e him, and were very civil; but he soon found that
they were much more anxious to teach him than they were to receive
his political lessons. When he began, as unfortunately he did very
early in his dealings with them, to open out his own views, he soon
found that they had views also to open out. He was to represent
them,--that is to say, become the mouthpiece of their ideas. He had
been selected because he was supposed to have some command of money.
Of course he would have to address the people in the Mechanics' Hall;
but the chairman of the Young Men's Reform Association was very
anxious to tell him what to say on that occasion. "I am accustomed to
addressing people," said Ontario Moggs, with a considerable accession
of dignity.

He had the satisfaction of addressing the people, and the people
received him kindly. But he thought he observed that the applause was
greater when the secretary of the Amalgamation-of-Improvement-Unions
spoke, and he was sure that the enthusiasm for the Young Men's
chairman mounted much higher than had done any ardour on his own
behalf. And he was astonished to find that these young men were just
as fluent as himself. He did think, indeed, that they did not go
quite so deep into the matter as he did, that they had not thought
out great questions so thoroughly, but they had a way of saying
things which,--which would have told even at the Cheshire Cheese. The
result of all this was, that at the end of three days,--though he
was, no doubt, candidate for the borough of Percycross, and in that
capacity a great man in Percycross,--he did not seem to himself to
be so great as he had been when he made the journey down from London.
There was a certain feeling that he was a cat's-paw, brought there
for certain objects which were not his objects,--because they wanted
money, and some one who would be fool enough to fight a losing
battle! He did not reap all that meed of personal admiration for his
eloquence which he expected.

And, then, during these three days there arose another question, the
discussion of which embarrassed him not a little. Mr. Westmacott was
in the town, and there was a question whether he and Mr. Westmacott
were to join forces. It was understood that Mr. Westmacott and Mr.
Westmacott's leading friends objected to this; but the chairmen of
the young men, and the presidents and the secretaries on the Radical
side put their heads together, and declared that if Mr. Westmacott
were pr