ng itself, it
will have to submit to be reformed by others off the face of the earth."
Thus we see that the old radical leanings were again rather strong in
him at present, and I may add that he had found occasional recent vent
for them by writing in the _Morning Chronicle_.

Some articles thus contributed by him having set people talking, the
proprietors of the paper rather eagerly mooted the question what payment
he would ask for contributing regularly; and ten guineas an article was
named. Very sensibly, however, the editor who had succeeded his old
friend Black pointed out to him, that though even that sum would not be
refused in the heat of the successful articles just contributed, yet (I
quote his own account in a letter of the 7th of March 1844) so much
would hardly be paid continuously; and thereupon an understanding, was
come to, that he would write as a volunteer and leave his payment to be
adjusted to the results. "Then said the editor--and this I particularly
want you to turn over in your mind, at leisure--supposing me to go
abroad, could I contemplate such a thing as the writing of a letter a
week under any signature I chose, with such scraps of descriptions and
impressions as suggested themselves to my mind? If so, would I do it
for the _Chronicle_? And if so again, what would I do it for? He thought
for such contributions Easthope would pay anything. I told him that the
idea had never occurred to me; but that I was afraid he did not know
what the value of such contributions would be. He repeated what he had
said before; and I promised to consider whether I could reconcile it to
myself to write such letters at all. The pros and cons need to be very
carefully weighed. I will not tell you to which side I incline, but if
we should disagree, or waver on the same points, we will call Bradbury
and Evans to the council. I think it more than probable that we shall be
of exactly the same mind, but I want you to be in possession of the
facts and therefore send you this rigmarole." The rigmarole is not
unimportant; because, though we did not differ on the wisdom of saying
No to the _Chronicle_, the "council" spoken of was nevertheless held,
and in it lay the germ of another newspaper enterprise he permitted
himself to engage in twelve months later, to which he would have done
more wisely to have also answered No.

The preparation for departure was now actively going forward, and
especially his enquiries for two impo