Sir Charles Dilke has taken up the broken thread of his life just as if nothing had occurred in that long period of exile and suffering.

He is never out of his place: attends every sitting as conscientiously as if he were in office and responsible for everything that is going on; and has his eye on subjects as wide apart as the parish councils and Newfoundland, army reform and the occupation of Uganda.

It is curious to see, too, how he is regaining that ascendancy over the House of Commons which he exercised formerly.

It is an ascendancy not due in the least to oratorical power.

Sir Charles Dilke never made a fine sentence or a sonorous peroration in his whole life.
It is that power of acquiring all the facts of the case--of being thoroughly up in all its merits--in short, of knowing his business--which impresses the House of Commons, which, after all, though it may cheer the gibes of a smart and pert debater like Mr.Chamberlain, is most happy when it hears a man talking of something which he understands thoroughly.
[Sidenote: Joe as a Jingo.] Mr.Chamberlain spoke, as I have said, in the debate.