on, has, of his own free motion and consent,
meditated and devised a scheme, by which the nation will be released
from the pain of hearing, and our public men from the labour of uttering
speeches; whilst the former will still have the conviction that its
representatives are taking pains to express its sentiments, and the
latter will still have their vanity gratified by the belief that they
are making a sensation. _Mr. Punch_ has read in the works of MESSRS. HUC
and GABET (two missionaries, in whom the humour of RABELAIS is combined
with the kindly fervour of LAS CASAS) that the Lamas in Thibet--who have
more prayers to recite than they can get through in a day, without
suspending their ordinary avocations--are in the habit of employing what
they call Tchu Kor, or turning prayers. These are large but light
cylinders of wood, placed on an axle, and inscribed with a great number
of prayers in Thibetian characters. The devout Lama gives the Tchu Kor a
push, which sets it in motion for a considerable period, during which he
goes about his secular business, and leaves the performance of his
religious exercises to this pious whirligig.

If _Mr. Punch_ were acquainted with the Lamas, he would suggest to them
that by the help of a little simple machinery and the aid of a turnspit
dog, they might prolong their prayers for a period quite beyond the
strength of their own ingenious but imperfect instrument. But as it is,
he contents himself with recommending that Tchu Kor, or talking
cylinders, shall be introduced into the House of Commons without delay.
So many of the speeches made in that assembly have no sort of interest
for it or for the public, and are dictated only by the desire of the
Members to acquit themselves of a duty to their constituents, that they
might as well not be uttered at all. And as no speech is supposed to
influence a division, or gain over a vote, whilst many give rise to much
bad blood, and to endless misunderstandings, prevarications, rejoinders,
and recriminations, it would be as well that so fertile a source of
mischief should at once be dried up; and that if Members must talk, they
should do so only through the medium of the Tchu Kor.

Each Member might have his peculiar cylinder, surmounted by a bust of
himself, and carved from that tree, whose properties were most in
accordance with the characteristics of his oratory or his politics. Thus
the cylinders of LORD BROUGHAM and MR. DISRAELI, that pungent c