s eightieth year and
Prime Minister of England, figured in a very unseemly affair which had
the Divorce Court for its centre. Arnold writes as follows: "We had ----
with us one day. He was quite full of the Lord Palmerston scandal,
which your charming newspaper, the _Star_--that true reflection of the
rancour of Protestant Dissent in alliance with all the vulgarity,
meddlesomeness, and grossness of the British multitude--has done all it
could to spread abroad. It was followed yesterday by the _Standard_, and
is followed to-day by the _Telegraph_. Happy people, in spite of our bad
climate and cross tempers, with our penny newspapers!"

The admirable satire of _Friendship's Garland_ is constantly levelled
against national aberrations in this direction. In the year 1870 there
was a fashionable divorce-case, more than usually scandalous, and the
disgusting narrative had been followed with keen interest by those who
look up at the Aristocracy as men look up at the stars. In reference to
this case, he quotes to his imaginary friend Arminius the noble
sentiment of Barrow: "Men will never be heartily loyal and submissive to
authority till they become really good; nor will they ever be very good
till they see their leaders such." To which Arminius replies, in his
thoughtful manner: "Yes, that is what makes your Lord C----s so
inexpressibly precious!" A certain Lord C----, be it observed, having
figured very conspicuously in the trial.

With reference to the enormous publicity given in England to such
malefic matter, Arnold says to Arminius: "When a Member of Parliament
wanted to abridge the publicity given to the M---- case, the Government
earnestly reminded him that it had been the solemn decision of the House
of Commons that all the proceedings of the Divorce Court should be as
open as the day. When there was a suggestion to hear the B---- case in
private, the upright magistrate who was appealed to said firmly that he
could never trifle with the public mind in that manner. All this was as
it should be. So far, so good. But was the publicity in these cases
perfectly full and entire? Were there not some places which the details
did not reach? There were few, but there were some. And this, while the
Government has an organ of its own, the _London Gazette_, dull,
high-priced, and of comparatively limited circulation! I say, make the
price of the _London Gazette_ a halfpenny; change its name to the
_London Gazette and Divorce Inte