A bewildering vision of coronets, stars, and ribbons; smiles,
and places at court; haunts their noontide speculations and
their midnight dreams. Then we must not forget the numberless
instances in which the coming event is deemed to supply the
long-sought opportunity of distinction, or the long-dreaded
cause of utter discomfiture; the hundreds, the thousands, who
mean to get into parliament, the units who dread getting out.
What a crashing change from lounging in St James's street to
sauntering on Boulogne pier; or, after dining at Brookes and
supping at Crockford's, to be saved from destruction by the
friendly interposition that sends you in an official capacity
to the marsupial sympathies of Sydney or Swan River!

Now is the time for the men to come forward who have claims;
claims for spending their money, which nobody asked them to
do, but which of course they only did for the sake of the
party. They never wrote for their party, or spoke for their
party, or gave their party any other vote than their own; but
they urge their claims,--to something; a commissionership of
anything, or a consulship anywhere; if no place to be had,
they are ready to take it out in dignities. They once looked
to the privy council, but would now be content with an
hereditary honour; if they can have neither, they will take a
clerkship in the Treasury for a younger son. Perhaps they may
get that in time; at present they go away growling with a
gaugership; or, having with desperate dexterity at length
contrived to transform a tidewaiter into a landwaiter. But
there is nothing like asking--except refusing.

Hark! it tolls! All is over. The great bell of the