witnessed, during the
arduous contest in which I was engaged, the daily exhibition of that
extraordinary ability to which I was indebted for a support, the more
valuable because it was an impartial and discriminating support.--I have
the honor to be, Sir,

"Ever your most obedient and faithful servant,
"ROBERT PEEL."

To which, with due loftiness and diplomatic gravity and brevity,
there is Answer, Draught of Answer in Edward Sterling's hand, from the
Mysterious Entity so honored, in the following terms:--

"_To the Right Hon. Sir Robert Peel, Bart., &c. &c. &c_.

"SIR,--It gives me sincere satisfaction to learn from the Letter with
which you have honored me, bearing yesterday's date, that you estimate
so highly the efforts which have been made during the last five months
by the _Times_ Newspaper to support the cause of rational and wholesome
Government which his Majesty had intrusted to your guidance; and that
you appreciate fairly the disinterested motive, of regard to the public
welfare, and to that alone, through which this Journal has been prompted
to pursue a policy in accordance with that of your Administration. It
is, permit me to say, by such motives only, that the _Times_, ever
since I have known it, has been influenced, whether in defence of the
Government of the day, or in constitutional resistance to it: and indeed
there exist no other motives of action for a Journalist, compatible
either with the safety of the press, or with the political morality of
the great bulk of its readers.--With much respect, I have the honor to
be, Sir, &c. &c. &c.

"THE EDITOR OF THE 'TIMES.'"

Of this Note I do not think there was the least whisper during Edward
Sterling's lifetime; which fact also one likes to remember of him,
so ostentatious and little-reticent a man. For the rest, his loyal
admiration of Sir Robert Peel,--sanctioned, and as it were almost
consecrated to his mind, by the great example of the Duke of
Wellington, whom he reverenced always with true hero-worship,--was not
a journalistic one, but a most intimate authentic feeling, sufficiently
apparent in the very heart of his mind. Among the many opinions "liable
to three hundred and sixty-five changes in the course of the year," this
in reference to Peel and Wellington was one which ever changed, but was
the same all days and hours. To which