Thus the ill humour which a large proportion of the new legislators had brought up from their country seats became more and more aced every day, till they entered on their functions.  One question was much agitated during this unpleasant interval.  Who was to be Speaker?  The junto wished to place Sir Thomas Littleton in the chair.  He was one of their ablest, most zealous and most steadfast friends; and had been, both in the House of Commons and at the Board of Treasury, an invaluable second to Montague.  There was reason indeed to expect a strong opposition.  That Littleton was a Whig was a grave objection to him in the opinion of the Tories.  That he was a placeman, and that he was for a standing army, were grave objections to him in the opinion of many who were not Tories.  But nobody else came forward.  The health of the late Speaker Foley had failed.  Musgrave was talked of in coffeehouses; but the rumour that he would be proposed soon died away.  Seymour’s name was in a few mouths; but Seymour’s day had gone by.  He still possessed, indeed, those advantages which had once made him the first of the country gentlemen of England, illustrious descent, ample fortune, ready and weighty eloquence, perfect familiarity with parliamentary business.  But all these things could not do so much to raise him as his moral character did to drag him down.  Haughtiness such as his, though it could never have been liked, might, if it had been united with elevated sentiments of virtue and honour, have been pardoned.  But of all the forms of pride, even the pride of upstart wealth not excepted, the most offensive is the pride of ancestry when found in company with sordid and ignoble vices, greediness, mendacity, knavery and impudence; and such was the pride of Seymour.  Many, even of those who were well pleased to see the ministers galled by his keen and skilful rhetoric, remembered that he had sold himself more than once, and suspected that he was impatient to sell himself again.  On the very eve of the opening of Parliament, a little tract entitled “Considerations on the Choice of a Speaker” was widely circulated, and seems to have produced a great sensation.  The writer cautioned the representatives of the people, at some length, against Littleton; and then, in even stronger language, though more concisely, against Seymour; but did not suggest any third person.  The sixth of December came, and found the Country party, as it called itself, still unprovided with a candidate.  The King, who had not been many hours in London, took his seat in the House of Lords.  The Commons were summoned to the bar, and were directed to choose a Speaker.  They returned to their Chamber.  Hartington proposed Littleton; and the proposition was seconded by Spencer.  No other person was put in nomination; but there was a warm debate of two hours.  Seymour, exasperated by finding that no party was inclined to support his pretensions, spoke with extravagant violence.  He who could well