y
appreciated, for their naked merits. Little of this exists in
America, where no man is much praised for himself, but for the
purposes of party, or to feed national vanity. In the country in
which, of all others, political opinion ought to be the freest, it is
the most persecuted, and the community-character of the nation
induces every man to think he has a right of property in all its
fame. England exhibits a great deal of this weakness and injustice,
which, it is to be feared, is a vicious fruit of liberty; for it is
certain that the sacred nature of opinion is most appreciated in
those countries in which it has the least efficiency. We are
constantly deriding those governments which fetter opinion, and yet I
know of no nation in which the expression of opinion is so certain to
attract persecution and hostility as our own, though it may be, and
is, in one sense, free."

"This arises from its potency. Men quarrel about opinion here,
because opinion rules. It is but one mode of struggling for power.
But to return to my guardian; he was a man to think and act for
himself, and as far from the magazine and newspaper existence that
most Americans, in a moral sense, pass, as any man could be."

"It is indeed a newspaper and magazine existence," said John
Effingham, smiling at Paul's terms, "to know life only through such
mediums! It is as bad as the condition of those English who form
their notions of society from novels written by men and women who
have no access to it, and from the records of the court journal. I
thank you sincerely, Mr. Powis for this confidence, which has not
been idly solicited on my part, and which shall not be abused. At no
distant day we will break the seals again, and renew our
investigations into this affair of the unfortunate Monday, which is
not yet, certainly, very promising in the way of revelations."

The gentlemen shook hands cordially, and Paul, lighted by his
companion, withdrew. When the young man was at the door of his own
room, he turned, and saw John Effingham following him with his eye.
The latter then renewed the good night, with one of those winning
smiles that rendered his face so brilliantly handsome, and each
retired.

Chapter XIX.

"Item, a capon, 2_s_. 2_d_. Item, sauce, 4_d_. Item, sack, two
gallons, 5_s_. 8_d_. Item, bread, a half-penny."

SHAKSPEARE.

The next day John Effingham made no allusion to the conversation of
the previous night, though the squeeze