chambers, constituted upon some sagacious plan, will again play a
great restraining and directing part in the government of the
world. Few persons who have watched the changes that have passed
over our own House of Commons within the last few years will either
believe or wish that in fifty years' time it can exercise the power
it now does. It is only too probable that some great catastrophe or
the stress of a great war may accelerate the change. (Vol. i., pp.
300, 301.)

And the reason assigned for this very unsatisfactory state of affairs is
precisely as before:

All the signs of the times point to the probability in England as
elsewhere of many ministries resting on precarious majorities
formed out of independent or heterogeneous groups. There are few
conditions less favourable to the healthy working of parliamentary
institutions or in which the danger of an uncontrolled House of
Commons is more evident. One consequence of this disintegration of
Parliament is a greatly increasing probability that policies which
the nation does not really wish for may be carried into effect. The
process which the Americans call "log-rolling" becomes very easy.
One minority will agree to support the objects of another minority
on condition of receiving in return a similar assistance, and a
number of small minorities aiming at different objects, no one of
which is really desired by the majority of the nation, may attain
their several ends by forming themselves into a political syndicate
and mutually co-operating. (Vol. i., pp. 152, 153.)

Mr. Lecky, too, holds out very little hope for the future:--