1827.] 



Domestic and Foreign. 



315 



whig peer, who lias just purchased the inte- 

 rest of the adjoining borough. His lordship's 

 eldest son takes one seat, and the other is to 

 be filled by some dependant till the second is 

 of age. In the neighbourhood of the borough 

 resides also a gentleman of some property 

 tt man of education bitten by jacobin prin- 

 ciples ; a member of the corresponding so- 

 ciety ; assuming the cognomen of citizen ; 

 shunningthe society of his equals, and spread- 

 ing his opinions among; the vulgar the bar- 

 bers' shops and pot-hou<es. On the approach 

 of a general election, he receives a parcel 

 from an old political crony of his, containing 

 *' Burke's Reflections,' 1 which his friend ad- 

 visps him to read, avowing himself not merely 

 shaken in his revolutionary views, but in- 

 clined even to support existing establishments; 

 and intending, moreover, to offer himself as 

 a candidate for the borough, under the pa- 

 tron's wing. The patriot North is disgusted 

 at this tergiversation, hurls Burke into the 

 fire, resolves upon putting more vigour than 

 ever into his exertions, and talks of itinerat- 

 ing to lecture on the rights of the people. 



On the eve of the election, Lord Slender 

 the patron, and his son accompanied by 

 the apostate Turnstile, wait upon the citizen 

 North addressing him with all possible re- 

 spect, and inviting a further acquaintance. 

 The citizen has a very amiable daughter, 

 and the peer another. The young people are 

 quickly attached to each other, and a family 

 intercourse ensues. The jacobin contemner 

 of rank is secretly flattered by these atten- 

 tions ; but is nevertheless impelled to try his 

 strength, or rather that of his principles in the 

 borough, with the peer. The right of elec- 

 tion is solely with the corporation all of 

 whom, with the exception of an unemployed 

 and therefore discontented attorney, and ano- 

 ther or two are in the peer's interest, and 

 North of course fails. Nothing daunted, after 

 the election he resolves upon carrying "his 

 itinerating intentions into execution; and 

 coming to town, he gets" up a meeting for 

 political discussion, at the Pig's-foot and 

 Pie-crust in Shoe-lane. The police inter- 

 pose some of the speakers are arrested ; 

 confusion follows, and in the confusion North 

 escapes through a window, and flies for re- 

 fuge to Lord ^lender's, the patron of Truckle- 

 borough. He is assisted in his flight by young 

 Slender; but, at Litchfield, by a series of un- 

 lucky encounters, is recognized, brought to 

 town, thrown into prison, and in due time 

 tried on a charge of high treason. Evidence 

 fails, and the citizen is acquitted. A public 

 dinner follows, at which North, now cooling 

 from the perils he has incurred, reluctantly 

 attends, and makes a speech professive of 

 unchangeable sentiments, but in terms, if 

 not ambiguous, at least accompanied by re- 

 strictions, of which he had not spoken before. 



The philosopher now visits Lord Slender, 

 and proposes to return to his cottage, and 

 withdraw from the storms of political life. 

 But soon in his way falls an unexpected 

 temptation. Turnstile is ruined by gaming, 



and obliged to accept the Chittcru Hundreds. 

 The vacant seat of the borough is offered to 

 the patriot, and the adtocate for political 

 purity consents without difficulty to-enter the 

 house through a rotten borough the better 

 to enable him, of course, to promote his pa- 

 triotic? views. He revisits the borough, goes 

 through the whole farce of canvassing, 

 speechifying, dining, balling, with the same 

 persons then his violent opponents he met, 

 but a few months before and all with a grave 

 face, professing himself to have irade no 

 change in his sentiments he has always been 

 mistaken ; but, nevertheless, at the same 

 time applauding what he had before con- 

 demned. He even fraternises with the or- 

 thodox and loyal rector of the borough, and 

 finally marries a daughter of his. 



Now arrives the period lor the meeting of 

 parliament. He comes to town, am! waits 

 upon Lord Veiium high in office to pay 

 his respects on his marriage with the daugh- 

 ter of his patron. The noble lord makes a 

 careless inquiry as to the line of politics Mr. 

 North proposes to take concludes hf will 

 vote with the Slenders. North assures him 

 he is an independent man, and shall of course 

 vote with his conscience. The man of office 

 approves of such upright principles ; and 

 mentions he has a place, at his disposal, not 

 worthy of Air. North's merits, or perhaps of 

 his acceptance ; but, if he will accept, it is 

 at his service. The apostate accepts, and 

 triumphs on the treasury bench. 



An introductory Lecture on Human and 

 Comparative Physiology, by Peter M. Ro- 

 get, M.D.; 1826. Dr. Roget, as might be 

 expected, has here given a very distinct and 

 comprehensive survey of the subjects of phy- 

 siology. The same thing has no doubt been 

 done before, over an>.l over again ; but Dr. 

 Roget is not a man merely to repeat he has 

 suggested valuable hints. Physiologists have, 

 most of them, wandered from the proper ob- 

 ject of the science. That object is the search 

 into physical causes an object too frequently 

 lost sight of in the pursuit of final causes. 

 They have trespassed upon the territories of 

 the anatomist and the theologian pardon- 

 ably enough but still, men of science should 

 know and keep to their business. The phy- 

 siologist thus betrays the very science he 

 professes to advance, and not only professes, 

 but believes he does advance it, and makes 

 his readers believe so too. How is vital ac- 

 tion produced ? By an archsius, or anima, 

 say Van Helmont and Stuhl. How are cer- 

 tain morbid changes restored without the 

 inierference of art, we mean ? By th"e vis 

 medicatrix naturte, exclaim Hoffman and 

 Cullen. What coagulates the blood? The 

 stimulus of necessity, says John Hunter 

 replies, all of them, which amount to no- 

 thing. 



There is a something, which sets organized 

 beings in action a something in them which 

 modifies and controuls the physical laws, to 

 which unorganized matter is subject a 



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