nd I was
independent.

Still my advances with Susannah were slow, but if slow, they were sure.
One day I observed to her, how happy Mr Cophagus appeared to be as a
married man; her reply was, "He is, Japhet; he has worked hard for his
independence, and he now is reaping the fruits of his industry." That is
as much as to say that I must do the same, thought I, and that I have no
business to propose for a wife, until I am certain that I am able to
provide for her. I have as yet laid up nothing, and an income is not a
capital. I felt that whether a party interested or not, she was right,
and I redoubled my diligence.

Chapter LXV

A variety of the Quaker tribe--who had a curious disintegration
of mind and body.

I was not yet weaned from the world, but I was fast advancing to that
state, when a very smart young Quaker came on a visit to Reading. He was
introduced to Mr and Mrs Cophagus, and was soon, as might be expected, an
admirer of Susannah, but he received no encouragement. He was an idle
person, and passed much of his time sitting in my shop, and talking with
me, and being much less reserved and guarded than the generality of the
young men of the sect, I gradually became intimate with him. One day when
my assistant was out he said to me, "Friend Gnow-land, tell me candidly,
hast thou ever seen my face before?"

"Not that I can recollect, friend Talbot."

"Then my recollection is better than yours, and now having obtained thy
friendship as one of the society, I will remind thee of our former
acquaintance. When thou wert Mr N-e-w-land, walking about town with
Major Carbonnell, I was Lieutenant Talbot, of the--Dragoon Guards."

I was dumb with astonishment, and I stared him in the face.

"Yes," continued he, bursting into laughter, "such is the fact. You
have thought, perhaps, that you were the only man of fashion who had
ever been transformed into a Quaker; now you behold another, so no
longer imagine yourself the Phoenix of your tribe."

"I do certainly recollect that name," replied I; "but although, as you
must be acquainted with my history, it is very easy to conceive why I
have joined the society, yet, upon what grounds you can have so done,
is to me inexplicable."

"Newland, it certainly does require explanation; it has been, I assert,
my misfortune, and not my fault. Not that I am not happy. On the
contrary, I feel that I am now in my proper situation. I ought to have
been born of Q