Tripes. I’m glad to hear it; I feared there might be some mistake. And, if Mr. MacLeech comes forward,—being a fellow-townsman of Mr. Smooth, and a good deal in the Glasgow interest;—a commercial man too, Mr. Turnstile;—a practical man—Mr. Turnstile;—I am not quite sure that you can count upon Mr. Smooth’s assistance;—and Government, you know, is strong.

Turnstile. Assistance, Mr. Tripes,—from Smooth!—why I came in on my own ground;—on the Independent interest.—Assistance from Smooth!—Besides,—Smooth knows very well that our second votes secured him.

Tripes. Very true, sir; but these Independent people are hard to deal with; and Mr. Highway, I assure you, hit very hard in his speech at the meeting yesterday. He talked of amateur politicians,—attention to the business of the people,—dinners with the opposite party. In short, I fear, they will say,—like the others,—that what they want is something {285} of “a practical man” Mr. Turnstile.—I’m sorry that I must be going.—Sir, your servant.

Turnstile. (Rising and ringing.) [Enter servant.] Open the door for Mr. Tripes. [Exit TRIPES.] D——d, double-faced, selfish blockhead!

SCENE XI.—The street, as before.

Enter TRIPES, from TURNSTILE’S house.

Tripes. (Putting on his hat.) He might have been more civil, too;—though he did count upon me for his chairman. But I’ll show him that I’m not to be insulted; and if, MacLeech manages the matter well for Charles, this Mr. Phi­los­o­pher Turnstile, though he thinks himself so clever, may go to the devil. [Exit.

ACT II.

SCENE I.—Downing-street, after a Cabinet Meeting. LORD A.; CLOSEWIND; SHIFT; SMOOTH; and other Members of the Cabinet.

Lord A. That point being settled, gentlemen, the sooner you are at your posts the better. The King comes down to dissolve on Friday.[40] But, before we part, we had better {286} decide about this Presidency of the Board of Man­u­fac­tures. The appointment requires an able man; of rather peculiar attainments. Mr. Turnstile has been mentioned to me; and his claims I am told, are strong:—long devotion to science,—great expense and loss of time for public objects,—high reputation, and weight of opinion, as a man of science.