to his own literary talents, and has displayed a fund of knowledge on subjects of political economy in general, that is rarely acquired by any one man. There are many other points in Mr. Benett's character, which I will not at present touch upon, but which strongly recommend him to your choice. I will now proceed to examine the public conduct of his rivals.

Mr. Methuen rests his claim to re-election on the ground of his parliamentary conduct, and begs that his pretensions may be judged solely by that conduct. Nothing, certainly, can be more fair than this appeal. But, gentlemen, I fear, if we look into Mr. Methuen's parliamentary conduct, we shall perceive a wavering and a hesitation, if not a downright inconsistency. The honest intention, however, of his wish and disposition, I cannot, and do not, call in question; and I shall ever respect him for his votes as a guardian of the public purse. In all questions relating to the reduction of taxes, or the reduction of the public expenditure, we have ever found Mr. M. evincing a proper feeling for the distresses of his country.

Mr. Wellesley, gentlemen, also refers you to his parlia mentary conduct; but he principally rests his claim to your votes, on the ground that his wife's relations have formerly been representatives of this county. I will only ask, can any claim be more weak; I was going to say absurd! It certainly merits not a moment's notice. If Mr. Wellesley possesses any of the essential qualifications for a member of Parliament, it remains to be known; for he never speaks in Parliament. I am ready to allow that a man may possess sound sense and judgment, and be in many ways qualified for a senator, though not gifted with oratorical talents; but Mr. W. can speak, and if we take the amended report of his speech at Marlborough (which appeared in the Salisbury and Winchester Journal of the 18th ult.) as a specimen of his eloquence, I think we must commend his prudence in keeping silent in St. Stephen's chapel.-In that speech, gentlemen, he assuredly displayed spirit, and he has conducted his present contest throughout with a daring boldness, which few men but himself would have had the rashness to exhibit. You of course know, gentlemen, that I allude particularly to that vilification of the magistracy of this county, to which he affixed his signature, and the publication of which he pertinaciously repeated. If Mr. Wellesley is a man of sound judgment, I think you will agree with me that it remains to be known. I will now say but little more of Mr. W. You know that he strongly professes independence; but you know also, gentlemen, that he represents the notorious borough of

St. Ives, his seat for which if he vacates, you know that it will be filled by some menial of ministry, and that another vote will thereby be added to those monstrous majorities which so profusely squander the public money. That Mr. Wellesley's father, and one of his uncles, are notoriously under the influence of the present ministry I hold to be indisputable; for in the parliamentary reports it will be seen that on the 5th and on the 13th ult. these gentlemen were charged in the House of Commons with corrupt practices, and the charges remained undenied. It should also be remembered, gentlemen, that Mr. Wellesley, the present candidate, was one of those members who voted for the Corn Bill. June 4, 1818.

A. B.

*This gentleman may be independent; but it will seen by the "Extraordinary Red Book," that his father, the Right Hon. W. W. Pole, receives, as Master of the Mint, 10,350l. per annum; and that Marquis Wellesley, and the Right Hon. W. W. Pole, as Chief Remembrancer in Ireland, receive 4,2014. per annum.

To the Old Moon-Raker.

AH! Now this looks well! You had the Gazette on Friday morning-You carried it to Swindon, ha! ha! and then sent the printers your communication by the Saturday morning's mail. Didn't you find Swindon a little out of the way, in coming from London to Salisbury; or did you send it by the coach, stay behind yourself, and merely introduce Swindon for the "true honour of your Wiltshire family?" I have some hopes of you now; you are growing ashamed of your name; you are getting into the family of the alias's; the Old Moon-Raker, alias Barley Corn, alias Toby Tosspott! It does not signify now what your name is; you can carry on the work of deception no longer under it; nor does it signify to you (it never did to us) what your "birth, parentage, or education" is, so long as you've "a friend at court!" make good use of him, (you have very few friends out of court) it's what you have been trying for all your days; and probably it is owing to that, that you have now become so courtly. You've got to the court-end, I see! the Hay-market's just the place for you; you've got from the nursery to the hot-house; there's almost as many there, as you and the little one have made in Salisbury, the Robin Hood and Little John of the forest! He is a natty little fellow-you are quite a beauty! Your symmetry, divine, your proportions terrible! I see you cannot leave your "propensities" behind you! It has one good belonging to it, the Lambs of the city enjoy a little respite!

But how came you to choose such out of the way names? Barley corn!" I thought you were more attached to the

grape! But it suits your cause!-Benett prefers barley-not for himself, but for the mechanic as well as the labourer! Hear him; "the manufacturing classes live better than the labouring classes; but they need not live better! they lived formerly on barley, now they (the extravagant rogues) live upon wheat, and eat fewer potatoes!" What a shame! the people of England don't eat so much pig's meat as formerly! This Mr. Benett was enabled to state from "local knowledge!" They are beginning to live like christians, and Benett says there's no necessity for it, they need not live better than pigs; such was his evidence before the House of Lords!-And he went all the way to London to tell them so! He went all the way to London to persuade the House of Lords to bind them down to the old regimen; I am happy to hear that the printers of the Salisbury Journal, are going to distribute an edition of that work (the Corn Laws) gratis; every body will be thankful to them for it, and for this, as well as other things we are indebted to your being in London! Don't come back to Swindon, there's nobody wants you there, you're a speck wherever you appear, a disease wherever you remain. How can you be the agent of a man who would feed beings (of whom you have something of the form) on pig's meat? How can you ask a vote for him, without expecting the freeholders will kick your latter-end? If I were you, I would stick to surcharging, for then you would only be cursed, but now you are hated.

And then your other name Toby Tosspott, how improper! you are not in the place of Toby, but of Tobias's dog; you have to bark for your master. And as for Tosspott, I never heard that you were fond of the pot; I knew that you were a good trencher man, and a pretty good hand at the glass,

"When for the dear delights another pays!"

But as for the pot, 'tis too vulgar by half: 'twould for ever contaminate those coral lips, devoted to softer purposes, and more "ecstatic joys!" As for the tossing part of your name, that is not so much amiss; it will refresh your memory with regard to past events, particularly what took place on that evening when you were nearly tossed into Giant-street canal! But it served you right; eleven o'clock was an untimely hour. Old Hecate had Bowled to bed; she did right to bolt you out; besides your "Wenus de Medecis" was engaged; row should you like to be disturbed? Your rival was abrutish fellow to knock you down; his fist hit harder than your knuckles; tapping so gently too, and whispering so softly, "Mary, Mary!" 'twas enough to melt a heart of stone. What a way you must have been in; determined to go in, and she resolved to keep you out! I pity you, I hope you'll keep better hours, and better company. But I fear you won't; you

tell us, that you have commenced coachman, and are becoming pretty proficient in the language of the profession. I know you were always attached to the Dickey, I hope you will always ride easy; and if you hold tight, you cannot be tossed off.

You are a wonderful fellow. You can travel faster than Coul's Ghost, and assume more forms than Proteus ever pretended to. You are a kind of human camelion, and change yourself into the colour of every thing you touch. But the most astonishing thing of all is, that you should think yourself handsome, learned or wise, and that you should remain so stupid as to persuade us, you are unknown when you have so often made the discovery! Like the carp you hide your head in the mud, and on that account imagine that your body has also become invisible.

You are a very lucky fellow; but this comes of being an Editor! Every thing you write can be inserted in "the Chronicles of Wiltshire" free of charge, every body else must pay. Your's go in as simple letters, (simple enough) other people's as advertisements, and numbered like the poor of some parishes; your's go free of the disgrace. Not that these are always numbered in the same place; by way of a blind they are sometimes numbered in the middle, others at the end, your's no where. It seems that you really "have a friend at court."-Twould be a folly to charge you, you find them in writing and spelling, they find you in paper and printing, "One good turn deserves another," you supply calves head, they find saucepan; the numbering story has got wind, and they clapped one to your last.-Don't you think a coachman's place is very unsuitable for your years. You have lived to the advanced age of eighty-two, and now in your eighty-third year; don't you think the inside of a hearse would suit you better than the outside of a coach? But it was in contemplation of the election that you resumed the whip! It will cost you some trouble to bring up Benett's voters from Malmesbury; he has a great many there, he has the vote and interest of the town-crier! I'd practise every day if I were you, 'twill get your hand in; then you'll be better able to throw your Candidate out.

I have read your letter over again and again, to see if you had apologised for the falsehood of which I had convicted you. No mention is made of it; no notice taken of it. You may recollect the time when you told something of the same sort in the Council-house, 'twas at the last election; how you looked when compelled to read your recantation! Don't you think the freeholders of Wilts deserve as much courtesy as the corporation of Salisbury? What a method this was of securing the return of Mr. Wyndham! How his honourable mind must

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shrink at the baseness of such an agent, and of the means resorted to! What a reflection it casts upon his honour; hear your own words, "But undoubtedly, a just opinion may be formed of a candidate from the general tenor of those writings (the letter that you said you had in your pocket) and from the nature and description of the persons who advocate his cause.' And how truly you add, "The highest dignity cannot remain untarnished in such association; the independence of the County (or city) can never be combined with pretensions which are permitted to rest upon the assistance of such an advocate." What a home hit is this for yourself; you are very unfortunate in your play, ten times more so in your conjecture. You insinuate that you have discovered me; I don't care if you had, but have got you a wrong scent;" you never was more out in your life; I know to whom you refer-do you think that nobody can write but him? The county is come to a pretty pass indeed! why, man alive, he is not a native, and has been but a short time a resident, what can he know of you? "I know you well! you are pretty sure I do. You throw your dart at him, because you know he has not the means, or perhaps the inclination to return it; if he had, woe betide you! Why the dog days are come too soon upon us; you have run mad, and bite the first you run against, and he the wrong one. I heard him say that he would go to Hawker's in Catherinestreet, and buy a whip for you; how it must please the old gentleman to hear that you are become rich and can brag of your fortune! and you really think that the individual to whom you refer is a writer in Mr. Wellesley's service. I pity your old nob. I can tell you that he is not; my situation enables me to speak with certainty on that subject. I dare say he would be very glad to be employed; you know "he actu ally proffered his services to the other candidate ;" I heard that he did to all the three, you're not half in the secret; that shewed he wished to have a finger in the pye; you surely did not wish to have all the good things yourself. Why don't you speak for him now; he is not hired, I can tell you; and by consulting Mr. Wellesley's agent, whom you very well know, you will find that he never in his life directly or indirectly received a penny from him; and you know that his circumstances are such that he "cannot be supposed by the most credulous to labour in his vocations without reward;" I hope he'll think of you, and reward your attention, he can do it. As to his reputation, I believe he would not exchange reputations with you, much as you may think of yourself; the grey hairs of an aged father have not been brought by him with sorrow to the grave, through the seduction of an infant daughter; nor have the feelings of an affectionate brother been