272 THE MANUSCRIPT GAZETTE. 



is Waithman better than either? As for Westminster, Sir Francis Burdett 

 and Mr. Place, a tailor at Charing Cross, possess the fee simple of 17,000 

 votes, half of which is let to Mr. Hobhouse, at the yearly rent of passive 

 obedience, and uniform good behaviour ; those individuals rail at a lesser 

 number of votes being held in similar thraldom, by persons who understand 

 how to make a better use of them : they have to answer for blinding and 

 leading astray 17,000 persons, or a majority which is virtually the same, 

 whilst the persons whom they deprecate, have to answer for the return of 

 such men as Mr. Canning, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Goulbourn, &c. ; Mr. 

 Brougham has been defeated a second time in Westmorland, ar.d has been 

 obliged to present himself as a piece of second-hand goods to Winchelsea: 

 however, they did not dislike that sort of article, for Lord Howick, a de- 

 feated candidate for Northumberland, is their other member. What business 

 has Mr. Brougham asking for the representation of YFestmorland, in oppo- 

 sition to such a highly respectable family as the Lowthers, who have the 

 greatest stake in the county, and understand best its interests ?" 



The " blacking" and the " gridiron" declare the filial affection of 

 the Ascension islanders for their mother country ; how intensely 

 must they have dwelt upon our political commotions to have in 

 common with us a knowledge of those types of patriotism ; it is 

 lucky, however, for the Lord Chancellor that the Ascension Gazette 

 was unknown to England before his recent elevation. 



We now extract from our fragment of " Saturday, 4th November, 

 1826" the " Sporting intelligence." 



"Wednesday, 25th of October. A very thick fog and rain in the morning 

 detained the goat hunters more than an" hour, and it was late before the 

 goats were discovered, close under Scylla Rock : they were chased but 

 only two were taken ; unfortunately, the sheep were in the direction the 

 herd took, and the dogs were obliged to be taken off the pursuit. In the 

 afternoon, a small party were seen feeding near Cricket Valley and men 

 with the dogs went after them, and succeeded in rocking eight or nine, out 

 of which, four Billies (one very large) and one Nanny were killed. Some 

 were rocked at the further end of the valley, but darkness came on and all 

 the ammunition being expended, the party came home, and had a difficult 

 walk along Cuppage's Folly ; no accident however occurred." 



It would thus seem that goats are lions in the Island of Ascension. 

 The following " Elopement" is in true penny-a-line gusto, and must 

 have been duly relished at the breakfast table. 



" An elopement took place a few days ago. The swain is a dashing 

 corporal of the Royal Africans, and the nymph, a resident of one of our 

 romantic vallies near Dampier's Springs. They sought the blacksmith, but 

 alas ! he had not the power of the Gretna Green one. The fair fugitive was 

 secured, and is, we believe, restored to the arms of her disconsolate mistress ; 

 it is whispered that the affair will end to the satisfaction of the lovers, and 

 at a proper period, the head of the church and state here will officiate to 

 restore the injured fame of the impassioned, but imprudent fair." 



We know not whether our readers will join in our opinion of 

 the character of this manuscript gazette; to us it is most interesting, 

 as displaying in a curious manner, that deeply implanted want, wisely 

 fixed in us, of mutual comfort and communing ; that wish to know 

 and feel the actions, hopes, and sorrows of others, which binds us in 

 common brotherhood, and which, in proportion to its influence, ren- 

 ders us worthy of our fellows and ourselves. 



