He had a prominent nose, a thin face, and a sallow, very sallow
complexion; . . . . and had I seen him in America I should have taken him
for a hard-worked editor of a newspaper, weary and worn with night-labor
and want of exercise,--aged before his time. It was Disraeli, and I
never saw any other Englishman look in the least like him; though, in
America, his appearance would not attract notice as being unusual. I do
not remember any other noteworthy person whom we saw enter; in fact, the
House had already been some time in session, and most of the members were
in their places.
We were to dine at the Refectory of the House with the new member for
Boston; and, meanwhile, Bennoch obtained admittance for us into the
Speaker's gallery, where we had a view of the members, and could hear
what was going on. A Mr. Muntz was speaking on the Income Tax, and he
was followed by Sir George Cornewall Lewis and others; but it was all
very uninteresting, without the slightest animation or attempt at
oratory,--which, indeed, would have been quite out of place. We saw Lord
Palmerston; but at too great a distance to distinguish anything but a
gray head. The House had daylight in it when we entered, and for some
time afterwards; but, by and by, the roof, which I had taken to be a
solid and opaque ceiling, suddenly brightened, and showed itself to be
transparent; a vast expanse of tinted and figured glass, through which
came down a great, mild radiance on the members below.
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