grounds at Clermont-park, to purchase certain adjoining lands, which, from
some ancient pique, the owner was unwilling to sell. The proprietor was a
tenant of Mr. Falconer's: he undertook to negotiate the business, and to
use his influence to bring his tenant to reason. This offer, made through
Cunningham, was accepted by Lord Oldborough, and the negotiation led to
fresh communications.--There was soon to be a county meeting, and an
address was to be procured in favour of certain measures of government,
which it was expected would be violently opposed. In the commissioner's
letters to his son, the private secretary, he could say and suggest
whatever he pleased; he pointed out the gentlemen of the county who ought
to be conciliated, and he offered his services to represent things properly
to some with whom he was intimate. The sheriff and the under-sheriff also
should know, without being informed directly from ministry, what course
in conducting the meeting would be agreeable in a certain quarter--who so
proper to say and do all that might be expedient as Mr. Falconer, who was
on the spot, and well acquainted with the county?--The commissioner was
informed by the private secretary, that his services would be acceptable.
There happened also, at this time, to be some disputes and grievances in
that part of the country about tax-gatherers. Mr. Falconer hinted, that he
could soften and accommodate matters, if he were empowered to do so--and he
was so empowered. Besides all this, there was a borough in that county, in
which the interest of government had been declining; attempts were made to
_open the borough_--Mr. Falconer could be of use in _keeping it close_--and
he was commissioned to do every thing in his power in the business. In a
short time Mr. Falconer was acting on all these points as an agent and
partizan of Lord Oldborough's. But there was one thing which made him
uneasy; he was acting here, as in many former instances, merely upon vague
hopes of future reward.

Whilst his mind was full of these thoughts, a new prospect of advantage