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tion and tact: but the thing was done, and he was obliged to submit. The Address duly appeared in the Yorkshire Stingo, and was also placarded liberally all over the borough, and distributed about, and excited a good deal of interest, and also much approbation among the new electors. It was thought, however, that it was a piece of supererogation, inasmuch as there could be no possible doubt that Mr Titmouse would walk over the course. In this, however, it presently proved that the quidnuncs of Yatton were very greatly mistaken. A copy of the Yorkshire Stingo, containing the foregoing" Address," was sent, on the day of its publication, by Dr Tatham to Mr Aubrey, who had read it aloud, with feelings of mingled sorrow and contempt, on the evening of its arrival, in the presence of Mrs Aubrey, Miss Aubrey, and, by_no means an unfrequent visiter, Mr Delamere. The Aubreys were sad enough; and he endeavoured to dissipate the gloom that hung over them, by ridiculing, very bitterly and humorously, the pretensions of the would-be member for Yatton-the presumed writer (who, however, Kate protested, without giving her reasons, could never have been Mr Titmouse) of the precious" Address." He partially succeeded. Both Aubrey and he laughed heartily as they went more deliberately over it; but Kate and Mrs Aubrey spoke very gravely and indignantly about that part of it which related to the Established Church and the Protestant religion.

"Oh dear, dear!" quoth Kate, at length, with a sudden burst of impetuosity, after a considerable and rather melancholy pause in the conversation; "only to think that such an odious little wretch is to represent the dear old- What would I not give to see him defeated?"

"Pho, Kate," replied her brother, rather sadly," who is there to oppose him? Pickering told me, you know, that he should not go into the House again; and even if he felt disposed to contest Yatton, what chance could he have against Mr Titmouse's influence ?"

"Oh, I'm sure all the old tenants hate the little monkey, to a man."

"That may be, Kate, but they must vote for him, or be turned out of "

"Oh, I've no patience, Charles, to hear of such things!" interrupted his sister, with not a little petulance in her manner.

"Do you mean to say, that you should like to see a rival start to contest your dear old borough with Mr Titmouse?" enquired Mr Delamere, who had been listening to the foregoing brief colloquy in silence, his eyes fixed with eager delight on the animated and beautiful countenance of Miss Aubrey.

"Indeed I should, Mr Delamere," cried Kate eagerly adding, however, with a sudden sigh, looking at her brother; "but heigh-ho! — as Charles says, how absurd it is to fret one's-self about it-about a thing we can't help-and-a place one's no more any concern with ?" As she said this, her voice fell little, and her eyes filled with tears. But her little sally had been attended with consequences she had little dreamed of. Mr Delamere took leave of them shortly afterwards, without communicating a word of any intentions he might have conceived upon the subject to any of them. But the first place he went to, in the morning, was a great banker's, who had been appointed the principal acting executor of the Marquis of Fallowfield, a very recently deceased uncle of Delamere's, whom his lordship had left a legacy of L.5000; and 'twas to get at this same legacy that was the object of Delamere's visit to Sir Omnium Bullion's. For some time the worthy baronetwho had not then even proved the will

would not listen to the entreaties of the eager young legatee: but the moment that he heard of the purpose for which it was wanted, Sir Omnium being a very fierce Tory, and who had lost his own snug borough by the Bill for Giving Everybody Everything, instantly relented. "There, my fine fellow, sign that," said Sir Omnium, tossing to him an " I. O. U. L.5000,” and drawing him a cheque for the amount: wishing him, with all imaginable zeal and energy, good speed. His eager excitement would not allow him to wait till the evening, for the mail; so, within a couple of hours' time of affecting this delightful arrangement with Sir Omnium, he was seated in a post-chaise and four, rattling at top speed on his way to Yorkshire. Sufficiently astonished were

Lord and Lady de la Zouch, when he presented himself to them at Fotheringham. Infinitely more so, when he named the object of his coming down, and with irresistible entreaties sought his father's sanction for the enterprize. 'Twas very hard for Lord de la Zouch to deny any thing to one on whom he doated as he did upon his son. Moreover, his lordship was one of the keenest politicians living; and as for elections, he was an old campaigner, and had stood several desperate contests, and spent immense sums upon them. And here was his son, to use a well-known phrase, in deed a chip of the old block; Lord de la Zouch, in short, really felt a secret pleasure in contemplating the resemblance to his early self-and after a little demur he began to give way. He shook his head, however, discouragingly; spoke of Delamere's youth -barely two-and-twenty; the certainty of defeat, and the annoyance of being beaten by such a creature as Titmouse; the suddenness and lateness of the move-and so forth.

More and more impetuous, however, became his son.

"I'll tell you what, sir," said Lord de la Zouch, "it strikes me that this extraordinary, and expensive, and hopeless scheme of yours, is all the result of-eh? I see I understand. It's done to please-Pray, sir, how long, before you left town, had you seen Miss"

"I pledge my word, sir, that neither Miss Aubrey, nor Mr, nor Mrs Aubrey-whom, however, I certainly saw the very night before I started, and conversed with on the subject of Mr Titmouse's address-has interchanged one syllable with me on the subject of my starting for the borough; and I believe them to be at this mo. ment as ignorant of what I am about as you were the moment before you saw me here.”

"It is enough," said his father, who knew that his son, equally with himself, had a rigorous regard for truth on all occasions, great and small.

"Well-I-I-certainly, we shall be laughed at for our pains; it's really a madcap sort of business, Geoffry; but"-Lord de la Zouch had given way-" I should not like to have been thwarted by my father on an occasion like the present; so, let it be done, as you've set your heart upon it. And,"

VOL. XLIX. NO. CCCIII.

he added, with a smile, "pray, sir, have you considered what I shall have to pay for your sport?"

Not one penny, sir!" "Ay!" exclaimed his Lordship briskly-" How's that, sir?”

Then Delamere told him of what he had done; at which Lord de la Zouch first looked serious, and then burst into laughter at the eagerness of old Sir Omnium to aid the affair. "No, no," said his lordship, "that must not stand; I won't have any risk of Sir Omnium's getting into a scrape, and shall write off to request him to annul the transaction-with many thanks for what he has done-and I'll try whether I have credit enough with my bankers-eh, Geoffry?"

"You are very kind to me, sir, but really I would rather "

"Pho, pho-let it be as I say; and now, go and dress for dinner, and, after that, the sooner you get about your 'Address' the better. Let me see a draft of it as soon as it is finished. Let Mr Parkinson be sent for immediately from Grilston, to see how the land lies; and, in short, if we do go into the thing, let us dash into it with spirit. And hark'ee, sir-as to that address of your's, I'll have no despicable trimming, and trying to catch votes, by vague and flattering"

"Trust me, sir! Mine shall be, at all events, a contrast to that of myhonourable opponent."

"Go straight a-head, sir; nail your colours to the mast. Speak out in a plain, manly way, so that no one can misunderstand you. I'd rather a thousand times over see you beaten out of the field-lose the election like a gentleman-than win it by any sort of TRICKERY, especially as far as the profession of your political sentiments and opinions is concerned. Bear yourself so, Geoffry, in this your maiden struggle, that when it is over, you may be able to lay your hand on your heart, and say, I have won honourably'- I have lost honourably.' So long as you can feel and say this, laugh at election bills-at the long faces of your friends-the exulting faces of your enemies. Will you bear all this in mind, Geoffry?" added Lord de la Zouch.

"I will, I will, sir," replied his eager son; and added, with an excited air," Won't it come on them like"

* B

"Do you hear that bell, sir?" said Lord de la Zouch, moving away. Delamere bowed, and with a brisk step, a flushed cheek, and an elated air, betook himself to his dressingroom, to prepare for dinner.

Shortly after dinner, Mr Parkinson made his appearance, and, to his infinite amazement, was invested instantly with the character of agent for Mr Delamere, as candidate for the borough! After he and the Earl had heard the following address read by Delamere, they very heartily approved of it. Mr Parkinson took it home with him; it was in the printer's hands that very night, and by seven o'clock in the morning, was being stuck up plentifully on all the walls in Grilston, and, in fact, all over the borough:

"To the Independent Electors of the Borough of Yatton.

"Gentlemen,

"I hope you will not consider me "presumptuous, in venturing to offer "myself to your notice as a candidate "for the honour of representing you "in parliament. In point of years, I "am, I acknowledge, even younger "than the gentleman whom I have "come forward to oppose. But, in"deed, for the fact of his being per"sonally a comparative stranger to 66 you, I should have paused long "before contesting with him the re"presentation of a borough on which "he has unquestionably certain legi"timate claims. The moment, how66 Iever, that I read his Address, I re"solved to come forward and oppose "him. Gentlemen, the chief, if not "the only ground on which I come "forward is, that I disapprove of the "tone and spirit of that Address, and "hold opinions entirely opposed to "all those which it expresses, and "which I consider to be unworthy of any one seeking so grave a trust as "that of your member of Parliament. "As for my own opinions, they are in "all essential respects identical with "those of the gentlemen who have, du"ring a long series of years, represent"ed you, and especially with those of

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my highly honoured and gifted "friend Mr Aubrey. Gentlemen, 5 my own family is not unknown to 66 you, nor are the opinions and prin"ciples which for centuries they have

"consistently supported, and which 66 are also mine.

"I am an affectionate and uncom"promising friend of our glorious and "venerable Established Church, and "of its union with the State; which "it is my inflexible determination to "support by every means in my

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power, as the most effectual mode "of securing civil and religious li"berty. I am disposed to resist any "further concessions either to Roman "Catholics or Dissenters, because I "think that they cannot be made "safely or advantageously. Gentle"men, there is a point at which tole"ration becomes anarchy; and I am "desirous to keep as far from that "point as possible.

"I earnestly deprecate putting our "Agricultural or Commercial and "Manufacturing interests into compe"tition with each other, as needless "and mischievous. Both are essen"tial elements in the national welfare; "both should be upheld to the utmost: "but if circumstances should unhap"pily bring them into inevitable con"flict, I avow myself heart and soul a "friend to the Agricultural interest.

"Gentlemen, I know not whether "it would be more derogatory to "your character, or to mine, to ex"act or give pledges as to my con"duct on any particular measure, "great or small, which may come be"fore Parliament. It appears to me "both absurd and ignominious, and "inconsistent with every true prin

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ciple of representation. One, how"ever, I willingly give you that I "will endeavour to do my duty, by "consulting your interests as a part "of the general interests of the na❝tion. I trust that I shall never be "found uncourteous or inaccessible; " and I am confident that none of you "will entertain unreasonable expec"tations concerning my power to "serve you individually or collec❝tively.

"Gentlemen, having entered into "this contest, I pledge myself to fight "it out to the last; and, if I fail, to "retire with good-humour. My "friends and I will keep a vigilant

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eye on any attempts which may be "made to resort to undue influence "or coercion; which, however, I can"not suppose will be the case.

"Gentlemen, this is the best ac"count I can give you, within the

return. When she did, Mrs Aubrey made a faint effort to rally her; but each, on observing the traces of each other's recent and strong emotion, was silent, and with difficulty refrained from bursting again into tears.

"limits of such an Address as the "present, of my political opinions, "and of the motives which have in"duced me to come forward; and I "shall within a day or two proceed to "call upon you personally and in "the meanwhile I remain, "Gentlemen,

"Your faithful servant, "GEOFFRY LOVEL DELAMERE.

"Fotheringham Castle, 7th Dec. 18-."

Two or three days afterwards, there arrived at Mr Aubrey's, in Vivian Street, two large packets, franked "DE LA ZOUCH," and addressed to Mr Aubrey, containing four copies of the foregoing "Address," accompanied by the following hurried note:

"MY DEAR AUBREY,- What think you of this sudden and somewhat Quixotic enterprize of my son? I fear it is quite hopeless-but there was no resisting his importunities. I must say he is going into the affair, (which has already made a prodigious stir down here,) in a very fine spirit. His Address is good, is it not? The only thing I regret is, his entering the lists with such a little miscreant as that fellow Titmouse-and, moreover, being beaten by him.-Yours ever faithfully and affectionately,

"DE LA ZOUCH. "P.S.-You should only see little Dr Tatham since he has heard of it. He spins about the village like a humming-top. I hope that, as far as his worldly interests are concerned, he is not acting imprudently. Our dear love to the ladies. (In great haste.) "Fotheringham, 8th Dec. 18-"

This letter was read with almost suspended breath by Mr Aubrey, and then by Mrs and Miss Aubrey. With still greater emotion were the printed enclosures opened and read. Each was held in a trembling hand, and with colour going and coming. Miss Aubrey's heart beat faster and faster; she turned very pale-but with a strong effort recovered herself. Then taking the candle, she withdrew with a hasty and excited air, taking her copy of the Address with her to her own room; and there burst into tears, and wept for some time. She felt her heart dissolving in tenderness towards Delamere: it was some time before she could summon resolution enough to

Equally strong emotions, but of a very different description, were excited in the bosoms of certain persons at Yatton Hall, by the appearance of Mr Delamere's Address. 'T'was Mr Barnabas Bloodsuck, (junior)—a middlesized, square-set young man, of about thirty, with a broad face, a very flat nose, light frizzly hair, and deep-set grey eyes a bustling, confident, hardmouthed fellow,-who, happening to be stirring in the main street of Grilston early in the morning of the 8th Dec. 18-, beheld a man in the act of sticking up Mr Delamere's Address against a wall. Having prevailed on the man to part with one, Mr Bloodsuck was within a quarter of an hour on horseback, galloping down to Yatton-almost imagining himself to be carrying with him a sort of handgrenade, which might explode in his pocket as he went on. He was ushered into the breakfast room, where sate Mr Gammon and Mr Titmouse, just finishing breakfast.

"My stars-good-morning! gents, -but here's a kettle of fish!" quoth Mr Bloodsuck, with an excited air, wiping the perspiration from his forehead; and then plucking out of his pocket the damp and crumpled Address of Mr Delamere, he handed it to Mr Gammon, who changed colour on seeing it, and read it over in silence. Mr Titmouse looked at him with a disturbed air; and, having finished his mixture of tea and brandy, "Eh -e-eh, Gammon!-I-say"-he stammered-" what's in the wind? Pon my soul, you look-eh?"

"Nothing but a piece of good for tune, for which you are indebted to your distinguished friend, Mr Phelim O' Something," replied Gammon, bitterly, "whose Address has called forth an opponent whom you would not otherwise have had."

"Hang Mr O'Doodle!" exclaimcd Titmouse; " I, 'pon my precious soul, I always thought him a-a fool, and a kuave. I'll make him pay me the

money he owes me!" and he strode up and down the room, with his hands thrust furiously into his pockets.

"You had perhaps better read this

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"By jingo! you don't say so! Why, he's a hundred thousand a-year," interrupted Titmouse, turning very pale.

Address," quoth Mr Gammon, with a blighting smile, as it slightly concerns you;" and handing it to Titmouse, the latter sate down to obey him.

"That cock won't fight, though, eh?" enquired Mr Bloodsuck, as he resumed his seat after helping himself to an enormous slice of cold beef at the side table.

"I think it will," replied Gammon, thoughtfully; and presently continued, after a pause," it is useless to say any thing about the haughty intolerant Toryism it displays; that is all fair; but is it not hard, Mr Bloodsuck, that when I had written an Address which would have effectually"

"Mr Phelim O'Doodle owes me three hundred pounds, Gammon, and I hope you'll get it for me at once; 'pon my soul, he's a most cursed scamp," quoth Titmouse furiously, looking up with an air of desperate chagrin, on hearing Gammon's last words. That gentleman, however, took no notice of him, and proceeded, addressing Mr Bloodsuck-" I have weighed every word in that Address; it means mischief. It's evidently been well considered; it is calm and determined and we shall have a desperate contest, or I am grievously mistaken."

"E-e-eh? E-h? What, Gammon?" enquired Titmouse, who, though his eye appeared to have been travelling over the all-important document which he held in his hand, had been listening with trembling anxiety to what was said by his companions.

"I say that we are to have a contested election for the borough; you wont walk over the course as you might have done. Here's a dangerous opponent started."

"What? 'Pon my soul-for my borough? For Yatton ?"

"Yes, and one who will fight you tooth and nail."

"'Pon-my-precious soul! What a cursed scamp! What a most infernal black-Who is it?"

"No blackguard, sir," interrupted Gammon, very sternly; "but-a gentleman every way equal to yourself," he added, with a cruel smile, "the Honourable Mr Delamere, the son and heir of Lord de la Zouch."

"Oh, that he has, at least," interposed Mr Bloodsuck, who had nearly finished a tremendous breakfast; "and two such bitter Tories you never saw or heard of before-for like father, like son."

"Egad! is it?" enquired Titmouse, completely crestfallen. "Well! and what if-eh, Gammon? Isn't it?" "It is a very serious business," quoth Gammon.

"By Jove-isn't it a cursed piece of-impudence! What? Come into my borough? He might as well come into my house! Isn't one as much mine as the other? It's as bad as housebreaking-but we're beforehand with him with those prime chaps at Gr" Mr Bloodsuck's teeth chattered; he glanced towards the door; and Gammon gave Titmouse a look that almost paralyzed him.

"They'll bleed freely?" said Bloodsuck, with a desperate effort to look concerned-whereas he was in a secret

ecstasy.

"Lord de la Zouch could not have entered into this thing if he had not some end in view which he considers attainable-and as for money"

"Oh, as for that, ten thousand pounds to him is a mere drop in a bucket."

"O Lord! O Lord! and must I spend money too?" enquired Titmouse, with a look of ludicrous alarm.

"We must talk this matter over alone, Mr Bloodsuck," said Gammon, anxiously-" shall we go to Grilston, or will you fetch your father hither?"

"'Pon my soul, Gammon, those cursed Aubreys, you may depend on't, are at the bottom of all this"

"That there's not the least doubt of," quoth Bloodsuck, as he buttoned up his coat with a matter-of-fact air: but the words of Titmouse caused Mr Gammon suddenly to look first at one, and then at the other of them, with a keen penetrating glance; and presently his expressive countenance showed that surprise had been succeeded by gloomy thoughtfulness

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