That political wanderer, the Solicitor-General, is no longer " houseless,
sole, forlorn." He was elected for Launceston this day week, the poll showing for Sir Hardinge Giffard 392, for Mr. Collier 274,—majority, 118,—a result which must somewhat compensate Sir Hardinge for that miserable solitary vote which was all he obtained in the Launceston election of July, 1874. The Conservatives, however, though they have achieved a triumph, have greatly lost ground. At the election of February, 1874, their majority was 237, double that gained by the Solicitor- General. At the election of the July of the same year, their majority was 184, so that their majority has been diminishing progressively on each trial. It is clear that in all parts of the country the Conservatives are losing ground,—partly, no doubt, through the popular disappointment which dogs all Governments, —still more, we imagine, through the very positive demerits of Lord Beaconsfield's policy and Lord Beaconsfield's mode of pre- senting it. If we may not imitate Mr. Disraeli's abusive language by saying that the Conservatives have " blundered and plundered," we may at least say, without any excess of speech, that they have bragged and flagged ; and Englishmen do not like "tall talk "and timid action.
