candidate for Middlesex,—a thoroughly characteristic act; for Beal, with all his fiery zeal, has a wonderful knack of converting foes into friends, if only an opportunity of exerting his personal influence is afforded hini. His own mind is so thoroughly made up, that he will speedily make up yours, if you are not on your guard. He became a member of the "Discussion Classes" which then met at the National Hall, Holborn; and there he made the acquaintance of such well-known apostles of Radicalism as Hetherington, Lovett, Watson, and Place.
The first reform with which his name is associated was the abolition of the penny stamp on newspapers. Brougham had succeeded, in 1834, in effecting a reduction of the obnoxious impost from fourpence to a penny; and Hetherington, Place, Beal, and others, in 1848, formed a committee for its total removal. In furtherance of the movement, Beal, in 1849, published an excellent pamphlet entitled "A Few Words in Favor of the Liberty of the Press, and the Abolition of the Penny Stamp on Newspapers." The committee was ultimately merged in an association for the repeal of both the advertisement duty and the paper duty,—objects which were eventually attained.
In 1850 Mr. Beal contributed to "The Freeholder" a valuable series of letters on the land question. They were reprinted in 1855; and a second edition, entitled "Free Trade in Land," appeared in 1876. Both as regards theory and practice, the author shows himself a thorough master of his subject. He has read and he has observed, and both reading and observation have convinced him that our whole system of land-tenure is simply barbarous. From 1851 to 1855 he was actively
