From Chambers' Journal.
JENNER AND VACCINATION.

us." Such were the fatal effects of a disease described by Sir Matthew Hale, even in those who recovered, as "the very next degree to absolute rottenness, putrefaction, and death itself.”

No more fatal or formidable disease has ever Scourged the human race than one-now happily The world was in this distressing condition when becoming the subject for history-the small-pox. a remedy at once mild, harmless, and effectual, Authoritative evidence has of late years been ad- first attracted the attention of Jenner, then a young duced to show that it existed in the Mosaic period, man pursuing his studies under a practitioner at and in China it has been known from the earliest Sodbury, in Gloucestershire; where the subject ages. Most of the fearful plagues which from of small-pox being in the presence of a country time to time, on various portions of the earth's sur- girl who came for advice, she exclaimed, "I canface, have swept myriads into untimely graves, not take that disease, for I have had cow-pox. were no other than devastating visitations of this "This incident rivetted the attention of Jenner. dreaded disease; and even pursuing its ordinary It was the first time that the popular notion, which course, it carried off one in fourteen of all that was not at all uncommon in the district, had been were born. In Ceylon, whenever it broke out, brought home to him with force and influence. entire villages were abandoned; and in Thibet, on Most happily, the impression then made was never one occasion, the capital was deserted for three effaced. Young as he was, and insufficiently acwhole years. In the Russian empire, two millions quainted with any of the laws of physiology or paof human beings died of small-pox in twelve thology, he dwelt with deep interest on the commonths. Bernouilli calculated that fifteen millions munication which had been casually made to him fell victims to it every twenty-five years, taking by a peasant, and partly foresaw the vast consethe whole world, or six hundred thousand annu- quences involved in so remarkable a phenomeally, of which number not less than two hundred non." Possessing much patience and firmness and ten thousand were estimated for Europe alone. of purpose, Jenner was willing to wait the fruition And to come down to more recent times, the read- of his ideas; and contented himself at first with ers of Mr. Catlin's work on the Indians of North speaking of the prophylactic virtues of the cow-pox America will remember the terrible accounts of the among his friends, which he recommended them to destruction of whole tribes by this deadly malady. investigate. But they treated it as an idle notion; Regarded as inevitable, it came also to be consid- and as he persisted in bringing it before them, they ered as irremediable, and the world submitted to threatened to expel him from their society, "if its ravages as a calamity of fate. In 1714, Dr. he continued to harass them with so unprofitable a Timoni of Constantinople published a work on the subject." His firmness of purpose came to his subject; and to the good sense, courage, and influ- aid; he persevered in his inquiries. It was conence of Lady M. W. Montagu, who caused her tinually urged, in reply to his assertions, "The son to be inoculated in the Turkish capital by Mr. evidence is altogether so inconclusive and unsatisMaitland, surgeon to the embassy, England is in- factory, that we put no value on it, and cannot debted for the counteracting practice. In 1722, think that it will lead to anything but uncertainty her daughter was inoculated in this country by the and disappointment." His opinions, in many insame gentleman; and the method was generally stances, met with abhorrence and contempt, and adopted until 1740, when it had fallen nearly into were treated with general indifference. disuse; but favorable accounts coming from abroad, Jenner was fortunate in possessing the friendit was again revived; and, to propagate the saluta- ship of the celebrated John Hunter, under whom ry modification, the then Princess of Wales caused he had studied in London, and to whom he comtwo of her daughters to be inoculated. The new municated his views. The reply of the great anatremedy, however, met with great opposition. omist supported and stimulated his courage— Some denounced it as an attempt, " at once impi-"Don't think, but try; be patient, be accurate." ous and unavailing, to counteract the visitations of He knew how to wait. In 1775, his ideas and prosan all-wise Providence;" asserting that, in the pects began to assume a definite form: he foresaw case of adults who voluntarily submitted them- something of the great work before him. To one selves to it, the crime was that of suicide; but in of his friends, to whom he had explained his theorespect to children, "it was horrid murder of the ry, he said, "I have intrusted a most important little unoffending innocents." It was anathema- matter to you, which I firmly believe will prove of tized from the pulpits as an invention of Satan, and essential benefit to the human race. He vaccinits "abettors" as sorcerers and atheists. A cler- ated his own son on three different occasions. gyman of London, named Massey, declared that it Many years, however. elapsed before he had an was no new art, as Job had been inoculated by the opportunity of completing his experiments, in the devil. course of which a formidable obstacle was encountered he found that cow-pox was not, in every case, an effectual preventative of the small-pox. This led him to discover the true from the spurious vaccine matter; of which the former alone produces any specific action on the constitution. Though this disappointed, it did not discourage him. He investigated the facts, and arrived at last at the true explanation. He talked of it;

Owing to the careless practice of the time, there was some show of right in the opposition. The infected were not kept separate from others; and as inoculation always produced the true disease in its usual infectious form, it became more widely disseminated, and the mortality frightfully increased. In the year 1800, it broke out no less than twenty times in the Channel fleet alone; and the records of the Asylum for the Indigent Blind showed that three fourths of those relieved lost their sight from small-pox. Its victims in Great Britain amounted to forty-five thousand annually; and the celebrated La Condamine, pleading for the adoption of a remedy in France, said, "La petite vérole nous décime"-"The small-pox decimates

In after-life, Jenner was accustomed to relate an anecdote of the days of Charles II. Some one telling the beautiful Duchess of Cleveland that she would soon deplore the loss of her beauty from the effects of the smallground for fear, as in her own country she had undergone pox, then raging in London, she replied there was no an attack of the cow-pox, which was a preservative.

wrote of it to his friends; and it was mentioned in the emperor and king," became "rude, and truly London in 1788 by medical professors in their lec- imperious," in proportion as his arguments were confuted. We are informed that "he knew no

tures.

*

In 1798, he published the result of his observa- more of the real nature of cow-pox than Master tions in a quarto of about seventy pages, in which Selwin did of Greek." But, said Jenner, writing he gave details of twenty-three cases of successful to a friend, "Tis no use to shoot straws at an vaccination on individuals, to whom it was after-eagle. * My friends must not desert me now: wards found to be impossible to communicate the brick-bats and hostile weapons of every sort are small-pox either by contagion or inoculation. After flying thick around me. * My experiments weighing every sentence with the greatest care, it move on, but I have all to do single-handed." In was submitted to the judgment of his friends. The a subsequent letter to Ingenhousz, he explains, work is interspersed with remarks on the identity" Ere I proceed, let me be permitted to observe of the matter in the cow, and in the heels of the horse, when suffering from the disease known as "grease" and concludes, "Thus far have I proceeded in an inquiry founded, as it must appear, on the basis of an experiment in which, however, conjecture has been occasionally admitted, in order to present to persons well situated for such discussions objects for a more minute investigation. In the mean time, I shall myself continue to prosecute this inquiry, encouraged by the hope of its becoming essentially beneficial to maukind."

that truth in this and every other physiological inquiry that has occupied my attention, has ever been the first object of my pursuit; and should it appear, in the present instance, that I have been led into error, fond as I may appear of the offspring of my labors, I had rather see it perish at once, than exist and do a public injury."

Many eminent professional men now appeared to favor his views, while others received them with derision and distrust. Some doubted all the facts and reasons adduced in his "Inquiry;" a second The publication of this work, so modestly and party denied the merit of bringing forward a fact temperately written, immediately excited the great- which had been long known in obscure places in est attention. In the same year the author had the country; a third affirmed that everything reoccasion to visit London, where, during his stay lating to it had yet to be discovered; and a fourth, of nearly three months, he could not meet with a that the discoverer's opinions were worth nothing single person willing to come forward to test the-that he had originally obtained the vaccine virus experiment. Mr. Cline, however, afterwards tried from another practitioner; and, even admitting his the vaccine matter, and proved that, when it had reasons, the protective powers of the new remedy gone through the system, it was impossible to com- would be lost after the lapse of four years. The municate small-pox to the same person. Two declared enemies to the practice were less fatal to ladies, whose names are deserving of record-its success than its pretended friends: the latter Lady Ducie, and the Countess of Berkeley-broke had a professional status, which lent authority to through the prejudices of the day, and caused their their statements, that imposed on the unthinking children to be vaccinated. The countenance and part of the community. Experiments were made cooperation of the higher classes of London were at the Small-pox Hospital in London, which proved in great part secured by the instrumentality of Mr. Knight, inspector-general of military hospitals: and it appeared that females were most conspicuous in the good work; arising, probably, from their natural anxiety as mothers for the safety of their offspring. Lady Peyton urged the professional men in her neighborhood to adopt the prartice. In the following year the children of the Duke of Clarence, then residing at Bushy, were vaccinated; and a feeling began to spread in favor of the protective remedy.

most disastrous to the infant cause; as, from want of care, the true variolous matter, as Jenner expressed it, was "contaminated" with small-pox, and differed in effect but very slightly from the real disease. This drew upon him the indignation of the metropolitan practitioners: who, however, as it was afterwards established, had been actually disseminating the tainted matter over many parts of England and the continent.

In 1799, Dr. Woodville, a physician of London, published a report throwing doubts on the real effiJenner watched for the realization of his hopes. cacy of vaccination, which tended to check the The happiness appeared to be his "of removing, high expectations that had been formed of it. Anfrom among the list of human diseases, one of the other member of the medical profession, Dr. Pearmost mortal that ever scourged our race.] But son, lectured on the subject, and issued circulars, the opposition was brewing; and first, after the offering to distribute the matter to all who applied; publication of his "Inquiry," came that of Dr. thus constituting himself the chief promoter of the Ingenhou-a name celebrated in medical and sci- new method, to the prejudice of the discoverer, to entific history. He was on a visit to Lord Lans- whom his nephew wrote, "All your friends agree downe at his seat in Wiltshire, when, hearing of a that now is your time to establish your fame and forcase of small-pox in a man who had previously tune: but if you delay taking a personal active part caught the cow-pox while milking at a dairy, he any longer, the opportunity will be lost forever." It wrote to Jenner, pointing out the mischief his doc- had been intimated to Jenner, that if he would settle trine would cause, " should it prove erroneous. "in London, he might command a practice of £10,000 Jenner replied temperately and conclusively; but per annum. He observes, in his reply, "Shall I, his opponent, who signed himself "physician to who, even in the morning of my days, sought the lowly and sequestered paths of life-the valley,

* An Inquiry into the Causes and Effects of the Vari- and not the mountain-shall I, now my evening is ole Vaccina; a disease discovered in some of the west-fast approaching, hold myself up as an object for ern counties of England, particularly Gloucestershire, and fortune and for fame?" known by the name of the Cow-pox.

But the good cause continued to make progress.

+ It is now known "that there are at least four animals Its author, in a letter written to the Princess Lou-namely, the horse, the cow, the sheep, and the goat-isa at Berlin, in December of the same year, states which are affected with a disorder communicable to man, and capable of securing him from what appears to be a that 5000 persons had then been vaccinated, and malignant form of the same disease." afterwards exposed to the contagion of small-pox ;

but without any ill effect. Lord Egremont took great pains, in a correspondence with Jenner, to clear up the anomaly arising from impure vaccination at Petworth, where he took all the patients, fourteen in number, into his mansion, to prevent the spread of the disease. This nobleman subsequently became one of the most zealous promoters of the new method.

In 1801, the vaccine was sent from Breslau to Moscow, where the empress-dowager "zealously promoted the new practice," and desired that the name of Vaccinoff should be given to the first infant-a female-submitted to it. She sent a diamond ring to Jenner, with a letter signed by her own hand, expressive of "her gratitude to him who rendered this signal service to humanity." Jenner replied, that the imperial favor was not for him alone; "it will be felt by the whole world; for sanctions like these will materially tend to extinguish prejudice." In Denmark and Sweden, so effectual were the measures taken for the propagation of the antidote, that the small-pox was extirpated, and did not return for twenty years; and in Wirtemburg, penalties were exacted from all those who neglected vaccination.

Notwithstanding the violent and unscrupulous opposition manifested in many quarters, the new cause made progress. In this same year attempts were made to form vaccine institutions for gratuitous vaccination, in which Bath took the lead, followed soon after by London. At the head of the latter was Dr. Pearson, of whom mention has been already made. He arrogated to himself all the honors and advantages as head of the establishment; and, following his "rule of doing justice,' Jenner himself offered one thousand guineas as he stated in a letter to Jenner, had reserved for towards fitting out a ship to convey the vaccine to him the honor of" extra-corresponding physician." Asia, when it had been delayed by the parsimony Jenner declined the offered dignity, and wrote to of the government. It reached the East Indies in Lord Egremont his objections to the plan proposed 1801; and the physicians at Bombay corresponded by Dr. Pearson-the man who had denied and dis- with the discoverer on the subject. The cooperatorted his experiments-and declared firmly against tion of the Brahmins, and the favor of the natives, any compromise or contradiction of his own views. were secured by a trick. A short poem was writAlthough a fierce war was then raging, the fame ten in Sanscrit, on old paper, purporting to be of of the new remedy found its way to the continent. great antiquity, and to have been early known in Drs. Odier and Peschin of Geneva wrote and lec- the country, in which the remedy was recommendtured on the subject: and in the two following ed; and appealed directly to the religious feelings years 1500 persons were vaccinated in that city. of the natives, as the "wonderful preventive" was It was known in America before it had been heard said to have been originally derived from a cow. of in Paris. Dr. Waterhouse of Massachusetts It was carried to Africa by way of the Mediterrafirst made the American public acquainted with it, nean; and in 1802, Lord and Lady Elgin, being through the medium of the newspapers, as "Some then on a tour, successfully introduced it into thing Curious in the Medical Line." The president | Turkey, Greece, and the Ionian Islands. The Jefferson, with his sons-in-law, vaccinated nearly matter was sent overland to Bagdad, on lint setwo hundred persons among their own connexions. cured between glass closely sealed, and dipped in At the same time it reached our colony of New-melted wax until it became covered by a solid ball, foundland.

then packed in a box with paper shavings. It arrived safe, and succeeded at the first trial. In other instances, the matter was found to be efficacious after twice crossing the Atlantic, and retained its virtues during a tedious mission through the remotest provinces of the Russian empire to the borders of China.

Soon after, a vaccine institution was opened in Paris, superintended by committees appointed to obtain precise information, through whose labors the salutary remedy was made known throughout France. The Spanish government, in 1800, took up the question with extraordinary zeal, and fitted out an expedition to convey vaccination to their The progress of the "extirpator" was such, that South American colonies. In 1801, a mission in 1802 it was stated, in evidence before a comwas sent to carry it to Gibraltar and Malta; and inmittee of the house of commons, that 2,000,000 of the same year Dr. Walker accompanied Sir Ralph persons had then been vaccinated, of whom not Abercromby's forces to Egypt, and vaccinated one had died of the affection. These numbers were, great numbers of the troops. It was also intro- however, but a small proportion of what they duced at Palermo, where, in the preceding year, might have been, had the practice of vaccination 8000 persons had died of small-pox; and into our been allowed to have free course unopposed by vessels of war by Dr. Trotter, physician to the ignorance, prejudice, or selfishness. Though there fleet, who said, in one of his letters, "The Jen- were many to do justice to the immortal discovery, nerian inoculation will be deservedly recorded as yet a host of others, on very slender grounds, one of the greatest blessings to the navy of Great raised a fierce and clamorous opposition. Few Britain that was ever extended to it." It was ea- even of its friends took the pains to make themgerly welcomed in Germany and the successful selves well acquainted with the principles of the vaccination of Princess Louisa caused its effective new method. A "faction" of physicians got up introduction into Prussia, the result of which was, a spirited opposition in the papal states, and rethe foundation of a Royal Inoculation Institute at ported that vaccination had been forbidden and Berlin. In Vienna, the use of the new remedy abandoned in England. The most ridiculous and was at first forbidden, having been confounded absurd reports were published. A lady complained with small-pox inoculation: the restrictions were, that, since her daughter was vaccinated, "she however, soon removed, and some of the most suc- coughs like a cow, and has grown hairy all over cessful experiments performed in that city. At her body;" and in one part of the country the Brunn, in Moravia, a philanthropic nobleman, practice was discontinued, because those who had Count Hugh de Salm, exerted himself, by the dis- been inoculated in that manner bellowed like tributing of rewards and treatises, to disseminate bulls." A Mr. Gooch of Suffolk had, with his the practice in that part of the empire. A temple wife, vaccinated 611 patients, of which he observes was erected and dedicated to Jenner, in which his birthday is still annually celebrated.

"In spite of all ignorant prejudice, and wilful misrepresentations, this wonderful discovery is

spreading far and wide in this county. The first people we inoculated in Hadleigh were absolutely pelted, and driven into their houses if they appeared out."

nations of antiquity would have raised altars to Jenner's memory, or stamped his effigy on their coins-as was the case in some of the states of Greece, and was done by the citizens of Cos in honor of their countryman Hippocrates. Cuvier said, "If vaccine were the only discovery of the epoch, it would serve to render it illustrious forever."

The same arguments that had been used nearly a century earlier against small-pox inoculation, were directed against vaccination; while, in Switzerland, pastors were recommending it from their pulpits, the most uncompromising hostility was Part of Jenner's reward was in the letters he shown in other places. Ehrmann of Frankfort received from all quarters of the world, filled with undertook to prove from Scripture, and the writ- expressions of grateful reverence, and anticipaings of the fathers, that "vaccine was nothing tions of the benefits of his discovery. His case less than Antichrist." Sermons, abounding in was brought before parliament, and, not without invective, were preached against it. The leading opposition, the sum of 30,000l. was voted to him physician of Philadelphia pronounced it to be "too in two grants. It was proved that, had he kept beastly and indelicate for polished society." In vaccination a secret, he might have made 20,0007. later years, the celebrated Cobbett also denounced a year; but he worked not for himself. The chanit, in his sledge-hammer style, as "beastly," and cellor of the exchequer said of it, during the deunfit for adoption. bate, that it was "the greatest, or one of the most important, discoveries to human society that was made since the creation of man."

Dr. Rowley, a physician of London, was perhaps more violent in his attacks than any other opponent; and his work is so far useful, as it But far greater the reward, in the consciousness gives us the sum of the arguments used against that he had saved to the world millions of lives, vaccination, and shows at the same time to what and secured humanity from its deadliest destroyer. extreme lengths individuals may be carried by It is not what we undertake, but what we accompassion and prejudice. The doctor set himself up plish and confirm, that constitutes glory. Jenner as the hero of anti-vaccination; for which he died with the title of benefactor to his kind. In formed a society to examine all cases of failures, the words of his friend Dr. Lettsom, "His claim and of small-pox after vaccination, which he con- is that of having multiplied the human race, and demned as a " greasy, horse-heeled project. The happily invoked the goddess of health to arrest sooner cow-pox infatuation is abandoned in toto, the arm that scatters pestilence and death over the so much the better for society. The world creation." His is one of those English names has been viper-broth mad-tar water mad-mag- with which intelligent foreigners are, as might be netism mad-cow-pox mad. ** Cow-pox devas- expected, most familiar. Often have such persons, tation-all supported by ignorance, knavery, folly, taken to Westminster Abbey, and told that it is and false faith. Those will be considered the devoted to the names of our great men, asked for greatest enemies to society who longest persist in the monument of Jenner. Strange to say, while spreading the criminal and murderous evil. *much military prowess, now of little account, is Chase from their houses all who propose vaccina- there recorded, this truly great and memorable tion. * * Glaring tyranny, to force vaccination man is without his stone, and likely long to remain on the poor. The world did not require cow-so. pox; the cow-pox was forced into the world. * * Earth trembled! and Heaven profusely shed tears.

AMONGST French gossip, we may mention, that

The most excellent physicians are always the Minister of Public Instruction has sent M. modest, candid, and unassuming;" whilst vaccina- Alexandre, one of the Inspectors-General of the tors are "infatuated visionists, "who pursue an University, to Greece, to examine into the best "irrational and destructive practice. Wild, lightmeans for facilitating the study of Modern Greek headed adherents, who have distinguished them in the royal colleges of France. It is intended, selves by ignorance." The doctor appears to too, to found an establishment at Athens, to which have exhausted the vocabulary to find terms for a certain number of pupils of the normal schools the expression of his abuse, which was not unare to be sent, with a view to the same acquisition. productive of evil. It was proved that, although vaccination was performed gratuitously at the Bloomsbury dispensary, yet not a single person applied during several months of the year 1806. An able reply was published by a surgeon named Blair, who turned the doctor's weapons upon himself, in a pamphlet whose title was quoted from one of his learned opponent's fiery paragraphs: it was entitled "The Vaccination Contest; or Mild Humanity, Reason, Religion, and Truth, against fierce, unfeeling Ferocity, overbearing Insolence, mortified Pride, and Desperation."

We find it stated, in a French scientific paper, that Siberia contains gold in such abundance, that its discovery is likely to produce a financial. revolution in Europe similar to that which took place on the discovery of Peru. In the period of the last fourteen years, the produce of the gold mines in that country is said to have doubled. Eleven thousand persons are daily employed in washing the mineral; and three times the number could be so occupied if the hands could be found. Nothing but this want of laborers, adds our authority, prevents the markets of Europe from being filled The attacks on the invaluable discovery were, with the gold of this rich deposit.-Athenæum. at the same time, vigorously carried on in other TO BE SOLD, (a great bargain, in consequence quarters. We should be at a loss to understand of the Corn Law Bill passing,) THE BRITISH LION, the motives of so much hostility, did we not see the proprietors having no further use for him. something of the kind in our own day, in the He would stuff well as a curiosity. His tail sneers occasionally bestowed on novel matters of would be invaluable to a young member who science. The cause, however, triumphed. Ribald-wishes to come out in the comic line, à la Sibry, scorn, and abuse have dwindled down to a mere thorpe or D'Israeli, on account of its waggish proecho, and are scarcely or never heard. The glory pensities. For terms, apply at the Agricultural of a great man is ever attended by envy. The Protection Office, New Bond Street.-Punch.

coercion bills are bound to be prepared with something better for good government-a matured policy, practical and efficient measures. Pretences that Sir Robert Peel leaves Ireland in some extraordinary condition will not serve as excuse for whig

inertion.

Some have accounted for Sir Robert Peel's per

SIR ROBERT PEEL'S MINISTRY. ALL the world is interested in the probable change of ministry in England. The weakness, incapacity, and insincerity of the whigs has been so often demonstrated, that our only hope of good from them, is as instruments in the hands of Sirtinacity by the presumption that he "chooses the Robert Peel. Whether in office or out, this emi- Coercion-bill as the measure upon which to go out nent English reformer will probably control, if he do not even direct, the course of public affairs. It were desirable that he should direct, with full power, the progress of the necessary changes. His vast sense, and eminent ability, amount to great ness. We copy from the Spectator of 13 June.

of office." We cannot see a shadow of probability in such a conjecture-not a motive for such a 'choice" on the part of Peel, but many against it. It would be palpably impolitic for him to retire with even the appearance of attempting a measure hostile to Ireland. His Coëreion-bill was only part, and we think the bad part, of a scheme for the improvement of that country; and it is the The Corn-bill is Sir Robert Peel's special mis-part to which he would be the least desirous of sion; to carry that he returned to office; to that giving disproportionate prominence. Others rehe gave precedence in the work of the session;proach him with imitating the whigs in consenting that bill the protectionists obstructed by every to retain office on sufferance. All these persons expedient; and thus they delayed the Coercion-forget his explicit declaration, that he would rebill which stood behind. They would have had main in office until the fate of the Corn-bill should Sir Robert prove his " earnestness" by pushing be settled, and that being placed in a minority on forward the Irish measure, no doubt, because that another measure should not make him abandon his would have effected their object of stopping the main enterprise. It is nearly achieved. RespectCorn-bill. The Corn-bill, however, is urged for-ing his intentions we know nothing; but our belief ward; and so they take their revenge on the other bill-and on Peel.

is, that when his peculiar mission is accomplished he will lay down the power which he retains solely for the accomplishment of that mission; and will then leave the government of Ireland, with the rest, to that better management which the whigs seem to think they can extemporize.

PEEL OUT OF OFFICE.

The revenge only seems to succeed. Peel will not be beaten. Throughout this trying struggle, but most especially in the latter stages, his command of temper has been wonderful. It is a wise self-control. It not only saves those exasperations of which one of his best colleagues is so recklessly lavish, but is a severe test of his capacity for commanding circumstances. It lays in a stock TRIUMPHANT revenge for the country party! of popularity proportionate to the intensity of the still more triumph for the place-hunters expectant, present annoyance; attests his personal sacrifices, and all the enemies whatsoever of Robert Peel! and the sincerity with which he obeys the dictates The Corn Bill is safe-even the venerable John of conscience and patriotic policy; and it proves his Gladstone declares it to be virtually carried-but power to conquer obstacles-even the obstacles that its author is sacrificed. The corn-laws are aboihe might suffer from his own naturally imperious ished, but so is Peel. No doubt, some of the temper. more politic tories look beyond, and, not withdrawThe Coercion-bill cannot pass. Why then shoulding all their trust in the ablest man on their side the minister persevere? There may be several of the house, hope better things of him in opposireasons, but one is evident enough to give it up tion than in office: they think that he will return would be to relinquish the government of Ireland, to the old position which he sustained in the debefore the fulness of time for resigning the official cade ending with 1841, controlling the whigsseals. Other ministers, who have not been recently when he revised all that they did, exercised a veto, placed in a state of antagonism with Irish agitators, frustrated so many of their projects, and allowed a may abstain from urging such a measure; but Sir minimum to be done upon sufferance. In that way Robert Peel cannot abandon it now. aReform Ministry" was converted into a great obstruction to reform; and the tories would gladly see a return of that day. Liberals used to prescribe continued endurance of the whigs to keep out the tories: the tories have learned that the whigs may serve the purpose of keeping out Peel; while they expect that Peel, out of office, will revert to his old policy of nullifying whig measures.

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Nor do those who are to succeed him altogether relish the task before them of governing Ireland. They begin to anticipate reproaches, by affecting that Peel hands over the country in a worse state than he found it. Nonsense: he found sedition, and sedition is quelled. The existing social disorder is the old perpetual disease. They say that he has no policy" for Ireland. Who has one? "Don't you wish you may get it?" The what policy has yet been enunciated by any? It is phrase is not classical, but the question is apt. If indeed the first time that a bill for the coercion of you are squeamish you may take it in the poetic Ireland will have been refused by the British parlia-form-"The wish was father to the thought." ment; which is an important fact, and may prove The speculators make a grievous omission; they to be the first premonitory sign of some better pol-forget what has happened since Sir Robert Peel icy to be yet evolved. We hope so. The bill is was last in opposition. part of the old repertoire of Irish legislation, and Once in office, the whigs can only hold it on means very little had it been enacted, it would have made no substantial difference in the state of the country-it is but a shadow of the past; but its omission is an innovation, and means much as the sign of a new spirit. Those, however, who refuse

the tenure of reform-they must be a reforming ministry. They can only exist on the strength of outdoing the minister who has outdone them. Many things which were not expected of the neophyte will be demanded of the professing veterans,