It is no reproach to Lord Birkenhead to say that, but for his abounding and unfailing belief in himself, the meteoric career which he out Jines here would have been impossible. 'There ave those who do not yet count themselves old who can Yemember well his emergence on the Parliamentary stage as.an unknown and untried young man, and his ime mediate leap to -fame' in one historic speech, He was rarely. lucky in his opportunity; but who: could have seized the opportunity. more triumphantly? One can: still see the open-mouthed astonishment, changing to consternation, of the serried hosts of arrogant Liberalism 'a8 this new member of decimated and defeated Party stood up. and lashed them with front, mocked. them with raillery, and discomfited them with boobytraps for their self-complnceney.
Lord Birkenhead thus writes:
"T spoke for 65° minutes, which I believe to be a record for maiden speech; and I spoke with a degree of calculated insolence and Tam quite sure has never been attempted before or since by one who addressed
time." the House of Commons for the first
the Woolsick was as ensy descent to Avernus is fabled From. that moment the The only obstacle, as how boon related, was whether the winner could afford to accept the prize, Was it not King Edward who, "when "CE, wan presented to him, said, "I road your speeches with inereusinginer-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.