the readers of prospectuses. But, after all, those who materially benefit from their position in St. Stephen's are comparatively few. The vast majority of the chosen of the electors enter the House for It may be well to show the seamy side of the picture, and prove (as an Irish member might observe) that even those of the colleagues of Sir Wilfrid Lawson who do not share that hon. baronet's objection to stimulants, are presumably unable to obtain ; in short, the of rumour may be translated into the of fact. |