The Metropolitan Magazine

other side of the room, was the chair of the speaker, on a raised platform, having before him a small table covered with green cloth, and two clerks seated at the same table as himself, one on each side. The members, of whom there appeared to be about twenty, the whole body consisting only of fifty-five, were seated at small narrow tables, covered with green baize, and arranged in parallel lines with the end walls, thus forming a ministerial and an opposition side, on the right and left of the speaker and of the House, each member having before him a large pewter inkstand, and pens, ink, and paper, for taking notes. The speaker and the members were equally without robes, wig, or any other distinguishing mark, or appendage, and in nearly the same state of disorder and nonchalance as in our own House of Commons, some sitting, some standing, but all at least uncovered.

"It is necessary before the Housec an proceed to business, that two-thirds of the whole number should be present; that is, thirty-seven members out of fifty-five; but any member may withdraw, without the necessity of stopping the proceedings, or counting out the House, as in England. The speaker had a small handbell, as in France, to call members to order; but he was also armed with a large ivory hammer, like an auctioneer's, which is used to indicate the passing of a vote, of which we witnessed an example. The speaker, rising from his chair, read a letter from a member resigning his seat, and asked permission of the Chamber so to do. After a short pause, the speaker said, 'Does any member object to this?' One of the members rose and replied, I have no objection to make.' The speaker then repeated his former question; and no further observation being made he said, 'It is assented to,' and then knocked the table with his hammer, to confirm the vote, as an auctioneer would knock down a lot of goods to a buyer in England.

"How arbitrary and conventional are all our notions of dignity, propriety, and manners! We thought this the most paltry and undignified mode of proceeding that we had ever witnessed in a legislative body; yet on asking ourselves the question, why it was less dignified than the English speaker exclaiming, "That opinion say Aye'-contrary opinion say 'No;' the Ayes have it;" when no one is uttering a sound of either assent or consent, we could assign no other reason than this-that custom and habit had invested the one with a solemnity and importance, which the novelty and association with an auctioneer's hammer prevented in the other. At the same time it is highly probable, that if a Dutch member could be introduced into our English House of Commons, and see a deputation of the masters

in Chancery presenting a message from the Lords, and retiring backward with repeated bows; or be placed at the bar of the House of Peers, and see the chairman of the Ways and Means introduced by the deputy-usher as "Gentlemen of the House of Commons," (the said chairman being the only person representing the whole House,) bringing up some fifty bills in succession, each introduced by a formal announcement, a subsequent withdrawal, a re-opening of the doors to admit the same solitary individual, with a repetition of the same solemn formality to each bill; the lord chancellor leaving the woolsack at each representation, receiving the bill with a low bow, returning to the woolsack again, to be again called from thence, and making fifty journeys to and fro to receive fifty bills with four or five bows to each, and the occupation of a good hour of time in this solemn farce, which everybody, even the three actors in it themselves, the chancellor, the usher, and the chairman of Ways and Means, are all weary of doing before it is at an end :-if all this could be seen for the first time by a Dutch legislator, even under all the gorgeousness of the new House of Peers, he would go back to the Hague with the conviction, that we were far less rational, in our forms of doing business at least, than his own countrymen."

But we hasten to a close. The following information as to the Dutch constitution, to some of our readers may be new. "The constitution of the government is that of an hereditary monarchy, with two chambers and an executive. The king, however, has much greater powers than would seem to be compatible with a free representative system. He has the exclusive power of making all the appointments, either in the military or civil service of the nation. It must be with his sanction that all new laws are proposed, or old ones amended. In his hands, alone, are the government and control of the colonies, and with him, alone, is the power of declaring war or making peace. The States-General, as they are called, embrace two chambers; the members of the first or upper chamber must be at least forty years of age, and these are all nominated by the king for life, and paid a yearly sum of about two hundred and forty pounds, to cover their travelling and incidental expenses. In the second chamber, the members are a representative body, but elected according to a very complicated system. In the towns, for instance, the ratepayers elect a local town council for municipal affairs, their election being for life. These town councils send deputies to a district or provincial government, like the separate State legislatures of America; and these provincial governments clect the members of the States-General in the lower chamber, so that the member's responsibility to any constituency is almost a nullity. The

parliament is summoned every year, and one-third only of the second chamber go out annually by rotation, but all are eligible for re-election, so that often little or no change is made in the members. The imposition and regulation of the taxes are in the States-General, nominally, but the influence of the king is so great, that his ministers have no difficulty in shaping these in accordance with the royal will, whenever that may run counter to the will of the people."

We now leave the "Autumnal Tour." It contains much varied information. It is embellished with beautiful engravings, and forms a work that we cordially believe deserves, and will have, much public support. We shall be glad to meet our author again. In his own department he is without a rival.

CLARENDON;

A NOVEL.

BY WILLIAM DODSWORTH, ESQ.

CHAPTER XII.*

Herbert Clarendon takes to the road, in search of adventures.

POOR Herbert! a wild and stormy boyhood seemed reserved for him. Cecil had found a friend and protector in whom he could confide, if it were necessary, had not his own precocious manhood appeared to forbid the necessity of such a stay. But Herbert, still but a boy, with his singular temperament, in which impetuosity and timidity, bravery and meekness, were mingled with an artlessness that had made him the darling of poor Colonel Clarendon; what could be expected from him,

* Continued from p. 377, vol. li.

in Chancery presenting a message from the Lords, and retiring backward with repeated bows; or be placed at the bar of the House of Peers, and see the chairman of the Ways and Means introduced by the deputy-usher as "Gentlemen of the House of Commons," (the said chairman being the only person representing the whole House,) bringing up some fifty bills in succession, each introduced by a formal announcement, a subsequent withdrawal, a re-opening of the doors to admit the same solitary individual, with a repetition of the same solemn formality to each bill; the lord chancellor leaving the woolsack at each representation, receiving the bill with a low bow, returning to the woolsack again, to be again called from thence, and making fifty journeys to and fro to receive fifty bills with four or five bows to each, and the occupation of a good hour of time in this solemn farce, which everybody, even the three actors in it themselves, the chancellor, the usher, and the chairman of Ways and Means, are all weary of doing before it is at an end :-if all this could be seen for the first time by a Dutch legislator, even under all the gorgeousness of the new House of Peers, he would go back to the Hague with the conviction, that we were far less rational, in our forms of doing business at least, than his own countrymen."

But we hasten to a close. The following information as to the Dutch constitution, to some of our readers may be new. "The constitution of the government is that of an hereditary monarchy, with two chambers and an executive. The king, however, has much greater powers than would seem to be compatible with a free representative system. He has the exclusive power of making all the appointments, either in the military or civil service of the nation. It must be with his sanction that all new laws are proposed, or old ones amended. In his hands, alone, are the government and control of the colonies, and with him, alone, is the power of declaring war or making peace. The States-General, as they are called, embrace two chambers; the members of the first or upper chamber must be at least forty years of age, and these are all nominated by the king for life, and paid a yearly sum of about two hundred and forty pounds, to cover their travelling and incidental expenses. In the second chamber, the members are a representative body, but elected according to a very complicated system. In the towns, for instance, the ratepayers elect a local town council for municipal affairs, their election being for life. These town councils send deputies to a district or provincial government, like the separate State legislatures of America; and these provincial governments clect the members of the States-General in the lower chamber, so that the member's responsibility to any constituency is almost a nullity. The