was keen and genuine. The English peasant is
too much a gentleman to be a flatterer, and compliments were often
bestowed in very unexpected forms. "They do tell me as 'is
understanding's no worse than it always were," was a ploughman's way of
saying that an uncle of mine was in full possession of his faculties.
"We call 'im 'Lord Charles' because he's so old and so cunning," was
another's description of a pony which had belonged to my father. "Ah, I
know you're but a poor creature at the best!" was the recognized way of
complimenting a lady on what she considered her bewitching and romantic
delicacy.

But these eccentricities were merely verbal, and under them lay a deep
vein of genuine and lasting regard. "I've lived under four dukes and
four 'ousekeepers, and I'm not going to be put upon in my old age!" was
the exclamation of an ancient poultry-woman, whose dignity had been
offended by some irregularity touching her Christmas dinner. When the
daughter of the house married and went into a far country, she was sure
to find some emigrant from her old home who welcomed her with effusion,
and was full of enquiries about his Lordship and her Ladyship, and Miss
Pinkerton the governess, and whether Mr. Wheeler was still coachman, and
who lived now at the Entrance Lodge. Whether the sons got commissions,
or took ranches, or became curates in slums, or contested remote
constituencies, some grinning face was sure to emerge from the crowd
with "You know me, sir? Bill Juffs, as used to go birds-nesting with
you"; or, "You remember my old dad, my lord? He used to shoe your black
pony." When the eldest son came of age, his condescension in taking this
step was hailed with genuine enthusiasm. When he came into his kingdom,
there might be some grumbling if he went in for small economies, or
altered old practices, or was a "hard man" on the Bench or at the Board
of Guardians; but, if he went on in the good-natured old ways, the
traditional loyalty was unabated. Lord Shaftesbury wrote thus about the
birth of his eldest son's eldest son:--"My little village is all agog
with the birth of a son and heir in the very midst of them, the first,
it is believed, since 1600, when the first Lord Shaftesbury was born.
The christening yesterday was an ovation. Every cottage had flags and
flowers. We had three triumphal arches; and all the people were
exulting. 'He is one of us.' 'He is a fellow-villager.' 'We have now got
a lord of our own.' This is