test against the
action of the Lords and express unabated confidence in the Government. It
was on this occasion that Sydney Smith made the most famous of his
political speeches. He deplored the collision between the two Houses of
Parliament, but he was not the least alarmed about the fate of the Bill.
The Lords were no match for the forces arrayed against them.--

"As for the possibility of the House of Lords preventing for long a
reform of Parliament, I hold it to be the most absurd notion that ever
entered into the human imagination. I do not mean to be disrespectful,
but the attempt of the Lords to stop the progress of Reform reminds me
very forcibly of the great storm at Sidmouth, and of the conduct of
the excellent Mrs. Partington on that occasion. In the winter of 1824,
there set in a great flood upon that town--the tide rose to an
incredible height--the waves rushed in upon the houses, and everything
was threatened with destruction. In the midst of this sublime and
terrible storm, Dame Partington, who lived upon the beach, was seen at
the door of her house with mop and pattens, trundling her mop,
squeezing out the sea-water, and vigorously pushing away the Atlantic
Ocean. The Atlantic was roused. Mrs. Partington's spirit was up; but I
need not tell you that the contest was unequal. The Atlantic Ocean
beat Mrs. Partington. She was excellent at a slop, or a puddle, but
she should not have meddled with a tempest. Gentlemen, be at your
ease--be quiet and steady. You will beat Mrs. Partington."

Fifty years later, an eye-witness thus described the scene:--"The
introduction of the Partington storm was startling and unexpected. As he
recounted in felicitous terms the adventures of the excellent dame, suiting
the action to the word with great dramatic skill, he commenced trundling
his imaginary mop and sweeping back the intrusive waves of the Atlantic
with an air of resolute determination and an appearance of increasing
temper. The scene was realistic in the extreme, and was too much for the
gravity of the most serious. The house rose, the people cheered, and tears
of superabundant laughter trickled down the cheeks of fair women and
veteran reformers."[107]

This was his last public act in connexion with Parliamentary Reform; but
the keenness of his interest remained unabated till the day was won. On the
12th of December 1831, the Reform Bill was brough