t words had scarce proceeded from his mouth, when the head of
the barrel or puncheon on which he stood, being frail and infirm, gave
way, so that down he went with a crash, and in a twinkling disappeared
from the eyes of the astonished beholders. The fox-hunters, perceiving
his disaster, exclaimed, in the phrase and accent of the chase, "Stole
away! stole away!" and with hideous vociferation, joined in the sylvan
chorus which the hunters halloo when the hounds are at fault.

The disaster of Mr. Vanderpelft was soon repaired by the assiduity of his
friends, who disengaged him from the barrel in a trice, hoisted him on
the shoulders of four strong weavers, and, resenting the unmannerly
exultation of their antagonists, began to form themselves in order of
battle.

An obstinate fray would have undoubtedly ensued, had not their mutual
indignation given way to their curiosity, at the motion of our knight,
who had advanced into the middle between the two fronts, and waving his
hand as a signal for them to give attention, addressed himself to them,
with graceful demeanour, in these words:--"Countrymen, friends, and
fellow-citizens, you are this day assembled to determine a point of the
utmost consequence to yourselves and your posterity; a point that ought
to be determined by far other weapons than brutal force and factious
clamour. You, the freemen of England, are the basis of that excellent
constitution which hath long flourished the object of envy and
admiration. To you belongs the inestimable privilege of choosing a
delegate properly qualified to represent you in the High Court of
Parliament. This is your birthright,--inherited from your ancestors,
obtained by their courage, and sealed with their blood. It is not only
your birthright, which you should maintain in defiance of all danger, but
also a sacred trust, to be executed with the most scrupulous care and
fidelity. The person whom you trust ought not only to be endued with the
most inflexible integrity, but should likewise possess a fund of
knowledge that may enable him to act as a part of the legislature. He
must be well acquainted with the history, the constitution, and the laws
of his country; he must understand the forms of business, the extent of
the royal prerogative, the privilege of parliament, the detail of
government, the nature and regulation of the finances, the different
branches of commerce, the politics that prevail, and the connexions that
subsis