may be the political tenets of our
member; but I have resolved--and I have done so for that very
reason--not to interfere in the matter at all. I do not mean to vote
on any side." And I laughed; but my friend looked grave.

"Oh! you don't, Mr. B.!" he said. "Then am I to understand that you
won't oblige me in this matter, although it is on a point which is of no
consequence to you, on your own confession, and, therefore, requiring no
sacrifice of political principle."

"My dear sir," replied I, in the mildest and most conciliating manner
possible, anxious to turn away wrath--"I have already said"----

"Oh! I know very well, sir, what you have said, and I'll recollect it,
too, you may depend upon it, and not much to your profit. My account's
closed with you, sir. Good morning!" And out of the shop he went in a
furious passion. On the day following this, I received a note from
the Whig canvasser, in reply to one from me on the subject of _his_
solicitation, in which I had expressed nearly the same sentiments which
I delivered verbally to my Tory friend: and in this note I was served
with almost precisely the same terms which the Tory had used in return,
only he carried the matter a little farther--telling me plainly that he
would not only withdraw his own custom from me, but do his endeavour to
deprive me of the custom of those of his friends who dealt with me,
who were of the same political opinions with himself. This I thought
barefaced enough; and I daresay you will agree with me, my friends (said
the melancholy gentleman), that it was so.

Here then, were two of my best customers lost to me for ever. Nay, not
only their own custom, but that of all their political partisans who
happened to deal with me; for the one was fully as good as his word, and
the other a great deal better: that is to say, the one who threatened
to deprive me of the custom of his friends, as well as his own, did so
most effectually; while the other, who held out no such threat, did
precisely the same thing by his friends, and with at least equal
success.

In truth, I wanted now but to be asked to support the Radical interest
to be fairly ruined; and this was a piece of good fortune that was not
long denied me. "My dear Bob,"--thus commenced a note, which I had, on
this unhappy occasion, from an intimate friend, a rattling, rough,
outspoken fellow--"As I know your political creed to be couched in the
phrase--'Let who likes be king, I'll be su