43Q 'PROMISED LAND' AND ' DULCIBELLA.' 



Tooke. When on his way from Devonshire to 

 London on an electioneering expedition he was 

 riding in the inside of the mail with three other pas- 

 sengers, apparently strangers. One of them presently 

 accosted one of the others in these words : 



' Do you happen to know Home Tooke? 



' No,' said the other. 



' I am glad to hear it,' he said, pursuing the 

 thread of his discourse; ' for he is one of the greatest 

 scoundrels alive. There is nothing he will not do to 

 carry his point.' 



At this moment the coach drew up at a wayside 

 inn to chano-e horses, and Home Tooke seized the 

 opportunity to get out and ask the guard if he could 

 tell him who the person who had thus freely maligned 

 him might be. 



' Tell me,' he said, ' do you know who that old fat 

 man is sitting opposite me facing the horses ?' 



'Oh yes, sir,' was the reply; 'it's old Smith, the 

 lawyer of Exeter, avIio is going up to London to vote 

 against Home Tooke.' 



1 Oh, indeed ; thanks, guard — thanks.' 



After taking his seat, and the journey was resumed, 

 Home Tooke immediately addressed the gentleman 

 to whom Smith had been speaking, and said : 



' Do you happen to know, sir, a person by the 

 name of Smith, a pettifogging lawyer, who hails 

 from Exeter ? He is a fat, low-bred looking fellow, 

 and an awful scoundrel !' 



