e first of a series of measures
which are considered by his supporters as fraught with danger to the
country's very best interests.' A still more sinister rumour was next
bruited abroad: that Mr. Round attended a dissenting place of worship,
and he was constrained to admit that, once in 1845 and thrice in 1846,
he had been guilty of this blacksliding. The lost ground, however, was
handsomely recovered by a public declaration that the very rare
occasions on which he had been present at other modes of Christian
worship had only confirmed his affection and reverential attachment to
the services and formularies of his own church.

VICTORY AT THE POLL

The nomination was duly made in the Sheldonian theatre (July 29), the
scene of so many agitations in these fiery days. Inglis was proposed by
a canon of Christ Church, Round by the master of Balliol, and Gladstone
by Dr. Richards, the rector of Exeter. The prime claim advanced for him
by his proposer, was his zeal for the English church in word and deed,
above all his energy in securing that wherever the English church went,
thither bishoprics should go too. Besides all this, his master work, he
had found time to spare not only for public business of the
commonwealth, but for the study of theology, philosophy, and the
arts.[201] Then the voting began. The Gladstonians went into the battle
with 1100 promises. Northcote,[202] passing vigilant days in the
convocation house, sent daily reports to Mr. Gladstone at Fasque. Peel
went up to vote for him (splitting for Inglis); Ashley went up to vote
against him. At the close of the second day things looked well, but
there was no ground for over-confidence. Inglis was six hundred ahead of
Gladstone, and Gladstone only a hundred and twenty ahead of Round. The
next day Round fell a little more behind, and when the end came (August
3) the figures stood:--Inglis 1700, Gladstone 997, Round 824, giving
Gladstone a majority of 173 over his competitor.

Numbers were not the only important point. When the poll came to be
analysed by eager statisticians, the decision of the electors was found
to have a weight not measured by an extra hundred and seventy votes. For
example, Mr. Gladstone had among his supporters twenty-five
double-firsts against seven for Round, and of single first-classes he
had one hundred and fifty-seven against Round's sixty-six. Of Ireland
and Hertford scholars Mr. Gladstone had nine to two and thre