CHAPTER VII.

As it happened, an incident soon occurred which offered a practical proof of the altered state of feeling of the Axford family toward their dear friends at the Priory. One of the members for the county vacated his seat by taking office, and upon this occasion Mr. Paulet determined upon offering himself as a candidate. His family had long represented the county, and he himself had been more than once urged to stand, with certainty of success; but, having little taste for politics, he had declined preferring his pretensions, on the ground that the gentlemen then in possession of it, were well worthy the confidence of the electors. The reason which he stated in his advertisement for coming forward at that instant was, that the right honourable gentleman having identified himself with an administration founded by intrigue and supported by corruption, manifesting no fixed line of conduct, and comprising in itself the elements of dishonesty and discord, had, in his opinion, forfeited his claim upon the confidence of his constituents. He therefore solicited the suffrages of those who respected political integrity, and thought with him that it had been violated by Mr. Armstrong.

Mr. Axford, who, be it observed, was himself member for another county, in which he had large property, had often declared in my presence, that his great pride and pleasure would be to see Mr. Paulet and his son the representatives of Bshire, but that if any contingency should arise to vacate one seat only, Mr. Paulet should have the refusal of it as far as he was concerned, and that if it was his pleasure to come forward, he should be supported by the whole weight of his (Mr. Axford's) influence. No sooner, therefore, had Paulet determined upon taking advantage of the present opportunity, than he apprized Mr. Axford thereof; and, to his surprise, he received an answer from that gentleman, expressing his deep regret that Mr. Paulet should have come to such a determination, inasmuch as he had arrived at a similar resolution to offer his son for the choice of the freeholders, and ended by hoping that they might be able to compromise it. Mr. Paulet

promptly and briefly replied, that much as he could wish to avoid being placed in an attitude of hostility to Mr. Axford or his son, he could not suffer private considerations to affect the resolution which he had adopted; and that, unless a candidate of superior pretensions should offer himself in the mean time, he should certainly go to the poll. At the same time that he despatched this note, he sent his advertisement to be published.

To this decisive communication there was no rejoinder, but concurrently with Paulet's address appeared another, written in a flourishing and fulsome style, and signed "George Axford." This document excited a strong sensation at the Priory; Paulet was much hurt by his friend's conduct. Lady Jane fired at the slightest injury offered to her husband, but at the same time retaining a strong regard for young Axford, alternately abused him in passionate terms, and wept "that those odious politics should occasion breaches between friends, which would never otherwise have happened." Alice defended him to the last, declaring with more earnestness than I thought necessary, that he was incapable of an ungenerous action, and that, in the present instance, she felt confident that he was acting solely under the influence of his father.

Her good opinion, however, was justified. The rival advertisements had been only a few hours before the public, when Captain Axford came in great haste and agitation to the Priory. "It is none of my doing, upon my honour," cried he; "my father has written and published the address without my consent, and in spite of my earnest entreaty. I am shocked at his conduct, but, believe me, I will not participate in it. Paulet, I will never oppose you, should my father disinherit me for my refusal."

"My dear Axford," answered Paulet, "there must be no misunderstanding between you and your father; if he insists upon your becoming a candidate, I make it a point of friendship with you that you will not refuse on my account. I think I can speak for you, as well as myself, that this contest can proceed without involving, in the least degree, our private feelings towards each other. If you succeed, I shall heartily congratulate you, and rejoice that the county has chosen so honourable a representative. I would resign to you at once, and support you with all my power, were it merely a matter of personal ambition, but-"

"No explanations, my generous friend," interrupted Axford; "I know that your claims are in every respect infinitely

superior to mine, and nothing shall induce me to prefer my own in opposition to them."

The young man said this with great energy, although evidently at the same time labouring under strong excitement. Lady Jane bestowed warm praises on his noble conduct, and reproached herself for having doubted him. His expectation was, however, chiefly interested in the opinion of Miss Paulet. She, like her brother, strongly urged him not to offend his father, and if he persisted in desiring that he should become a candidate, to comply without hesitation.

"St. Leger has already told you," said she, "that there is no possibility of your conduct being misinterpreted here; we all understand and fully enter into your situation; and be assured," she added, "if that is of any importance, that the good opinion of all here will be best preserved by your acquiescence in your father's will.”

"Your will," cried he eagerly, "is a law to me." At which words Lady Jane and her husband exchanged looks, and Alice suddenly turned pale, but with her usual presence of mind and discretion, she immediately treated this expression of unguarded passion (for such it undoubtedly was,) as a mere compliment. "But I would not have you consider this as a matter of gallantry," said she with a smile, “because it is one of duty and affection."

The young man promised filial obedience, and casting a look of deep and melancholy significance at Miss Paulet, took his leave. So selfish does love make one, that I derived great gratification from this incident, inasmuch as it strengthened my belief that Captain Axford was suffering a hopeless passion.

He was spared, however, this contest between parental authority and private feeling, for Mr. Axford, either persuaded by his son, or having ascertained, perhaps, that his success would be doubtful, and reflecting that it might not be altogether politic to break with his friends at the Priory, decided upon making a virtue of expediency, and accordingly intimated to Mr. Paulet that, as he was inflexible in his purpose, his son's claims should be immediately withdrawn, as he could not think of being party to any act, the tendency of which should be to interrupt the good understanding which had always subsisted, and he trusted would ever continue, between his own family and that of Mr. Paulet. He ended a somewhat inflated epistle with a proffer of support, which was shortly after repeated in person, and of course willingly accepted.

This preliminary being happily settled, preparations were made for the approaching contest, into which a third candidate had now entered. This was a person, who, though without any chance of success, was an antagonist much to be deprecated; this person was one of those low speculators in politics, who with no principle, and a very moderate share of talent, and actuated by the most abandoned motives of personal aggrandizement, adopt the only as well as the easiest mode which offers itself to them of becoming notorious, namely, addressing themselves to the very lowest order of the community. The qualifications requisite for practising upon this class may be associated with the meanest capacity, and must necessarily belong to the coarsest mind, inasmuch as no person with the feelings of a gentleman would condescend to such dirty work. Impudence, profligacy, vulgarity, and fluency, seem to be the essential requisites for a man of the mob, (a man of the people, in the legitimate sense, is a far different character,) and a plentiful abuse of every superior class, and of every public office and officer, the inculcation of every principle and measure having a levelling tendency, and a seasoning of claptraps, are the principal ingredients of the eloquence adapted to that august assembly. Mr. Sims, the present candidate for the county, in opposition to Mr. Armstrong and Mr. Paulet, was the most conspicuous of those vagabond demagogues who go about seeking their fortune in every place where the mob is powerful; and unfortunately such was the case in Mr. Paulet's county. Sims, though he had grown grey in his calling of "agitation," had not yet been enabled to pollute the House of Commons with his presence, but he now offered himself as a candidate under peculiar advantages, for having lately stirred up the rabble of one of the manufacturing districts to a mischievous riot, he had succeeded in attracting the notice of Government, which prosecuted him, and he was so fortunate as to incur a severe sentence. On these circumstances his extaordinary chance of success on the present occasion was grounded; though, indeed, had the adventure been utterly hopeless, the pleasure of insulting and annoying a member of the government and a gentleman, would have been a strong temptation, especially as he always managed these matters without a shilling of cost, or if he did incur any expense, he indemnified himself from the scanty pockets of his wretched partisans.

CHAPTER VIII.

So far, however, was the loathsomeness of coming in contact with such a fellow, from deterring Mr. Paulet, it was an additional incentive to persevere, for he said he should consider it an act of political cowardice, to be withheld by a personal disgust of an antagonist from encountering him. He proceeded in his canvass, therefore, with great assiduity, and received from the most respectable quarters every support and encouragement. I accompanied him in all his visits: there was no alteration of manner to suit his present situation and purposes; he showed the same courtesy to every freeholder that was natural to him, but there was no extraordinary blandness in his smile, nor humility in his bow. He requested the elector for his vote, but was never urgent if he hesitated or declined, though he answered the questions which were put to him, relative to his political opinions, with promptitude and perspicuity. This uncompromising loftiness of behaviour lost him, perhaps, some votes, but, upon the whole, I think it caused his character to be esteemed and respected; for, as an honest farmer observed to me, "I likes Mr. Paulet, because he's straight-forrard, and got no nonsense about him. Whenever I see a gentleman full of bows and smiles, I keeps a sharp look-out after him; for your rogues is always uncommon civil." I was much pleased by the sentiment expressed by another freeholder upon whom we called. He was a plain, sensible, worthy English farmer-a breed which I fear is now upon the decrease.

"Mr. Eccles," said Paulet, “may I expect to be favoured with your vote at the ensuing election. My principles-" "That you shall, Mr. Paulet," was his reply; "and not only that, but I shall bring all my people to the poll at my own charge to vote for you. You'll excuse my interrrupting you, Sir, but I don't want to hear what your principles are; I know that you are a gentleman of undoubted integrity, and that's the main, to my thinking. There isn't much honesty going now, in public men, and therefore when we can get it we should make much of it. I don't ask your opinions on