SNAP SHOTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6213, 15 October 1881, Page 6

SNAP SHOTS.

Hk is not usually a demonstrative man, but when I asked him why he did not stand for a seat in Parliament hie quick gesture and utterance denoted quite another man. "Parliament, sir—a seat in Parliament ! Do you know what it means ? Prevarication to electors, nothing but a fringe between it and lying, kotowing to the rich and strong, hail fellow well met with everybody—the morally clean or immorally dirty—everything for everybody, and more if they must have it, Government billets for all the ne'er-do-weels. Do you know what it means ? Shuffling in the House, trickery and being tricked: being humbugged by Ministers, and passing it on to your constituents ; bellowing about the wrongs of tho country, and looking after your sisters, your cousins, and your aunts. Public life, sir, is an imposture, oscillating between meanness and audacity. Js"o, no, sir : a potato - can, blackingbrushes, or book-making, but not a seat in Parliament," ami he strode on. It was in Queen-street I met him, and shall meet him again, but I shall eschew Parliament, it doesu't suit his constitution. No wonder.

The Rev. Mr. Edger and the Very Rev. Dr. Wallis arc to discuss the Temperance question whether publicans ought to be ruined or compensated.- Charitable feeling, and a belief that you should "do unto others, ' &c, makes Mr. Ed_;er go for ruin ; the general election makes the reverend legislator compensatory ; but in the name of all that is rational, why both together— Wallis on Edger, and Edger on Wallis V One's enough at any time, and for some time, but both on one evening—it's monstrous. Two such geniuses, each of whom think he knows everything, and is diffident about nothing, should rot be lavished on one occasion. Besides, what's the use of discussing the matter ? Of course, ruin the publican, turn him into the street, put the brand on him. Hasn't Parliament recognised him, be-lawed him, taken his money, lined him, ordered his ways (tried) —what right had he to exist by Act of Parliament and make money too ? Oh ! get rid of him, but with ruin, mark you. What's fish without the sauce, riddance without ruin ''. What's the use of being a viper if you can't sting? Nay, nay, Mr. Edyer, the illustration has no personal application, it's the feeling, the wish, that's assailed.

It's a mercy, perhaps not a crowning mercy, but a very groat one. There's been such a lot of this Anglo-Israel business, such a deluge of stufi'-and-nonsense in the papers, and it's such a poor delusion, that to find at the late meeting to form an association there were only six bewildered individuals willing to join was really delicious. Bumptiousness and noise go a long way, and so one would have thought the Anglo-Israulites were half the community, and behold they are six— just half-a-dozen—three pairs, hardly enoucli for "hunt-the-slipper," nothing like enough for " kiss-in-the-ring." By-the-by aru there any Miss Anglo-Israels with one pretty foot on Mount Zion and the other in Piccadilly? But you can't stop an enthusiast. Mr. Farnall intends to keep marching on with the seven pities for the rest of the benighted world ! Is there nothing serious in 'he world to do ?

Now, I frankly admit it, that I never do, never do, fish out family matters, invade the privacy of the individual. A fillip here and there, a dart now and then, but always on public grounds. But is it true that when that illustrious foreigner was here a young damsel, connected with a good family, was seen out with him, alone, in a public vehicle, at four o'clock in the morning. Pardon ;it is a pnblic matter, and none but a booby would say otherwise. Society is made up of individuals. Such as the daughter is, such will be the mother, such her daughters. It's not right to be flirting like a servant at the garden-gate whilst mamma is laid up on the sofa, ami—poor dear thing—talking of her " best of girls." It's not right to be strolling about at all hours with "him," "him" being nobody particular but only one of many. The restraints and decencies of good society arc worth preserving—people who won't have them and people who can't understand them notwithstanding. Darwin says of most things that they have been improved by association, but he doesn't mean by that a German nobody, a silly girl, a public vehicle—well, a vehicle—and four o'clock in the morning. Sir Arthur, you are to be congratulated that you are about to leave New Zealand for England. You were damned before you came here by a little knot of spiteful people who couldu't have the patience to wait and see whether you were worthy of commendation or dispraise. Happily they are not Xew Zealand, but seem so, speaking, whilst the mass is silent, can't quite make you out, but believes you a capable man, of excellent iutentions and decided views. Sterling worth will not suffice for a man in your position; that is what is not seen. Popular manners, fluff, beastly fluff, an effusive and insincere word for everyone, and a pleasant vice or two, just to show that you are mortal and then that "fellow feeling"—you know the rest. If you had run about the country a bit, drank your sherry and cheerfully said it was the finest colony in the world, and, like the flatulent Boweu, always praised the looks of the lassies, you would have been one of the fines.t fellows in creation. But, even so, are you not a little wrong ? We must not be so enwrapped in our good intentions as to forget that it is gracious to unbend; especially is that true of those occupying an exalted positiou ; it compromises no dignity. Tobv Twinkle.