As Little As I Have Hitherto Troubled Myself With Politics, Because
Indeed With Us It Is But Little Worth Our While, I Was However
Desirous Of Being Present At A Meeting Of Parliament - A Wish That
Was Soon Amply Gratified.
One afternoon, about three o'clock, at which hour, or thereabouts,
the house most commonly meets, I enquired for Westminster Hall, and
was very politely directed by an Englishman.
These directions are
always given with the utmost kindness. You may ask whom you please,
if you can only make yourself tolerably well understood; and by thus
asking every now and then, you may with the greatest ease find your
way throughout all London.
Westminster Hall is an enormous Gothic building, whose vaulted roof
is supported, not by pillars, but instead of these there are, on
each side, large unnatural heads of angels, carved in wood, which
seem to support the roof.
When you have passed through this long hall, you ascend a few steps
at the end, and are led through a dark passage into the House of
Commons, which, below, has a large double-door; and above, there is
a small staircase, by which you go to the gallery, the place
allotted for strangers.
The first time I went up this small staircase, and had reached the
rails, I saw a very genteel man in black standing there. I accosted
him without any introduction, and I asked him whether I might be
allowed to go into the gallery. He told me that I must be
introduced by a member, or else I could not get admission there.
Now, as I had not the honour to be acquainted with a member, I was
under the mortifying necessity of retreating, and again going down-
stairs, as I did much chagrined.
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