Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 December 1883 — A Smile in the House of Lords. [ARTICLE]

A Smile in the House of Lords.

The following eun'ous scene is described by the present Lord Albemarle, who was witness to it. A debate on the clergy reserves in the Canada bill in April, 1853, was- the occasion. The late Lord Derby made remarks, from which Bishop Wilberforce expressed his dissent by shaking his head and Binding. The noble Earl took exception at the gesture. The Bishop admitted the smile, hut denied all intention of thereby imputing anything offensive. Lord Derby—l” accept the explanation offered by the right reverend prelate ; but when lie says that it is impossible for him to say anything offensive, because be has a smiling face, he will forgive me if I quote, without intending in the least to apply the words to him: “A man may smile and smile, and be a villain." Lord Clarendon (in a voice of thunder)—Oh! Oh! Oh! - Lord Derby—What noble peer is it whose nerves are so delicate as to be wounded by a hackneyed quotation ? Lorc^Clarendon —I am that peer, and protest against any noble lord applying, even in the language of poetry, the epithet of villain to any member in the House. Peacemakers arose on both sides of the House. The reporters had left the gallery previous to a division. Lord Clarendon, who was greatly excited, drank Off a glass of water. Lord Derby at the same time filled another bumper of water and called out across the table: “Your good health, Clarendon,” and so the affair ended.— London Society. Martin Luther, compared original sin to the heard of a man. “We are shaved to-day and look clean and have a smoother chin; to-morrow our beard has grown again, nor does it cease grwsing while wo remain on earth.”