XXVI POLITICAL REMINISCENCES 7 



" ' I would rather be a toad and live upon the 

 noisome vapours of a dungeon, than let infamous 

 knaves or crafty fiends trample on my precious 

 liberty.' 



" But the most virulent abuse I ever experi- 

 enced was not in connection with politics at all. 

 It was from a negro of St. Domingo, and the 

 crime I had committed, which scarcely seemed to 

 merit such severe retribution, was that I had 

 stated, on ample authority, that negroes do not 

 show affection by kissing. For this crime (in 

 his eyes) he wrote me a most furious letter, 

 ending with the expression of an ardent desire to 

 drink my heart's blood. 



" The occupations of my constituents at Maid- 

 stone were very various. One of them made a 

 livelihood by keeping Golden Pheasants. They 

 were lovely. Another had an interest in British 

 wines. He boasted that he had forty-seven 

 different kinds. I speak confidently, having 

 tasted them all. I tried to agree with him, but 

 they made no attempt to agree with me, or if 

 they did, it was very unsuccessful. 



" The reasons given by electors for the vote 

 they were about to give were extremely various. 

 One man, a butcher, expressed his regret to me 

 that he had promised to vote for my opponent, 

 not knowing that I was going to stand, for he 

 said, ' I have bought a many of your bullocks, 

 and to be sure they always did eat beautiful.' 

 In a neighbouring constituency an elector 

 promised a friend of mine his support. ' Of 

 course,' he said, ' I shall vote for you ; why, I 

 built your father's vault.' I only remember one 



