There wasn't much to criticise in the Budget of Sir William Harcourt from the Tory point of view.

Finding himself with a deficit the Liberal leader was unable to go in for any startling novelty, especially in a Session when everything is to be opposed in order that Home Rule may be defeated.

But one would have thought that this would have delighted the timid and conservative soul of Mr.Goschen.Not a bit of it.

Taking cleverly the rather auroral promises of the election period, Mr.Goschen contrasted all these hopes and glowing prospects with the thin and meagre fare of Sir William's Budget.

It was very well done--full of unwonted fire, of biting and effective raillery and of excellent party hits; it lit up for a brief space the sombreness which has fallen so completely on the Tory Benches in this year of wails and lamentations.
[Sidenote: Sir William as an early Christian.] But the debate soon relapsed under a soporific speech from Sir John Lubbock, who made an insinuating proposal to open a discussion on Home Rule in the midst of the debate on the Imperial Budget.