is of infinitely more consequence than either of these gentlemen, though I am far from questioning their respectability."

"My dear Mr. Ringwood," resumed Penguin, vexed at the evident discomposure of those who had departed, and therefore the more anxious to conciliate his remaining auditors, "you will, I am sure, excuse my young friend, when I inform you, that he is but lately arrived from America, and has hardly had time to accustom himself to our manners."

"Tush! neighbour, make no apologies to me, man. I respect the young gentleman for his honest, manly candour; and whatever I may think of his opinions in other respects, I quite agree with him about this foolish and tyrannical attempt at suppressing the fair, which I shall most certainly oppose. Ay, and I should have told the Doctor my mind very plainly, had he not driven off in such dudgeon. Come, lads, shall we trot? There's a heavy shower clouding up from the westward, and we shall have wet jackets, now, before we get to BrookHatch." So saying, he nodded to Penguin and Henry, bade them good evening, and moved off

with his companions at a rapid pace; when the geologist again took his companion to task for his imprudence, reminding him, that whatever latitude might be allowed in America, such heterodox sentiments should never be unguardedly uttered in England, especially in the presence of the clergy and the gentry, in whom they would be sure to cause offence; and above all, reprehending his freedom in presuming to correct the Doctor's English."

"If my opinions be founded in reason and justice," said Henry, "it is precisely the clergy and gentry who ought to hear them; because these are the very classes whose conduct I condemn, in grudging every amusement to the poor, while they cling to their own, whatever evils they may entail; a circumstance which subjects them to a strong suspicion of hypocricy, when they assign moral motives for their interference with all the pastimes of the lower classes. As to the Doctor's grammatical errors, it is surely right he should be told of them; since he who sets up for a teacher of others, ought not to use active participles instead of passive."

"I tell you what, my young Domine, you will hear many blunders committed by persons in authority, in which it will much better become you to be passive than active; and, as you are a stranger among us, you will excuse my telling you, that Englishmen are instructed to respect their betters."

"In which term they are sedulously taught to include all those who are richer than themselves; an interpretation to which I can never be brought to submit. My betters in virtue and knowledge I shall always reverence as they deserve; but I cannot sacrifice my own independence to the mere claims of wealth, or even of station."

"All right, perfectly right! every man should think and act for himself; and, thank God! there is nobody more independent, more free from the control of others, than I am; but still-Gadso! it's positively going to rain. Mrs. Penguin said it would; she cautioned me not to be late; and if I should get wet twice in the same day,

I shall never hear the end on't.

Kind, good,

careful creature! how thoughtful of her to

give me the umbrella. Good night, good night! let me see you early to-morrow."

With these word Penguin started off at a long trot, which was manifestly intended to anticipate, if possible, both the shower and the scolding; while Henry, who cared not for rain, and who had no fear of angry tongues if he did not return by a given hour, quietly pursued his way back to Thaxted.

CHAPTER VI.

At last it was hinted that there could be no way so good as that of a round robin, as the sailors call it, which they make use of, when they enter into a conspiracy, so as not to let it be known who puts his name first or last to the paper.

BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON.

WHILE the gentry in the neighbourhood of Thaxted were preparing to concert measures for the suppression of the fair, those of the lower orders, who anticipated either profit or amusement from its maintenance, had not been idle. On the following morning, a meeting was held in the club-room of the George-inn, for the purpose of considering what were the most advisable steps to be taken in vindication of their legal rights, and for preserving the imme