rival, Turnbull, is right. A man who begins his political
life as I began mine, is not the man of whom a Minister should
be formed. I am inclined to think that Ministers of Government
require almost as much education in their trade as shoemakers or
tallow-chandlers. I doubt whether you can make a good public servant
of a man simply because he has got the ear of the House of Commons."

"Then you mean to say," said Phineas, "that we are altogether wrong
from beginning to end, in our way of arranging these things?"

"I do not say that at all. Look at the men who have been leading
statesmen since our present mode of government was formed,--from the
days in which it was forming itself, say from Walpole down, and you
will find that all who have been of real use had early training as
public servants."

"Are we never to get out of the old groove?"

"Not if the groove is good," said Mr. Monk, "Those who have been
efficient as ministers sucked in their efficacy with their mother's
milk. Lord Brock did so, and Lord de Terrier, and Mr. Mildmay. They
seated themselves in office chairs the moment they left college.
Mr. Gresham was in office before he was eight-and-twenty. The
Duke of St. Bungay was at work as a Private Secretary when he was
three-and-twenty. You, luckily for yourself, have done the same."

"And regret it every hour of my life."

"You have no cause for regret, but it is not so with me. If there be
any man unfitted by his previous career for office, it is he who has
become, or who has endeavoured to become, a popular politician,--an
exponent, if I may say so, of public opinion. As far as I can see,
office is offered to such men with one view only,--that of clipping
their wings."

"And of obtaining their help."

"It is the same thing. Help from Turnbull would mean the withdrawal
of all power of opposition from him. He could not give other help for
any long term, as the very fact of his accepting power and patronage
would take from him his popular leadership. The masses outside
require to have their minister as the Queen has hers; but the same
man cannot be minister to both. If the people's minister chooses to
change his master, and to take the Queen's shilling, something of
temporary relief may be gained by government in the fact that the
other place will for a time be vacant. But there are candidates
enough for such places, and the vacancy is not a vacancy long. Of
course the Crown has this pull, that it pay