Edinburgh have they sought signatures? They have ransacked the Grassmarket and Lawnmarket, Nicolson-Street, Burrowloch, and South Bridge, High Street, Crosscauseway, and West Bow-their agents, learned counsel and learned writers, have been running round, soliciting shopkeepers, and cajoling brewers and stocking-makers—and they have got― Io triumphe!-the signatures of shopkeepers, brewers, and stocking-makers. And such, with a few exceptions of small note, are "the most respectable citizens of Edinburgh," by whom this meeting of inhabitants is called, and who are to represent the better parts of the motley crew whom we may expect to see assembled by this requisition.

Then "how are the mighty fallen!" Is this the support on which these learned whigs now rely for their expected triumph? are these the sweet voices by which they are to court their Sovereign's favour, and approach the aspect of Princes (unwonted honour!)? Is this the muster-roll in which they number their "most respectable" allies and their strongest friends? Is this the sample by which the pretensions of the meeting to be the inhabitants of Edinburgh are to be determined? Is this the certificate which is to prove to their friends in London their mighty influence, and to satisfy the King at once of their eminent qualifications for office, and the universal wish for their appointment.

See how even these allies have been courted, and the arts employed to please the bakers of the Crosscauseway, and the grocers of the West Bow. Is it,

think you, nothing to these persons-to measurers of tape and retailers of cheese-that they are deemed by learned whigs and eminent counsel as equally worthy and entitled as themselves to call a meeting of the inhabitants of Edinburgh-as equally qualified to counsel Kings and instruct nations? Is it no flattery to their pride to find that the future rulers of the country have no idle and narrow-minded feelings respecting the distinctions of rank or talents, but acknowledge all, aye all, the inhabitants of Edinburgh as fit companions for the future lawyers of the Crown in their high and solemn deliberations? Is it nothing to linen-drapers and tobacconists to find their names standing along with those of learned whigs and eminent counsel, without distinctive mark or note? e. g. The following trios and duetts occur in the list, and explanatory designations are now added:

{

William Drysdale, Lothian Street, (Watchmaker.)
John A. Murray, George Street, (Learned Whig.)
David Anderson, West Bow, (Grocer.)

James Anderson, Burrowloch, (Brewer.)
F. Jeffrey!!! George St. (Learned Whig, &c.&c. &c.)
James Dickson, High Street, (Not in Directory!)

James Gibson, Picardy Place, (W. S. Learned
Whig, Agent of Whiggism, &c.)

John Ritchie, Nicolson Street, (Linen-draper.)

M. A. Fletcher, Queen Street, (Learned Whig.) John Robertson, High Street, (Bookseller.)

Is this, or is this not an attempt to rival the radicals, and to shew that whigs can go as far ad captandum vulgus. But thus has it ever been in the intrigues of whiggism. The real object of whiggery is the ascendancy of a few. The real spirit of whiggery is domineering, aristocratical, and assuming. But selfishness-the irresistible love of distinction, power, and place-the utter indifference as to the means by which these objects are to be obtained, have been, and will ever be, the bane and character of whigs, and times innumerable have they stooped to court the basest passions of the people, and lowest parties in the state: How perseveringly are they, even now, trying to form alliance with the radicals, and recover their popularity with the people-unrepulsed by the derision and scorn, and insults which they have received. How assiduously in this very business have learned whigs and eminent counsel shewn, that if they get numbers-if they get support, they care not of whom their roll consists, and by whose aid they are to take the Cabinet by storm.

Hitherto the more popular part of the game— (at least of the open game)-of whiggism has been played elsewhere-by men of the world, and not by learned whigs-and they have shewn inimitable political dexterity and management in the art with which they have avoided any direct and public communication to all and sundry of the distinctions which rank and talent and situation bestow: But here the game has been begun by learned whigs-not men of the world and their leaders in the south, who,

practised as they are in the pretensions of party, seem themselves to have been gulled by the unceasing vaunting of the learned whigs of the northhad neglected to explain fully the secret principles of their popular tactics. And hence our learned whigs and eminent counsel (perhaps betrayed by the Jacobins of the party) have plunged at once into the very scrape which their friends in the south have so studiously avoided, and have in their very first essay as popular leaders committed, for the sake of momentary and immediate applause, the grievous and irreparable mistake of breaking down all distinctions, and abandoning all claims to superiority-of admitting the herd of followers at once to a level with their would-be leaders, as if some of the keen and active followers will not soon outrun them in the race of popularity, where ardour is the only acknowledged title to superiority.

With what derision, but with what bitter reproach, will not the more practised popular leaders of the southern whigs treat this infatuated blunder of the learned whigs and eminent counsel of the north.

Observe the important practical lessons which these eminent counsel have taught you-thus recording their opinion that any description of persons, in whatever station of life, are fully entitled to convene large meetings for any political purpose not criminal, at their own will and pleasure, without subjecting themselves to the imputation of factious or interested views-to the wish of notoriety, or the desire of promoting selfish purposes. You will not

fail to benefit by these instructions on future occasions, and, with the influence of such an authority, we hope to see frequent and large convocations called by any public-spirited individuals who may think themselves qualified to convene the inhabitants, and who may be likely to have their summons obeyed. Upon this principle, it seems odd that the bellman and town-crier were not called into the service, or that most portly person Mr. Archibald Campbell,* who, on particular occasions, surrounded by tricky boys and admiring children, proclaims to the enslaved inhabitants the arbitrary will of their despotic rulers.

But though the great names of these learned counsel are thus found mixed up with all and sundry, yet it is clear that to them we must in gratitude asscribe this BOLD STROKE FOR PLACE.

Now, admire the disinterested patriotism of the learned whigs with whom the measure originates. The meeting is to tell the King of great and sundry grievances, and of manifold enormities of his ministers to assure him of the new-born attachment to his person, and unabated zeal for his service, entertained by the same learned whigs, who, and their friends, have for nine years abused and attacked this illustrious person in every possible way, with low ribaldry, vulgar insinuations, and ignorant

* It is said that the services of Mr. A. C. were requestedbut that that very long-headed individual thought that there was no likelihood of the whigs coming in, or becoming his civic rulers.