ance--can throw 'emselves out o' 'emselves, in a manner o'
speaking, so that they can see their own bodies, just as if they was
miles away, same as I can see that man walking on the Deadborough Road.

"Well, I've often done it, and many's the story I could tell of things
I've seen by day and night; but it wasn't till I went to hear Sir Robert
Ball as the grand idea came to me. 'Why not throw yerself into the
stars, Bob?' I sez to myself. And, by gum, sir, I did it that very
night. How I did it I don't know; I won't say as there weren't a drop o'
drink in it; but the minute I'd _got through_, I felt as I'd stretched
out wonderful and, blessed if I didn't find myself standin' wi' millions
of other spirits, right in the middle o' Saturn's rings. And the things
I see there I couldn't tell you, no, not if you was to give me a
thousand pounds. Talk o' spirits! I tell you there was millions on 'em!
And the lights and the colours--oh, but it's no good talkin'! I looked
back and wanted to know where the earth was, and there I see it,
dwindled to a speck o' light.

"Now you can understand why I keeps my mouth shut. Do you think I'm
going to talk of them things to a lot o' folks that's got no more sense
nor swine? Not me! And what else is there that's worth talking on? Who's
goin' to make a fuss and go blatherin' about this and that, when you
know the whole earth's no bigger nor a pea? My eyes! if some o' these
'ere talkin' politicians knowed half o' what I know, they'd stop their
blowin' pretty quick.

"There's our parson--and he's a good man, though not half good enough
for _her_--why, you might as well talk to a babby three months old! If I
told him, he'd only think I was crazy; and like as not he'd send for old
Doctor Kenyon to come up and feel my head, same as they did wi' Shepherd
Toller, Clun Downs way, before they put him in the asylum. I sometimes
says to my missis that it's a good thing I'm a poor man wi' nowt but a
flock o' sheep to look after. For don't you see, sir, when once you've
got hold o' the bigness o' things it's all one--flocks o' sheep and
nations o' men? If I were King o' England, or Prime Minister, or any
sort o' great man, knowing what I know, I'd only think I were a bigger
humbug nor the rest. I couldn't keep it up. But bein' only a shepherd,
I've got nothing to keep up, and I'm thankful I haven't.

"I allus knows when folks has got things wrong end up by the amount they
talks. When you get 'em the ri