Plugson of Undershot

Carlyle’s typical commercial Radical in the middle of the 19th century, who found that no decent Tory would shake hands with him; but at the close of the century found free-competition company with latter-day Tories.

“There are two motive forces which may impel the Plugsons of Toryism … the pressure is not great enough to … overcome the vis inertia of Plugson and Co.”—Nineteenth Century, Dec., 1892, p. 878.