"
"Just all the difference," answered Greyson, "between Pooh Bah as
Chancellor of the Exchequer, or Lord High Admiral, or Chief Executioner,
whichever he preferred to be, and Pooh Bah as all the Officers of State
rolled into one. Pooh Bah may be a very able statesman, entitled to
exert his legitimate influence. But, after all, his opinion is only the
opinion of one old gentleman, with possible prejudices and preconceived
convictions. The Mikado--or the people, according to locality--would
like to hear the views of others of his ministers. He finds that the
Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice and the Groom of the
Bedchamber and the Attorney-General--the whole entire Cabinet, in short,
are unanimously of the same opinion as Pooh Bah. He doesn't know it's
only Pooh Bah speaking from different corners of the stage. The
consensus of opinion convinces him. One statesman, however eminent,
might err in judgment. But half a score of statesmen, all of one mind!
One must accept their verdict."
Mary smiled. "But why shouldn't the good newspaper proprietor hurry up
and become a multi-proprietor?" she suggested.
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