[The Nomination of Mr. Herries]

First published Edinburgh Saturday Post, 1 September 1827, p. 132. Reprinted Tave, pp. 85–9 (with attribution, pp. 89–90). Likely signs of De Quincey include the word ‘contemporaries’ (where most contributors would have preferred ‘cotemporaries’, the italicization of ‘that’, and other italics used for conversational effect, the striking combination of classical quotations with colloquial terms like ‘jobber’ and ‘jockey’, and the apostrophe to the ‘reader’. This leading article seems continuous with De Quincey’s other articles on English newspapers in the Post in 1827. Finally, it is relevant that De Quincey replaced Peterkin as editor of the Post the following week; for the foreseeable future, De Quincey’s editorial duties would normally include writing each week’s leader for the fourth page.