In England, however, the elections have not gone equally well.
The Liberal defeat in North Lincolnshire has been fol- lowed by a still more severe defeat in North Durham, and a dis- creditable collapse in Cambridgeshire. In North Durham, Sir George Elliot, a baronet who was a pitman, and enjoys a double popularity in consequence, has defeated Mr. Laing, a respectable candidate, but locally little known, by 5,548 to 4,896, a majority of 652. That is, of course, a complete defeat ; but that is not the worst, for in 1880 Colonel Jokey polled 6,233 votes, and 1,337 Liberals have therefore abstained from voting. In Cam- bridgeshire, the Marquis of Blandford, the eldest son of the Duke of Marlborough, but a Liberal, three days before the poll bolted off the course, saying, according to one account, that there was no hope, but according to another and fuller one, that there was no hope without a severe contest, for which he had not the money. We do not sup- pose the Marquis would have won, though if he did not mean to fight he should have stayed away, and continued to pour out his heart in magazines ; and the total result makes it evident that in the counties Mr. Gladstone's policy has created no enthusiasm. The Irish have worn out the farmers' tempers,—and we hardly wonder at it. We have endeavoured elsewhere to explain the three defeats, but have
neither the inclination nor the means to explain them away. The Liberals have still to educate the people.
