100 
rained gold boxes. Of his character, of his eloquence, of the 
times in which he lived, it would be out of place for me to speak, 
but one sentence which he addressed to the Duke of Devonshire, 
is so characteristic of the man, that I cannot refrain from quoting 
it: “My Jord, Iam sure that I can save this country, and that 
nobody else can.” 
The nation had indeed suffered not only defeat but insult ; and 
the national spirit was then, (for the last time in our annals) 
beginning to sink. We may well imagine then, how this brilliant. 
orator, this fervid patriot, was courted and sought after. How 
Allen became acquainted with him we do not know, but he was 
frequently in London in connection with Post Office business, and 
must have had numerous opportunities of mixing in political 
circles. 
So much it has been necesssary to say, as to the two men with 
which this note is concerned. 
The manner in which the House of Commons was constituted 
at this time, and for half a century afterwards, is too well known 
to need comment. In some places the right of election was 
vested in the citizens, in others in the small inner circle of citizens. 
known as Freemen or Free Citizens, and in others again in the- 
Town Council. In Bath the matter was more than once contested ; 
but it was established that custom vested the power of election 
in the Town Council. The persons who were sent to Parliament 
therefore to represent the City, derived their mission from a body 
as far removed from the position of a representative, one as can 
well be imagined. The Freemen were but a fraction of the 
population of the City, and only Freemen could enter the Town 
Council. The Council was not even elected by the Freemen, 
but exercised the right of filling vacancies in its own 
number. But there was, practically speaking, an inner Council, 
consisting of the Mayor, the Justices, the Chamberlain and the 
Bailiffs, who formed a Committee sitting with closed doors. As. 
a rule the members were nominated by this Committee. I 
