in
advance of their generation have always fared badly. Ages ago they were
put to death cruelly and violently. Now they are left to starve, and
die. The creatures are ignorant, but they are worse than that; they are
selfish and jealous, and will rather sit in gloom, than owe light, and
confess they owe it, to a fellow mortal and a superior spirit."

"I am afraid, Mr Planner, after such an observation, that you will
hardly give me credit for the feeling which has induced me to visit you
this morning."

"You are a good fellow, Michael. You were always a generous-hearted
lad--an exception to the general rule. When you were five years old, you
used to share your biscuits with me. It was a fine trait in your
character. Proceed."

"You are aware, Mr Planner, that through my father's death increased
responsibilities have come upon me."

"You may say that. He never would take my advice about the bank-notes.
Stop--remind me before you go, of the few hints to bankers, which I drew
up. You will do well to look at them. You'll see the advantages of my
system of paper issues. Your father, sir, was stone-blind to his own
interests---- but I am interrupting you."

"I have for some time past determined to associate with me in the bank,
two gentlemen of noble fortunes and the first respectability. I would
not willingly carry on the concern alone, and the accession of two such
gentlemen as I describe, cannot but be in every way desirable."

"Humph--go on."

"Now Mr Planner, you are a very, very old friend of my father's, and I
know he valued your advice as it deserved to be."

"The old gentleman was good in the main, Michael."

"Had he been aware of my position, he would have recommended the step
which I am about to adopt. Mr Planner, I am young, and therefore
inexperienced. These gentlemen are very worthy persons no doubt; indeed,
I am assured they are; still, they are comparatively strangers to me,
and I am certain you would advise me to be most cautious."

"Proceed."

"What I feel to want is the constant presence of a friend--one who, from
personal attachment, may have my welfare and interest at heart, and form
as it were a second self at all times--let me be present or absent--and
absent I must be very often--you perceive?"

"Precisely."

"A sort of counterpoise to the opposite weight, in fact, if I may be
allowed to call it so. Now, I can sincerely affirm that I know no
person, Mr Planner, in whom I could rely so en