threatens to commit fearful devastations with his doctrines. He has
already made two or three complete converts, or new lights; has shaken
the faith of several others; and has grievously puzzled the brains of
many of the oldest villagers, who had never thought about politics, or
scarce any thing else, during their whole lives.

He is lean and meagre from the constant restlessness of mind and body;
worrying about with newspapers and pamphlets in his pockets, which he
is ready to pull out on all occasions. He has shocked several of the
staunchest villagers, by talking lightly of the Squire and his family;
and hinting that it would be better the park should be cut into small
farms and kitchen-gardens, or feed good mutton instead of worthless
deer.

He is a great thorn in the side of the Squire, who is sadly afraid
that he will introduce politics into the village, and turn it into an
unhappy, thinking community. He is a still greater grievance to Master
Simon, who has hitherto been able to sway the political opinions of
the place, without much cost of learning or logic; but has been much
puzzled of late to weed out the doubts and heresies already sown by
this champion of reform.

Indeed, the latter has taken complete command at the tap-room of the
tavern, not so much because he has convinced, as because he has
out-talked all the old-established oracles. The apothecary, with all
his philosophy, was as nought before him. He has convinced and
converted the landlord at least a dozen times; who, however, is liable
to be convinced and converted the other way, by the next person with
whom he talks. It is true the radical has a violent antagonist in the
landlady, who is vehemently loyal, and thoroughly devoted to the king,
Master Simon, and the Squire. She now and then comes out upon the
reformer with all the fierceness of a cat-o'-mountain, and does not
spare her own soft-headed husband, for listening to what she terms
such "low-lived politics." What makes the good woman the more violent,
is the perfect coolness with which the radical listens to her attacks,
drawing his face up into a provoking supercilious smile; and when she
has talked herself out of breath, quietly asking her for a taste of
her home-brewed.

The only person that is in any way a match for this redoubtable
politician, is Ready-Money Jack Tibbets, who maintains his stand in
the tap-room, in defiance of the radical and all his works. Jack is
one of the most l