A Little Book about Great Britain, by Azamat-Batuk (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos or missing text. Not indexed. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1870. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... A FASHIONABLE KETTLEDRUM. To men who, like me, have seldom an opportunity of seeing great Englishmen at a little distance, every chance of meeting them is a piece of good luck, and it is only natural that I should have taken advantage of an occasion on which I could see several of them quite plainly and satis gene, as if it were at their own homes or my own parlour. It was in Stafford House, on the occasion of a meeting of the Gentlewoman's Self-Help Institute. Much to my regret, I had nobody to point out to me all the noble and distinguished ladies and gentlemen amongst whom I found myself, but a few of them I was able to recognise myself. So I had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Gladstone, who had found leisure to pay his homage to the fair sex. He wore a brown overcoat, and looked, when he talked to any one, much more bright and nice than in his photographs. Only, when taking a listening attitude and shutting his eyes, he appeared somewhat at a disadvantage. I saw also Dr. Cumming, about whose ecclesiastical and prophetic exploits I have read so much that I became quite anxious to see him, and found that he looks much less fierce than I could have expected. He delivered an able speech, and read some capital poetry; but I am sorry to say I did not hear him, as the spacious and lofty hall is naturally deficient in acoustic respects. I saw, also, Mr. Morley--not the one who objects to people laughing at the question of woman's emancipation, even if they find anything to laugh at in it---but the one who is an M.P. He wore, also, a brown overcoat, with the addition of gold spectacles, and delivered a speech, in which he described a legerdemain which he had made with a ten-pound note, so as to make it serve for twice its amount in benevolent purposes. He bought so...