to be their honest
opinion, their wise opinion, and the sole opinion common to a majority of them,
that it is more salutary, besides more diverting, to have the fools of the
kingdom represented than not. As professors of the sarcastic art they can easily
take the dignity out of the fools' representative at their pleasure, showing him
at antics while he supposes he is exhibiting an honourable and a decent series
of movements. Generally, too, their archery can check him when he is for any of
his measures; and if it does not check, there appears to be such a property in
simple sneering, that it consoles even when it fails to right the balance of
power. Sarcasm, we well know, confers a title of aristocracy straightway and
sharp on the sconce of the man who does but imagine that he is using it. What,
then, must be the elevation of these princes of the intellect in their own
minds! Hardly worth bartering for worldly commanderships, it is evident.
    Briefly, then, we have a system, not planned but grown, the outcome and
image of our genius, and all are dissatisfied with parts of it; but, as each
would preserve his own, the surest guarantee is obtained for the integrity of
the whole by a happy adjustment of the energies of opposition, which - you have
only to look to see - goes far beyond concord in the promotion of harmony. This
is our English system; like our English pudding, a fortuitous concourse of all
the sweets in the grocer's shop, but an excellent thing for all that, and let
none threaten it. Canvassing appears to be mixed up in the system; at least I
hope I have shown that it will not do to reverse the process, for fear of
changes leading to a sovereignty of the austere and antipathetic Intellect in
our England, that would be an inaccessible tyranny of a very small minority,
necessarily followed by tremendous convulsions.
 

                                  Chapter XIX

                 Lord Palmet, and Certain Electors of Bevisham

Meantime the candidates raised knockers, rang bells, bowed, expounded their
views, praised their virtues, begged for votes, and greatly and strangely did
the youngest of them enlarge his knowledge of his countrymen. But he had an
insatiable appetite, and except in relation to Mr. Cougham, considerable
tolerance. With Cougham, he was like a young hound in the leash. They had to run
as twins; but Beauchamp's conjunct would not run, he would walk. He imposed his
experience on Beauchamp, with an assumption that it must necessarily be taken
for the law of Beauchamp's