296 REMINISCENCES OF 



The meeting" took place, and I was asked. I 

 asked for a day to consider it, and went to Dysart 

 that night, and next day consented. I did not Hke 

 the job, as I am not a politician by nature, and had 

 never studied the subjects carefully ; but I thought 

 it was my duty to try, as I had been requested 

 by such an influential meeting. 



The Fifeshire fotirnal treated me to a rare 

 "puff":— 



" The Conservative Candidate for Fife. — In Cap- 

 tain Thomson of Charleton we have secured the most 

 personally popular gentleman who could be brought 

 forward to represent the county of F^ife. . . . Captain 

 Thomson is identified with all that represents the 

 chivalry, courtesy, enterprise and good-fellowship 

 of the county. ... In his family extraction it is 

 well known Captain Thomson stands on a level 

 with the proudest houses of the district, and his 

 connections and influence are wide and extensive. 

 If signal and long attachment to the interests of 

 the people, and the devotion of his talents and 

 means to the development and improvement of 

 the county in agricultural resources — if prominence 

 and leadership in movements connected with the 

 patriotism and chivalry of the district — if a character 

 of rare and unrivalled generosity and universal 

 courtesy — if the possession of abilities of a high 

 order, by a man whom all other men respect, admire 

 and esteem, can qualify for the representation of the 

 county of Fife, or establish a claim on the gratitude 

 of the electors, we have no fear of the result of the 



