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squandered. The immense gains of official men moved envyand indignation. Here a gentleman was paid to do nothing.There many gentlemen were paid to do what would be betterdone by one. The coach, the liveries, the lace cravat anddiamond buckles of the placeman were naturally seen with anevil eye by those who rose up early and lay down late in orderto furnish him with the means of indulging in splendour andluxury. Such abuses it was the especial business of a Houseof Commons to correct. What then had the existing House ofCommons done in the way of correction? Absolutely nothing.In 1690 , indeed, while the Civil List was settling, some sharpspeeches had been made. In 1691 , when the Ways and Meanswere under consideration, a resolution had been passed soabsurdly framed that it had proved utterly abortive. Thenuisance continued, and would continue while it was a sourceof profit to those whose duty was to abate it. Who could ex-pect faithful and vigilant stewardship from stewards who had adirect interest in encouraging the waste which they were em-ployed to check? The House swarmed with placemen of allkinds, Lords of the Treasury, Lords of the Admiralty, Com-missioners of Customs, Commissioners of Excise, Commissio-ners of Prizes, Tellers, Auditors, Receivers, Paymasters,Officers of the Mint, Officers of the household, Colonels of re-giments, Captains of men of war, Governors of forts. Wesend up to “Westminster, it was said, one of our neighbours,an independent gentleman, in the full confidence that hisfeelings and interests are in perfect accordance with ours. Welook to him to relieve us from every burden except thoseburdens without which the public service cannot be earned on,and which therefore, galling as they are, we patiently and re-solutely bear. But before he has been a session in Parliamentwe learn that he is a Clerk of the Green Cloth or a Yeoman ofthe Removing Wardrobe, with a comfortable salary. Nay, we

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