rdship bestowed on all matters of importance. Working himself us as he
drew near his peroration, he broke out into a blaze of eloquence which
put the Lord Mayor into some fear on account of the Thames, of which he
is official conservator. "The thing cannot last!" he exclaimed; "and if
you don't, in less than two years from this time, say I am a true
prophet, put me on seven years' allowance." What the meaning of this
latter expression may be, we cannot divine. It seems to us no very
severe punishment to be forced to receive the allowance of seven years
instead of one, the only explanation we can think of is, that it
contains some delicate allusion to the dietary of gentlemen who are
supposed to be visiting one of the colonies in New Holland, but in
reality employ themselves in aquatic amusements in Portsmouth and
Plymouth harbour "for the space of seven long years"--and are not
supposed to fare in so sumptuous a manner as the aldermen of the city of
London.

"The poor horses," he proceeded, "that are continually tumbling down on
the wood pavement, cannot send their representatives, but I will
represent them here whenever I have the opportunity"--(a horse laugh, as
if from the orator's constituents, was excited by this sally.) "But,
gentlemen, besides the danger of this atrocious system, we ought to pay
a little attention to the expense. I maintain you have no right to make
the inhabitants of those streets to which there is no idea of extending
the wood paving, pay for the ease and comfort, as it is called, of
persons residing in the larger thoroughfares, such as Newgate Street and
Cheapside. But the promoters say, 'Oh I but we will have the whole town
paved with it'--(hear, hear.) What would this cost? A friend of mine has
made some calculations on this point, and he finds that, to pave the
whole town with wood, an outlay of twenty-four millions of money must be
incurred!"

It was generally supposed in the meeting that the friend here alluded to
was either Mr Joseph Hume or the ingenious gentleman who furnished Lord
Stanley with the statistics of the wheat-growing districts of Tamboff.
It was afterwards discovered to be a Mr Cocker Munchausen.

Twenty-four millions of money! and all to be laid out on wood! The
thought was so immense that it nearly choked the worthy orator, and he
could not proceed for some time. When at last, by a great effort, he
recovered the thread of his discourse, he became pathetic about the fat