fill the vacancy. In order to secure the
naturalized interests, it had been determined to select as new a comer
as possible. This would also be maintaining the principle of liberality,
in the abstract. For this reason they had been cruising for a week, as
near as the law would allow to the Leaphigh boundaries, and they were
now ready to take any one who would serve.

To this proposition I again objected the difference of species. Here
they all fairly laughed in my face, Brigadier Downright included, giving
me very distinctly to understand that they thought I had very contracted
notions on matters and things, to suppose so trifling an obstacle could
disturb the harmony and unity of a Horizontal vote. They went for a
principle, and the devil himself could not make them swerve from the
pursuit of so sacred an object.

I then candidly admitted that nature had not fitted me, as admirably as
it had fitted my friend the judge, for the throwing of summersets; and I
feared that when the order was given "to go to the right about," I might
be found no better than a bungler. This staggered them a little; and I
perceived that they looked at each other in doubt.

"But you can, at least, turn round suddenly, at need?" one of them
asked, after a pause.

"Certainly, sir," I answered, giving ocular evidence that I was no idle
boaster, making a complete gyration on my heels, in very good time.

"Very well!--admirably well!" they all cried in a breath. "The great
political essential is to be able to perform the evolutions in their
essence--the facility with which they are performed being no more than a
personal merit."

"But, gentlemen, I know little more of your constitution and laws, than
I have learned in a few broken discussions with my fellow-travellers."

"This is a matter of no moment, sir. Our constitution, unlike that of
Leaphigh, is written down, and he who runs can read; and then we have
a political fugleman in the house, who saves an immense deal of
unnecessary study and reflection to the members. All you will have to
do, will be to watch his movements; and, my life on it, you will go as
well through the manual exercise as the oldest member there."

"How, sir, do all the members take the manoeuvres from this fugleman?"

"All the Horizontals, sir--the Perpendiculars having a fugleman of their
own."

"Well, gentlemen, I conceive this to be an affair in which I am no
judge, and I put myself entirely in the hands of my f