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Mr. Cobwell, a man of great talents and strength of mind, as his friends. The populace greeted them with their loudest plaudits.-Next came Merryman, who appeared to have not quite slept away the dose which he had taken on the preceding night, and to have been hurried out of bed by his friends, who were PETER BORE and SAMMY BROWNEREAD, two patriots, who were only waiting for a wind to go about, the former to a pension, and the latter to the second story of the mansion-house. The populace hissed with every mark of indignation and contempt, and their hisses and revilings first awoke Merryman from his dream of popularity, at the loss of which he was evidently much surprised and disappointed. Sam Bonnet then mounted the stage, with several respectable friends, but he was not well received by the independent elec tors, because they knew him to be a steward's

man.

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After some little preliminary skirmishings, the candidates were named, and a show of hands proceeded in, which appeared to be in favour of Sheers and Bonnet, but Merryman demanded a poll, which was immediately commenced. The

poll might be kept open, if the candidates persisted, fifteen days, but no longer, to give all the electors an opportunity to vote. At the close; of the first day, Sheers was a-head, Merryman next, and Bonnet last. Merryman was so chagrined at the unexpected and strenuous opposition which he was likely to meet with, where he expected to walk over the course, and at the revilings of the vulgar, whom, from a congeniality: of manners and sentiments, he expected to find on his side, that he lost the little of the air and; language of a gentleman which he had picked, up in the company of such, and left the stage, growling out that they were a set of blackguards, and he would be d-d before he would stay any longer. This was rather coarse language for one who afterwards accused his competitor Sheers, of being irritable and scurrilous! As Merryman was going off, one of the mob struck at him with a bludgeon; but the blow> was prevented by one of the by-standers from taking place, it would else, in all probability,. have proved a receipt in full to the treasurer.

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On the second day, Merryman, who had been, convinced of the slippery tenure of popularity,

and that he was on the descensus Averni-never to retrace his steps, was said to be taken so ill that he could not appear on the stage. But this was only a feint, probably to excite the popular indignation against the ruffian who had attacked him, and to raise their commiseration in his favour, for he was seen walking about, soliciting the electors, and had, as one of the candidates, Sheers, said of him, received no other blow-but that which his own hand had levelled at his own head, by drinking to drown disappointment. On this day's poll, Sheers was first, and Merryman last. In the absence of his friend Merryman, Peter Bore, of Stentorian, stammering, stumbling memory, harangued the electors in his behalf, but they made more noise than he did, and kindly prevented him from exposing his own folly. The issue of the third day was similar. Merryman who had started with haughtily disclaiming all household influence, was now driven to the humiliating necessity of soliciting it most humbly, and with difficulty obtained a coalition between himself and Bonnet, which rendered the independent electors more enraged against both of them. To make up for the non

appearance of Merryman, a pantomimic trick was resorted to. The scene-shifters, candle-snuffers, supernumeraries, and bill-stickers of his theatre, appeared before the stage on the fourth day, some of them carrying a pole mounted with a cabbage, and a tailor's goose, and others, a board, on which sat a monkey, the supposed representative of a tailor at work. This curious procession was intended in ridicule of Sheers, but the monkey might equally well have been taken for the representative of the absent candidate, and was as serviceable a one as Mr. Bore. Sheers still led the way, and Merryman closed the rear.

Matters went on thus during the first six days, and on the seventh it was evident that Bonnet was sure of being one of the elected, and that the contest would lay between the other two. As Merryman, who had now re-appeared, and Sheers had discovered nearly an equal talent for buffoonery, invective, and grinning ad captandum vulgus, the populace proposed that they should grin through horse-collars, and exert their talents at bespattering each other for their amusement, and held up their favour as the prize

of the one who should evince most talents in his

art.

The proposal was accepted by the two rival candidates, and the horse-collars were instantly. brought and put round their necks to add to the solemnity of the scene.-Sheers then began the following dialogue with his friends among the populace:

Sheers. Who is he who obtains goods under false pretences?

Mob. A swindler.

Sheers. Who never pays his debts?

Mob A swindler.

Sheers. Who lives upon the property and means of others?

Mob. A swindler.

Sheers. Should a swindler be a delegate to the Common Hall?

Mob. No, no, no Merryman!

Merryman. Who is this Mr. Sheers? Is he of high blood? Is he even a gentleman? No, no, he is the son of a tailor, and if he will resign his absurd and foolish pretensions and opposition, he shall be appointed master-tailor of my theatre.

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