Ratler and Bonteen.
"The one thing incredible to me," said Mr. Ratler, "is that
Englishmen should be so mean." He was alluding to the Conservatives
who had shown their intention of supporting Mr. Daubeny, and whom
he accused of doing so, simply with a view to power and patronage,
without any regard to their own consistency or to the welfare of
the country. Mr. Ratler probably did not correctly read the minds
of the men whom he was accusing, and did not perceive, as he should
have done with his experience, how little there was among them of
concerted action. To defend the Church was a duty to each of them;
but then, so also was it a duty to support his party. And each one
could see his way to the one duty, whereas the other was vague, and
too probably ultimately impossible. If it were proper to throw off
the incubus of this conjuror's authority, surely some wise, and
great, and bold man would get up and so declare. Some junto of wise
men of the party would settle that he should be deposed. But where
were they to look for the wise and bold men? where even for the
junto? Of whom did the party consist?--Of honest, chivalrous, and
enthusiastic men, but mainly of men who were idle, and unable to
take upon their own shoulders the responsibility of real work.
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