as well as I could with both of my honourable opponents.

During the reading of the writ and the Bribery Act, there was a deal of
joking, which I presume was intended to be good-humoured. At the same time
there could be no doubt that it was distinctly personal. I heard my name
associated with epithets of any thing but an endearing description, and,
to say the truth, if choice had been granted, I would far rather have been
at Jericho than in the front of the hustings at Dreepdaily. A man must be,
indeed, intrepid, and conscious of a good cause, who can oppose himself
without blenching to the objurgation of an excited mob.

The Honourable Paul Pozzlethwaite, on account of his having been the
earliest candidate in the field, was first proposed by a town-councillor
of Drouthielaw. This part of the ceremony appeared to excite but little
interest, the hooting and cheering being pretty equally distributed.

It was now our turn.

"Gang forrard, Provost, and be sure ye speak oot!" said Toddy Tam; and Mr
Binkie advanced accordingly.

Thereupon such a row commenced as I never had witnessed before. Yelling is
a faint word to express the sounds of that storm of extraordinary wrath
which descended upon the head of the devoted Provost. "Clique! Clique!"
resounded on every side, and myriads of eyes, ferocious as those of the
wild-cat, were bent scowlingly on my worthy proposer. In vain did he
gesticulate--in vain implore. The voice of Demosthenes--nay, the deep bass
of Stentor himself--could not have been heard amidst that infernal uproar;
so that, after working his arms for a time like the limbs of a telegraph,
and exerting himself until he became absolutely swart in the face, Binkie
was fain to give it up, and retired amidst a whirlwind of abuse.

"May the deil fly awa' wi' the hail pack o' them!" said he, almost
blubbering with excitement and indignation. "Wha wad ever hae thocht to
have seen the like o' this? and huz, too, that gied them the Reform Bill!
Try your hand at them, Tam, for my heart's amaist broken!"

The bluff independent character of Mr Gills, and his reputed purity from
all taint of the Clique, operated considerably in his favour. He advanced
amidst general cheering, and cries of "Noo for Toddy Tam!" "Let's hear Mr
Gills!" and the like; and as he tossed his hat aside and clenched his
brawny fist, he really looked the incarnation of a sturdy and independent
elector. His style, too, was decidedly popular--

"Li