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'boo-ing,' though I heard a little of this the other night at 

 Broome. Mr. Holmes tells me, indeed, that there has been no 

 violence and very little interruption at any of his meetings, so it 

 seems that our division is more civilised than are some places in 

 East Norfolk. But although it is interesting enough in its own 

 melancholy and discreditable fashion, and indeed instructive, that is 

 a subject upon which I do not wish to enter in these peaceful pages. 



May 12. Yesterday we had another strong sou'- west gale, 

 varied with storms of hail and rain, which were not, however, 

 violent enough to interfere with the baulk-splitting and timber- 

 gilling. Last night, in obedience to urgent telegrams, I had to 

 drive six miles to another meeting. To my mind, looked at from 

 the point of view of any political advantage, it was the very worst 

 sort of meeting, for the room was not much more than half filled 

 with steady-going supporters of the Unionist cause, who have 

 probably voted the same way ever since they had a vote, and 

 will continue to do so until voting ceases to interest them. Speak- 

 ing to such an audience in a great half-empty hall is, moreover, 

 about as depressing a performance as would be the making of 

 harangues to rows of high-class mummies in a Theban tomb. Not 

 that I wish to disparage the audience, which was of a most intelligent 

 character, but it was impossible for the would-be-orator not to feel 

 that there sat among them no man whom he could hope to convert, 

 for the simple reason that their minds were already made up, and 

 that they were brought there by a sense of duty only. From without 

 came very different sounds, for the other side were holding an 

 open-air gathering, and with shouts of enthusiasm chairing their 

 candidate about the green. The difference was the old difference 

 between the party of defence and the party of attack, but to me 

 those shouts were ominous of the result of the poll to-day, 

 especially as I hear that the publicans have in many instances 

 turned against Mr. Holmes, partly because at one time or other 

 he advocated temperance principles, and partly on account of 

 some question which has to do with rates. 



