instructive. The division in the Lords must be very close indeed.

Orloff, who was looked for like the Messiah, at last made his
appearance a few days ago, a great burly Russian, but no
ratification yet.[1]

[1] [Of the Belgian Treaty.]

[Page Head: THE CHOLERA IN ENGLAND.]

I have refrained for a long time from writing down anything about
the cholera, because the subject is intolerably disgusting to me,
and I have been bored past endurance by the perpetual questions of
every fool about it. It is not, however, devoid of interest. In
the first place, what has happened here proves that 'the people'
of this enlightened, reading, thinking, reforming nation are not a
whit less barbarous than the serfs in Russia, for precisely the
same prejudices have been shown here that were found at St.
Petersburg and at Berlin. The disease has undoubtedly appeared
(hitherto) in this country in a milder shape than elsewhere, but
the alarm at its name was so great that the Government could do no
otherwise than take such precautions and means of safety as
appeared best to avert the danger or mitigate its consequences.
Here it came, and the immediate effect was a great inconvenience
to trade and commerce, owing to restrictions, both those imposed
by foreigners generally on this country and those we imposed
ourselves between the healthy and unhealthy places. This begot
complaints and disputes, and professional prejudices and
jealousies urged a host of combatants into the field, to fight
about the existence or non-existence of cholera, its contagiousness,
and any collateral question. The disposition of the public was
(and is) to believe that the whole thing was a humbug, and
accordingly plenty of people were found to write in that sense,
and the press lent itself to propagate the same idea. The disease,
however, kept creeping on, the Boards of Health which were
everywhere established immediately became odious, and the vestries
and parishes stoutly resisted all pecuniary demands for the
purpose of carrying into effect the recommendations of the Central
Board or the orders of the Privy Council. In this town the mob has
taken the part of the anti-cholerites, and the most disgraceful
scenes have occurred. The other day a Mr. Pope, head of the
hospital in Marylebone (Cholera Hospital) came to the Council
Office to complain that a patient who was being removed with his
own consent had been taken out of his chair by the mob and carried