Let us consider, then what n Commoner thus standing would see, He would look into what is justly called the Gilded Chamber," in resplendent contrast to the comparative plainness of his own Chamber. The noble windows resplendent with coloured glass, the roof, beams and rafters {ower House the climax is the Sporker's gorgeously decorated. Whereas in the
Chair with the Table immediately underneath it—the climax here is the Ro Throne on which the Sovereign alone may sit. From it descend the steps to the and at the foot of these a small space' is railed off; consequently the Table has to be in the midst of the Floor where sit the Clerks who are Ministers of the House. Near this is placed the seat for the Lord Chancellor as the President of the House, Thus there is here but little of the historic Floor well known in the Lower House, That slight space is further reduced by "the cross benches, " so called hecnnse they ave placed transverse between the rows of benches numing cerally on each side of the Chair right left. This cross-bench arrangement is strange to Commoner eyes. It is meant for Peers who do not range themsel cither side, Ministerial or Opposition, or who do not acknowledge Mlaglanes to either Party, Such an arrangement would not suit " representative and elected House, where almost every member must before his election have declared for some side, or for come Party, the return of an entirely independent member being nearly, if not quite, unknown. The arrangement of the galleries at the ends and sides differs from that of the Lower House. There is no gallery over the Throne, so that end is vacant; the galle the other end are appropriated to strangers the same as in the Lower House; but herein the newspaper reporters are included and their accommodation is somewhat restricted—whereas in the Lower House the reporters have the largest gallery all to themselves. Apparently it has been held that, in the Lower or popular House, the reporting is a more important. function than in the Upper House. The side allenes are set apart for the Peeresses ind for other ladies nearly related to Peers—whereas in the Lower House the corre-spending galleries are reserved for the members.
The galleries for the Peeresses are quite open; the ladies are perfectly seen, and on important occasions their appearance in full brilliancy introduces an element of beauty to the scene. There never has been apprehension of the conduct of the Upper fouse being influenced by the open display of this interesting clement. This is diametrically different from the arrangement in the Lower House, as already explained. Although the number of the Upper House is smaller, its Chamber is wider and longer, so its sitting accommoda-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.