burgh, the county town. The Liberals mustered very strong in
Ladykirk, which had taken to the woollen manu factory within the last
quarter of a century, and had increased very much in extent and
population, so that it had far more voters paying 10 pounds rent than
any of the other towns. In Auldbiggin and Plainstanes parties were so
equal that no majority on either side could be reckoned on, but the
Whig majority in Ladykirk was expected to overtop the Tory majority in
the two first towns by as much as would secure Hogarth's return. The
Honourable Mr. Fortescue was again to be put up for the Tory interest,
for though he had not distinguished himself last parliament, he was a
perfectly safe party man, and connected by marriage, not with the duke,
but with a Tory marquis, next in consideration in the district, who had
great influence in the county returns.

Mr. Fortescue found he had a different man to fight with in Francis
Hogarth from his opponent last election, Mr. Turnbull; so he felt he
needed more backing, and brought with him a Mr. Toutwell, a great gun
with his party, who went his rounds both with and without him, and
acted as his mouthpiece.

"One has confidence in an experienced man," said this gentleman, in a
confidential way, to the electors, when he met them singly or by twos
and threes. "If the earl had put up a man of greater parliamentary
experience, he might have had a chance to oust Mr. Fortescue, but his
picking up this quill-driver, who has spent his life behind a
bank-counter, and offering him to the burghs, is really an insult to
the constituency. Mr. Fortescue is no orator--there is enough of us in
the House to speak, Heaven knows--there is only too much talk about
nothing; but Mr. Fortescue's vote was never given wrong--never once did
he forsake his colours! Don't look to the speeches--look to the
division list, and there you will see that you can trust your member.
As for this Hogarth, there is not a single thing that he has done that
inspires confidence, even with his own party. He is far too Radical
even for the earl. I cannot imagine how that old fox has been so misled
as to take him up--probably for a consideration. Look at those
allotments he has made over or given away to his labourers--the most
dangerous innovation that could possibly be made in such a country as
this. When the non-propertied classes see such things, they fancy they
should all share in the spoil. This is how Socialism is t