584 LIFE OF COBDEN.

{omA?

188. other way for the last ten years, The great prosperity of
Ar. 54 the country made Tories of us all. . . . . During my 8%
vience the higher classes never stood so high in rela
social and political rank, as compared with other classe?
as at present. The middle class have been content with the
very crumbs from their table. The more contempt & me
like Palmerston (as intense an aristocrat at heart as any ©
them) heaped on them, the louder they cheered hu
Twenty years ago, when a hundred members of the Hous
used to muster ab the call of Hume or Warburto? t
compel the Whigs to move on under threats of desertio™
there seemed some hope of the middle clags setting uP for
themselves ; but now there is no such sign. . . . . }
“ You ask me my view of the political situation. It :
hard fate for me to be obliged to choose between Derby BB
Palmerston, but if compelled to do so, I should certainly
prefer the former. Nothing can be so humiliating to 3 #
a party or a nation as to see that venerable political 100
postor at the head of affairs. But how will you prevent 1°
return to power? .... Half a dozen great families met
at Walmer and dispose of the rank and file of the part
just as I do the lambs that I am now selling for your alde”
men’s table. And I very much doubt whether you can pet
an end to this ignominious state of things, Until you ¢8%
I don’t think you are playing a part in any noble drama.”
During this period of withdrawal from active public Kifer
Cobden was greatly harassed by private anxieties, As there
was always much ill-natured gossip about his affairs, it a
well to state the facts as they were. With a portion of the
proceeds of the national testimonial Cobden, as we ba"
already seen, had purchased the little property which had
belonged to his forefathers. The rest, or most of the res"
he had invested in the shares of an American railway. The
[linois Central is the great line from North to South, Wit?