swich was a sort of a tempestuous borough, the scene of
many a desperate conflict in which one individual, Mr. Fitzroy
Kelly--later Chief Baron--made the most persevering efforts, again and
again renewed, to secure his footing. Thus, in December, 1832, there was
a fierce struggle with other candidates, Messrs. Morrison, Dundas, and
Rigby Wason, in which he was worsted--for the moment. But, in January,
1835, when he stood again, he was successful. This must have been the
one in Pickwick, when the excesses there described may have taken place.
There were four candidates: one of whom, Mr. Dundas--no doubt depicted as
the Honourable Mr. Slumkey--being of the noble family of Zetland. We
find that the successful candidate was unseated on petition, and his
place taken by another candidate. In 1837, he stood once more, and was
defeated by a very narrow majority. On a scrutiny, he was restored to
Parliament. Finally, in 1847, he lost the seat and gave up this very
uncertain borough. Now all this shows what forces were at work, and
that, with such determined candidates, electoral purity was not likely to
stand in the way. All which makes for Ipswich.

It must be said, however, that a fair case can be made for Norwich. In
introducing Eatanswill, Boz says that "an anxious desire to abstain from
giving offence" prompted Mr. Pickwick, _i.e._, Boz, to conceal the real
name of the place. He adds that he travelled by the Norwich coach, "but
this entry (in Mr. Pickwick's notes) was afterwards lined through as if
for the purpose of concealing even the direction." Some might think that
this was a veiled indication, but it seems too broad and obvious a
method, that is, by crossing out a name to reveal the name. It is much
more likely he meant that the town was somewhere between Norwich and
London, and on that line. There are arguments, too, from the distances.
There are two journeys in the book from Eatanswill to Bury, which seem to
furnish data for both theories--the Ipswich and the Norwich ones. But if
we have to take the _dejeuner_ in its literal sense, and put it early in
the day, say, at eleven, and Mr. Pickwick's arrival at Bury, "wery late,"
as Sam had it, we have some six hours, or, say, forty miles, covered by
the journey. But the events at Mrs. Leo Hunter's were certainly at mid-
day--between one and three o'clock. It was, in fact, a grand lunch. So
with Winkle's journey. He left Eatanswill half-an-hour after brea