'it is a bad habit. I have but one word to add:
should you ever grow tired of authorship follow your first idea of
getting into Parliament; you have words enough at command; perhaps you
want manner and method; but, in that case, you must apply to a teacher,
you must take lessons of a master of elocution.'

'That would never do!' said my host; 'I know myself too well to think of
applying for assistance to any one. Were I to become a parliamentary
orator, I should wish to be an original one, even if not above
mediocrity. What pleasure should I take in any speech I might make,
however original as to thought, provided the gestures I employed and the
very modulation of my voice were not my own? Take lessons, indeed! why,
the fellow who taught me, the professor, might be standing in the gallery
whilst I spoke; and, at the best parts of my speech, might say to
himself, "That gesture is mine--that modulation is mine." I could not
bear the thought of such a thing.'

'Farewell,' said I, 'and may you prosper. I have nothing more to say.'

I departed. At the distance of twenty yards I turned round suddenly; my
friend was just withdrawing his finger from the bar of the gate.

{picture:My friend was just withdrawing his finger from the bar of the
gate: page369.jpg}

'He has been touching,' said I, as I proceeded on my way; 'I wonder what
was the evil chance he wished to baffle.'

CHAPTER LXVIII

Elastic step--Disconsolate party--Not the season--Mend your draught--Good
ale--Crotchet--Hammer and tongs--Schoolmaster--True Eden life--Flaming
Tinman--Twice my size--Hard at work--My poor wife--Grey Moll--A
Bible--Half-and-half--What to do--Half inclined--In no time--On one
condition--Don't stare--Like the wind.

After walking some time, I found myself on the great road, at the same
spot where I had turned aside the day before with my new-made
acquaintance, in the direction of his house. I now continued my journey
as before, towards the north. The weather, though beautiful, was much
cooler than it had been for some time past; I walked at a great rate,
with a springing and elastic step. In about two hours I came to where a
kind of cottage stood a little way back from the road, with a huge oak
before it, under the shade of which stood a little pony and a cart, which
seemed to contain various articles. I was going past--when I saw
scrawled over the door of the cottage, 'Good beer sold here'; upon which,
feeling myse