thus: He has often heard in
between them. That was exactly the streets, "I'd fight you
it. He believed there would be for the fiftieth part of a
a 'mill' between them." (Much farden:" and having (that is,
laughter.) for a Member) a notion both of
fractions and logic, he infers
that those who would fight for
the 50th of a farthing would,
_a fortiori_, fight for a
25th. His mistake arises from
his not knowing that when a
person offers to fight another
for 1/200d., he really means
to fight for love; and that
the stake is merely a matter
of form, a feigned issue, a
_pro forma_ report of
progress. Do the Members of
the House think they have all
the forms to themselves?
"What would be the present We should hardly believe all
expression for four-pence? this to be uttered in earnest,
Why, 0.166 (a laugh); for if we had not known {177} that
threepence? .0125; for a several persons who have not
penny? .004166, and so on _ad Mr. Lowe's humor, nevertheless
infinitum_ (a laugh); for a have his impressions on this
half-penny? .002083 _ad point. It must therefore be
infinitum_. (A laugh). What answered; but how is this to
would be the present be done seriously?
expression for a farthing?
Why, .0010416 _ad infinitum_. _Dialogue between a member of
(A laugh). And this was the Parliament and an orange-boy,
system which was to cause such three days after the
a saving in figures, and these introduction of the complete
were the quantities into which decimal system. The member,
the poor would have to reduce going down to the House, wants
the current coin of the realm. oranges to sustain his voice
(Cheers). With every respect in a two hours' speech on
for decimal fractions, of moving that 100000l. be placed
which he boasted no profound at the disposal of Her
knowledge, he doubted whether Majesty, to supply the poor
the poor were equal to mental with ready-reckoner