fitness for it; but you are losing sight of the immediate question."

The orator himself had lost sight of it, like many other modern orators; but we must humour our clients a little.

"I have indeed, Mr. Bedworth: you quite carried away my feelings, and that I confess, is a great fault in one of my profession; but what course do you intend to take?"

He was flattered by this deferential appeal to his superior sagacity.

"Certainly, Mr. Sharpe; I well thought over the subject before I called on you; in fact I gave to it all the powers of my mind: under your correction, Sir, I think that a criminal information is the course."

"That is scarcely usual in cases of private libel, unless the libel is intended to provoke a challenge."

"Private libel, Mr. Sharpe! private libel, do you call it, where a base and cowardly attack is made on a public man?"

I was again in imminent peril.

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'Doubtless, Sir, it is your public character that has induced the libel; but it is neverthe

less a libel peculiarly of a private character, to

"But all my friends will expect me to take the more dignified course on such a serious occasion; so I have determined upon it, if you please."

"Very well, Mr. Bedworth; the first thing then is the affidavit. I see you are called a

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gaol-bird," a "rogue of enterprise," and a

gazetted thief;" your name is not specified certainly, but you have no doubt, I presume, that you are the party intended?"

"None at all, none whatever: the principal speaker' at this celebrated meeting, could be nobody but me, Sir. I was undoubtedly the principal speaker there. I moved the first reso lution; I seconded the third; I spoke on the fourth; I opposed the amendment; and finally, I returned thanks to the chair. Indeed, I may say that nobody of any consequence took any part in the affair, but myself."

"Then it is unquestionable, Mr. Bedworth, that you are the 'gaol-bird?" "

"I am, Sir."

"And the rogue of enterprise?"" "I am, Sir."

"And a 'gazetted thief?""

"I am, Sir. I am the goal - bird,' the 'rogue of enterprise,' and the 'gazetted thief:' all in one-Tria juncta in uno, Sir."

"Well then, we must deny it all on oath." "That is easily done."

"I will prepare the affidavit to-night, if you will favor me with a short narrative of the last years of your trading life."

few

"What has that to do with it?" (in obvious alarm).

"We must go into court with clean hands, you know; and not only deny the charge, but all color and foundation for it."

A dead pause followed, for which I was at a loss to account, and therefore deemed it prudent not to interrupt it.

"I am thinking, Mr. Sharpe, that a wise man must look a little to himself, even in publio affairs. A criminal information is a costly article, I fear."

"Yes: it costs some money: fees to counsel on two motions-office copies of long affidavits fees again on the trial, mount up to some thing."

"What do you suppose?"

"A hundred and fifty pounds, at least."

"A hundred and fifty pounds, Sir! a hundred and fifty pounds, Mr. Sharpe!!! No information for me on such terms. So because a man is a public man, he may be libelled, scandalized, vilified, and can only purchase redress by utter ruin! Oh, how little does the world imagine what we must endure who devote ourselves to the public good!"

"You may bring an action, Mr. Bedworth." "And get a farthing damages for my pains; for a man in my station cannot expect to find twelve men together, without a political enemy among them!"

"Then you may indict."

"What will that cost me?"

"A trifle comparatively-fifty or sixty

pounds."

"Do you call that a trifle?"

"Yes; for such a luxury as law."

"Well, I don't know: I am so committed to my friends and with my party: I must do something. Can't you say forty pounds?"

"It may be no more: I can not pledge myself." "'Tis a hard case, a very hard case, a cruel case; but I must stick to principle: so indict."

To cut short a long story, though not wanting in instruction, the bill was preferred six times, before it was returned a true bill; the press caught scent of the proceedings, and rcvenged themselves by new libels that piqued my wrong-headed client into renewed exertion; and finally his costs swelled up to three hundred and sixty pounds. He then libelled me for having deceived him: paid me with a bill at twelve months, which was dishonored; and at the end of some three years, and not before, my costs were paid, and my public-spirited client forever lost to me, not less, however, to my satisfaction than to his.