第78部分(第2/7 頁)

　matter　as　an　urgently　needed　Copyright　Bill　was　left　for　the　Radicals　to　deal　with　as　best　they　could　in　face　of　the　opposition　of　the　Labour　party。

It　does　strike　me　that　this　Conservative　Government　never　quite　realised　that　the　time　had　gone　by　when　it　was　possible　for　a　happy　family　party　to　philosophise　at　a　round　table；　calling　each　other　by　their　Christian　names　and　sucking　the　sweets　of　office　from　year　to　year；　quite　satisfied　to　meet　any　emergencies　that　might　arise　in　a　happy…go…lucky；　hand…to…mouth　fashion；　and　to　proclaim　in　well…educated　voices　that；　while　they　ruled；　all　was　well　with　the　world；　also　that　the　questions　which　others　thought　urgent　might　be　postponed　—　to　a　more　convenient　season。　Session　was　added　to　session；　and　still　they　scoffed　at　the　need　of　any　constructive　policy。　Meanwhile　the　thunder…clouds　banked　up；　and　that　strong　and　turbulent　spirit；　Mr。　Chamberlain；　growing　impatient　of　this　political　lotus…eating；　broke　away　and　ran　up　a　score　off　his　own　bat；　which　to　this　hour　the　Unionist　party　does　not　know　whether　to　count　in　its　total　or　to　sponge　from　the　board。

But；　as　arked　about　the　very　recent　collapse　of　the　resistance　of　the　House　of　Lords　before　the　threat　of　an　influx　of　Radical　peers　（how　long　would　they　have　remained　Radical；　one　wonders？）；　all　this　is　“ancient　history；”　and　therefore　scarce　worthy　of　discussion。　I　think　it　was　Mr。　Balfour　himself　who　made　the　remark；　apparently　with　a　viee　people　think　an　obscure　and　poor…spirited　transaction。　Surely　it　is　better　to　die　facing　the　foe　and　with　one’s　armour　on　than　to　pull　it　off　and　run　away；　only　to　be　beaten　to　death　with　sticks　afterwards　by　the　enemy’s　camp…followers；　or　taken　prisoner；　reclothed　in　your　ermine　and　coro；　and　mocked　before　the　people。　Lor