r. Briggs, to be frank with you, I do call upon you
for the purpose of requesting your vote; give it me, or not, just as
you please. You may be sure I shall not make use of the vulgar
electioneering arts to coax gentlemen out of their votes. I ask you
for your's as one freeman solicits another: if you think my opponent
a fitter person to represent your borough, give your support to him in
God's name: if not, and you place confidence in me, I will, at least,
endeavour not to betray it."

"Well done, Mr. Pelham," exclaimed Mr. Briggs: "I love candour--you
speak just after my own heart; but you must be aware that one does
not like to be bamboozled out of one's right of election, by a
smooth-tongued fellow, who sends one to the devil the moment the
election is over--or still worse, to be frightened out of it by some
stiff-necked proud coxcomb, with his pedigree in his hand, and his acres
in his face, thinking he does you a marvellous honour to ask you at
all. Sad times these for this free country, Mr. Pelham, when a parcel of
conceited paupers, like Parson Quinny (as I call that reverend fool, Mr.
Combermere St. Quintin), imagine they have a right to dictate to warm,
honest men, who can buy their whole family out and out. I tell you what,
Mr. Pelham, we shall never do anything for this country till we get
rid of those landed aristocrats, with their ancestry and humbug. I hope
you're of my mind, Mr. Pelham."

"Why," answered I, "there is certainly nothing so respectable in Great
Britain as our commercial interest. A man who makes himself is worth a
thousand men made by their forefathers."

"Very true, Mr. Pelham," said the wine-merchant, advancing his chair to
me, and then laying a short, thickset finger upon my arm--he looked
up in my face with an investigating air, and said:--"Parliamentary
Reform--what do you say to that? you're not an advocate for ancient
abuses, and modern corruption, I hope, Mr. Pelham?"

"By no means," cried I, with an honest air of indignation--"I have a
conscience, Mr. Briggs, I have a conscience as a public man, no less
than as a private one!"

"Admirable!" cried my host.

"No," I continued, glowing as I proceeded, "no, Mr. Briggs; I disdain to
talk too much about my principles before they are tried; the proper time
to proclaim them is when they have effected some good by being put into
action. I won't supplicate your vote, Mr. Briggs, as my opponent may do;
there must be a mutual confidence