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contributions to all the year round-第5部分

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or the illustrious Prince Consort。  But; some silken…clad smoothers;

some purple parasites; some fawners in frippery; some greedy and

begartered ones in gorgeous garments; he does impeachay; and

wrathfully!  Is it asked on what grounds?  They shall be stated。



The Bleater's London Correspondent; in the prosecution of his

important inquiries; goes down to Windsor; sends in his card; has a

confidential interview with her Majesty and the illustrious Prince

Consort。  For a time; the restraints of Royalty are thrown aside in

the cheerful conversation of the Bleater's London Correspondent; in

his fund of information; in his flow of anecdote; in the atmosphere

of his genius; her Majesty brightens; the illustrious Prince Consort

thaws; the cares of State and the conflicts of Party are forgotten;

lunch is proposed。  Over that unassuming and domestic table; her

Majesty communicates to the Bleater's London Correspondent that it

is her intention to send his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to

inspect the top of the Great Pyramidthinking it likely to improve

his acquaintance with the views of the people。  Her Majesty further

communicates that she has made up her royal mind (and that the

Prince Consort has made up his illustrious mind) to the bestowal of

the vacant Garter; let us say on Mr。 Roebuck。  The younger Royal

children having been introduced at the request of the Bleater's

London Correspondent; and having been by him closely observed to

present the usual external indications of good health; the happy

knot is severed; with a sigh the Royal bow is once more strung to

its full tension; the Bleater's London Correspondent returns to

London; writes his letter; and tells the Tattlesnivel Bleater what

he knows。  All Tattlesnivel reads it; and knows that he knows it。

But; DOES his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales ultimately go to

the top of the Great Pyramid?  DOES Mr。 Roebuck ultimately get the

Garter?  No。  Are the younger Royal children even ultimately found

to be well?  On the contrary; they haveand on that very day had

the measles。  Why is this?  BECAUSE THE CONSPIRATORS AGAINST THE

BLEATER'S LONDON CORRESPONDENT HAVE STEPPED IN WITH THEIR DARK

MACHINATIONS。  Because her Majesty and the Prince Consort are

artfully induced to change their minds; from north to south; from

east to west; immediately after it is known to the conspirators that

they have put themselves in communication with the Bleater's London

Correspondent。  It is now indignantly demanded; by whom are they so

tampered with?  It is now indignantly demanded; who took the

responsibility of concealing the indisposition of those Royal

children from their Royal and illustrious parents; and of bringing

them down from their beds; disguised; expressly to confound the

London Correspondent of the Tattlesnivel Bleater?  Who are those

persons; it is again asked?  Let not rank and favour protect them。

Let the traitors be exhibited in the face of day!



Lord John Russell is in this conspiracy。  Tell us not that his

Lordship is a man of too much spirit and honour。  Denunciation is

hurled against him。  The proof?  The proof is here。



The Time is panting for an answer to the question; Will Lord John

Russell consent to take office under Lord Palmerston?  Good。  The

London Correspondent of the Tattlesnivel Bleater is in the act of

writing his weekly letter; finds himself rather at a loss to settle

this question finally; leaves off; puts his hat on; goes down to the

lobby of the House of Commons; sends in for Lord John Russell; and

has him out。  He draws his arm through his Lordship's; takes him

aside; and says; 〃John; will you ever accept office under

Palmerston?〃  His Lordship replies; 〃I will not。〃  The Bleater's

London Correspondent retorts; with the caution such a man is bound

to use; 〃John; think again; say nothing to me rashly; is there any

temper here?〃  His Lordship replies; calmly; 〃None whatever。〃  After

giving him time for reflection; the Bleater's London Correspondent

says; 〃Once more; John; let me put a question to you。  Will you ever

accept office under Palmerston?〃  His Lordship answers (note the

exact expressions); 〃Nothing shall induce me; ever to accept a seat

in a Cabinet of which Palmerston is the Chief。〃  They part; the

London Correspondent of the Tattlesnivel Bleater finishes his

letter; andalways being withheld by motives of delicacy; from

plainly divulging his means of getting accurate information on every

subject; at first handputs in it; this passage:  〃Lord John

Russell is spoken of; by blunderers; for Foreign Affairs; but I have

the best reasons for assuring your readers; that〃 (giving prominence

to the exact expressions; it will be observed) 〃'NOTHING WILL EVER

INDUCE HIM; TO ACCEPT A SEAT IN A CABINET OF WHICH PALMERSTON IS THE

CHIEF。'  On this you may implicitly rely。〃  What happens?  On the

very day of the publication of that number of the Bleaterthe

malignity of the conspirators being even manifested in the selection

of the dayLord John Russell takes the Foreign Office!  Comment

were superfluous。



The people of Tattlesnivel will be told; have been told; that Lord

John Russell is a man of his word。  He may be; on some occasions;

but; when overshadowed by this dark and enormous growth of

conspiracy; Tattlesnivel knows him to be otherwise。  〃I happen to be

certain; deriving my information from a source which cannot be

doubted to be authentic;〃 wrote the London Correspondent of the

Bleater; within the last year; 〃that Lord John Russell bitterly

regrets having made that explicit speech of last Monday。〃  These are

not roundabout phrases; these are plain words。  What does Lord John

Russell (apparently by accident); within eight…and…forty hours after

their diffusion over the civilised globe?  Rises in his place in

Parliament; and unblushingly declares that if the occasion could

arise five hundred times; for his making that very speech; he would

make it five hundred times!  Is there no conspiracy here?  And is

this combination against one who would be always right if he were

not proved always wrong; to be endured in a country that boasts of

its freedom and its fairness?



But; the Tattlesnivellian who now raises his voice against

intolerable oppression; may be told that; after all; this is a

political conspiracy。  He may be told; forsooth; that Mr。 Disraeli's

being in it; that Lord Derby's being in it; that Mr。 Bright's being

in it; that every Home; Foreign; and Colonial Secretary's being in

it; that every ministry's and every opposition's being in it; are

but proofs that men will do in politics what they would do in

nothing else。  Is this the plea?  If so; the rejoinder is; that the

mighty conspiracy includes the whole circle of Artists of all kinds;

and comprehends all degrees of men; down to the worst criminal and

the hangman who ends his career。  For; all these are intimately

known to the London Correspondent of the Tattlesnivel Bleater; and

all these deceive him。



Sir; put it to the proof。  There is the Bleater on the file

documentary evidence。  Weeks; months; before the Exhibition of the

Royal Academy; the Bleater's London Correspondent knows the subjects

of all the leading pictures; knows what the painters first meant to

do; knows what they afterwards substituted for what they first meant

to do; knows what they ought to do and won't do; knows what they

ought not to do and will do; knows to a letter from whom they have

commissions; knows to a shilling how much they are to be paid。  Now;

no sooner is each studio clear of the remarkable man to whom each

studio…occupant has revealed himself as he does not reveal himself

to his nearest and dearest bosom friend; than conspiracy and fraud

begin。  Alfred the Great becomes the Fairy Queen; Moses viewing the

Promised Land; turns out to be Moses going to the Fair; Portrait of

His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury; is transformed; as if by

irreverent enchantment of the dissenting interest; into A Favourite

Terrier; or Cattle Grazing; and the most extraordinary work of art

in the list described by the Bleater; is coolly sponged out

altogether; and asserted never to have had existence at all; even in

the most shadow thoughts of its executant!  This is vile enough; but

this is not all。  Picture…buyers then come forth from their secret

positions; and creep into their places in the assassin…multitude of

conspirators。  Mr。 Baring; after expressly telling the Bleater's

London Correspondent that he had bought No。 39 for one thousand

guineas; gives it up to somebody unknown for a couple of hundred

pounds; the Marquis of Lansdowne pretends to have no knowledge

whatever of the commissions to which the London Correspondent of the

Bleater swore him; but allows a Railway Contractor to cut him out

for half the money。  Similar examples might be multiplied。  Shame;

shame; on these men!  Is this England?



Sir; look again at Literature。  The Bleater's London Correspondent

is not merely acquainted with all the eminent writers; but is in

possession of the secrets of their souls。  He is versed in their

hidden meanings and references; sees their manuscripts before

publication; and knows the subjects and titles of their books when

they are not begun。  How dare those writers turn upon the eminent

man and depart from every intention they have confided to him?  How

do they justify themselves in entirely altering their manuscripts;

changing their titles; and abandoning their subjects?  Will they

deny; in the face of Tattlesnivel; that they do so?  If they have

such hardihood; let the file of the Bleater strike them dumb。  By

their fruits they shall be known。  Let their works be compared with

the anticipatory letters of the Bleater's London Correspondent; and

their falsehood and deceit will become manifest as the sun; it will

be seen that they do nothing which they stand pledged to the

Bleater's L
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