brave old worker of sixty seems to "rank
himself: how timidly, to acknowledge that
"/ may say, equality prevails." There is a
straightforward simplicity in the way in which
he accepts his position; it does not diminish
our respect for him, if we do at the same
time think it a little ludicrous—a little like
the deportment of the celebrated animal in
Sterne, that seemed to say, "Don't beat me;
but if you like, you may!"

When the Whigs were dismissed summarily
by William the Fourth, and Sir Robert Peel
was sent for from Italy, another dissolution
followed. The Conservatives gained a hundred
members in the new Parliament; but Leeds
sent its faithful Mr. Baines back again. Soon
afterwards, Sir Robert resigned, having been
beaten on the Irish Church question, and
the Melbourne Administration was formed.
In 1835, there was a considerable agitation,
occasioned by the moot point—whether the
House of Lords ought not to be re-modelled?
A rather questionable question, thought Mr.
Baines. He pronounced a decided negative,
and his negative doubtless influenced many.
It was very characteristic of him that he was
content to work hard for every practical good
—happy, only could the really indispensable
improvement be got. Mr. Baines would knock
and ring at the door of the House of Lords;
would halloo at the windows even; but break
it down—oh no! He was a real sturdy friend
of all that was old in England; would purge,
but not destroy it. He reminds one of Wordsworth's
old peasant, who said of a certain aged
tree, "Cut it down! I 'd rather fall down
and worship it!" He had in his heart ,the
essence of what is best in the Conservatism
of England.

In reviewing the after part of his parliamentary
career, we find him supporting Lord
John Russell in his measures in favour of
Dissenters; exerting himself in favour of
Negroes and Aborigines; and straining hard
to effect certain alterations in the payments
of tithes for the benefit of the poorer clergy.
He was elected for Leeds a third time at the
general election on the demise of William
the Fourth. This time he succeeded in passing
a measure for the "Relief of Quakers,
Moravians and Separatists elected to Municipal
Offices"—again aiding the cause of
religious liberty, by sparing the consciences of
the earnest and pious of those sects. He
protested, too, against putting down the Canadian
rebellion by military force; and constantly
laboured in promoting the private bills
relating to Leeds and Yorkshire. He was one
of the members of the Education Committee,
and an early supporter of the Anti-Corn Law
League.

We have now sketched his career to a
period when old age came on, and he began
to feel strongly those influences which ever
rested gravely on the worthy people with
whom he was connected in private life. He
withdrew from Parliament at the period of
the dissolution of 1841. His closing years
were spent in tranquillity. His death took
place on August 3rd, 1848.

Edward Baines's progress through life was
a part of the progress of the country, during
its recent beneficial social changes. In his
hard work, his honesty, and his open good
nature, he was one more fine specimen of
"those good yeomen whose limbs were made
in England."

CHIPS.

A HINT TO HATTERS.

FOR the last two or three years there has
been waged in this country a guerilla warfare
against hats. Up to a recent time, little was
done; but much was promised to be done
during the weeks in which we now are living.
Among the matters talked of when the Great
Exhibition was in prospect, was a display
from France of new ideas for European
clothing. We have not seen those new ideas,
and to say truth are far from curious about
them. It was said that a congress of artists
from all nations was to meet in London, and
design some fitting substitute for those ungainly
cylinders with which we now burthen our
heads. The artists have not met; for which
forbearance we return them our most hearty
thanks. Who can say what we have escaped?
Possibly the artist's choice might have fallen
upon peaked and broad- brimmed banditti
caps, with a long cock's feather. Mr. Hume
might have been seen "going down to the
House" in a cap like that worn by the Italian
Herd-boy of shop-windows, or in a turned-up
sombrero, like that sported by Don Ferolo
Whiskerandos in Sheridan's farce. The
French not having enlightened us, the artists
not having met, what hope remains for the
haters of hat? Let us consider.

In the first place, it is laid down as a main
principle, that our quarrel is with hats, but
not with hatters. Unflinching advocates of
protection to British industry lay it down
as an inflexible rule, that if we require a
sudden revolution—substituting, say, cloth
caps for hats—and get what we require, we
ruin a trade and take bread out of the
cupboards of many honest families. Now,
hats are a great nuisance; no man out of
Bedlam disputes that. They are an absurd
roofing for the capital of the human column
—the noblest member of the human body.
In the past history of English costume, we
can find no cover for men's heads so
egregiously ridiculous as that which posterity
will see to have been worn by the heroes
of '51. In a crowd they are in the way of
those behind us if we keep them on, and they
probably get smashed if we take them off: we
have to hold them gingerly, manoeuvre them,
have two thoughts for the hat, and one
thought for ourselves. They are a source of
headaches, and in windy weather they call our