Tue process of "drawing," as it is vulgarly termed, is extremely simple and extremely gratifying to those engaged in it, but to the unfortunate victim it operation fraught with annoyance, and the feeling which suoceeds the sensation of irritation in one of humiliating self-reproach. When, however, the person who was to be exhibited in a ridiculous light, and played upon through some conspicuous weak. ness of character, outwits his enemies, the result is in the highest degree satisinctory. The tables are felt to be fairly and cleverly turned, and a triumph conred, which, though small, largely inerenses the prestige of the intended victim, and makes him for the moment more popular than if Lo had achieved a success of a permanent and lucrative kind. The reason of the popularity of the man who will not be drawn is obvious. Ho is proved to possess the one quality which Englishman prize more than any other—* self-respect." thine ownself be true," says Polonius, who represented average common senso at the Court of Denmark. These reflections are the nataral result of reading the gratifying termination of " The attempt of Mr. Tracy Tarnerelli, or the Wreath Rejected." For monthe, a person with the oddest name we ever out of Pickwick has been Inying himself before the public and endeavouring to coustitate himself in some sense the spokesman and representative of a large section of the British nation. Mr. Tracy Turnerelli has been giving his days and nights to one great object. Yes! an object grenter than was that cure of Lord Stuart de Decies to which the illustrious Professor Holloway devoted his gigantic genins and varied learning. Mr. Turnerelli resolved that Lord Benconsfield should be presented by the peasantry and artisans of England witha wreath of gold, After nnhenrd of exertion, 52,000 pence were collected, and with this n wreath of costly material and classic design was procured, It wns exhibited in London. Thousands flocked to see Punch (also one of the drawn ones) amused hia renders with a caricature of the Premier, contemplating the people's tribute wih cynical satisfaction, A day was appointed for the presentation to take place. Crowds were expected to throng the Crystal Palace. An opportunity was at Inst to be given to the masses to see the "terrible Mephisto-philes" and to jadge fur themselves as to his oratory and appearance. We can guess what a ferment of excitement: prevailed, and how it was debated in the boarding schools of Clapham and Norwood, whether the Premier would appear in the historic white coat in which he brought us "peace with honour," and whether he would or would not wear the blue ribbon of the Garter.
All were doomed to disappointment. Lord Beaconsfield is not a man who ever imperils his self-respect. He has never thrust himself before crowds as a demagogic orator. He has' never courted the mob. Perhaps he is too much of a philosopher, perhaps he is too much of a cynic, to care for the sweet voices of the variable multitude.
So he patiently listened while Mr. Tarnerelli puffed and the populace expected and Buch sneered, and then at last proved himself "one who could not be drawn." In a few lines written by a Secretary, the whole fantastic scheme is shown in its true colours.
Mr. Taruerelli has been pestering the Premier for years with begging letters, thinly veiled under the pretext of extraordinary Conservative zeal. To these letters Lord Beaconsfield, like a sensible man, has not replied. At last comes the climax. The man who collected 52,000 pennies and spent them all ina golden wreath for the Prime Minister, could not be ignored. The personage who, more than any other man in England is "connected with honours and rewards," could not withhold his gratitude to such an active bartizan. So reasoned Mr. Turnerelli, but the result proved that be reckoned without his host; and it now only remains to be seen what will be done with the rejected wreath. A nail in a wall of the Crystal Palace would seem the most fitting place for it.
The following is a copy of the letter in which Lord Beaconsfield declined the "10, Downing Street, Whitehall, 16th June, 1879. you ask him to name 3flou of a aurel wreath procured, by the contributions of upwards of 60,000 of the people, which have collected, according your statement, with pled efforts.
had belo party, and the expression of your hope that *noouer or later they will meet with reward." Although Lord Beaconsfield would fully apvalue a spontaneous gift from in_fellow-subjects Lelonging to a class in which he has ever taken the warmest in-he cannot but feel that being himself imately connected with honours and rerecluded by the spirit in which you have previously addressed him from Acoepting a gift thus originated, and proffered ina manner which he cannot deem satisfactory.—I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.