rd noises, is visibly there; uncertain
yet what mouse or monster it will give birth to.

Besides, it is a most important social act; nay, at bottom, the one
important social act. Given the men a People choose, the People
itself, in its exact worth and worthlessness, is given. A heroic
people chooses heroes, and is happy; a valet or flunky people chooses
sham-heroes, what are called quacks, thinking them heroes, and is not
happy. The grand summary of a man's spiritual condition, what brings
out all his herohood and insight, or all his flunkyhood and horn-eyed
dimness, is this question put to him, What man dost thou honour? Which
is thy ideal of a man; or nearest that? So too of a People: for a
People too, every People, _speaks_ its choice,--were it only by
silently obeying, and not revolting,--in the course of a century or
so. Nor are electoral methods, Reform Bills and suchlike, unimportant.
A People's electoral methods are, in the long-run, the express image
of its electoral _talent_; tending and gravitating perpetually,
irresistibly, to a conformity with that: and are, at all stages, very
significant of the People. Judicious readers, of these times, are not
disinclined to see how Monks elect their Abbot in the Twelfth Century:
how the St. Edmundsbury mountain manages its midwifery; and what mouse
or man the outcome is.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE ELECTION.

Accordingly our Prior assembles us in Chapter; and, we adjuring him
before God to do justly, nominates, not by our selection, yet with our
assent, Twelve Monks, moderately satisfactory. Of whom are Hugo
Third-Prior, Brother Dennis a venerable man, Walter the _Medicus_,
Samson _Subsacrista_, and other esteemed characters,--though Willelmus
_Sacrista_, of the red nose, too is one. These shall proceed
straightway to Waltham; and there elect the Abbot as they may and can.
Monks are sworn to obedience; must not speak too loud, under penalty
of foot-gyves, limbo, and bread-and-water: yet monks too would know
what it is they are obeying. The St. Edmundsbury Community has no
hustings, ballot-box, indeed no open voting: yet by various vague
manipulations, pulse-feelings, we struggle to ascertain what its
virtual aim is, and succeed better or worse.

This question, however, rises; alas, a quite preliminary question:
Will the _Dominus Rex_ allow us to choose freely? It is to be hoped!
Well, if so, we agree to choose one of our own Convent. If not, if the
_Dominus Rex_