angry with somebody else. Dr. Johnson, is not so much to be admired
for the independence that dictated that letter, as condemned for the
meanness and servility of seven years of voluntary degradation. It is no
wonder he spoke with bitterness; for, while he censured his Lordship,
he must have despised himself. There is a great difference between a
literary and a political patron. The former is not needed, and a man
does better without one; the latter is essential. A good book, like
good wine, needs no bush; but to get an office, you want merits or
patrons;--merits so great, that they cannot be passed over, or friends
so powerful, they cannot be refused."

"Oh! you can't do nothin', Squire," said Mr. Sick, "send it back to Old
Marm; tell her you have the misfortin to be a colonist; that if her son
would like to be a constable, or a Hogreave, or a thistle-viewer, or
sunthin' or another of that kind, you are her man: but she has got the
wrong cow by the tail this time. I never hear of a patron, I don't think
of a frolic I once had with a cow's tail; and, by hanging on to it like
a snappin' turtle, I jist saved my life, that's a fact.

"Tell you what it is, Squire, take a fool's advice, for once. Here you
are; I have made you considerable well-known, that's a fact; and will
introduce you to court, to king and queen, or any body you please. For
our legation, though they can't dance, p'raps, as well as the French one
can, could set all Europe a dancin' in wide awake airnest, if it chose.
They darsent refuse us nothin', or we would fust embargo, and then go
to war. Any one you want to know, I'll give you the ticket. Look round,
select a good critter, and hold on to the tail, for dear life, and see
if you hante a patron, worth havin'. You don't want none yourself, but
you might want one some time or another, for them that's a comin' arter
you.

"When I was a half grow'd lad, the bears came down from Nor-West one
year in droves, as a body might say, and our woods near Slickville was
jist full of 'em. It warn't safe to go a-wanderin' about there a-doin'
of nothin', I tell _you_. Well, one arternoon, father sends me into the
back pastur', to bring home the cows, 'And,' says he, 'keep a stirrin',
Sam, go ahead right away, and be out of the bushes afore sun-set, on
account of the bears, for that's about the varmints' supper-time.'

"Well, I looks to the sky, and I sees it was a considerable of a piece
yet to daylight down, so I be