es in equal number, one of which
communicated with a large air-pump, which stood on a table. Jack took a
short survey, and then walked up to his father and accosted him.

"What!" exclaimed Mr Easy, "is it possible?--yes, it is my son John!
I'm glad to see you, John--very glad indeed," continued the old
gentleman, shaking him by both hands--"very glad that you have come
home: I wanted you--wanted your assistance in my great and glorious
project, which, I thank Heaven, is now advancing rapidly. Very soon
shall equality and the rights of man be proclaimed everywhere. The
pressure from without is enormous, and the bulwarks of our ridiculous
and tyrannical constitution must give way. King, lords, and
aristocrats; landholders, tithe-collectors, church and state, thank God,
will soon be overthrown, and the golden age revived--the millennium, the
true millennium--not what your poor mother talked about. I am at the
head of twenty-nine societies, and if my health lasts, you will see what
I will accomplish now that I have your assistance, Jack;" and Mr Easy's
eyes sparkled and flashed in all the brilliancy of incipient insanity.

Jack sighed, and to turn the conversation he observed, "You have made a
great change in this room, sir. What may all this be for? Is it a
machine to improve equality and the rights of man?"

"My dear son," replied Mr Easy, sitting down, and crossing his legs
complacently, with his two hands under his right thigh, according to his
usual custom when much pleased with himself--"why, my dear son, that is
not exactly the case, and yet you have shown some degree of perception
even in your guess; for if my invention succeeds, and I have no doubt of
it, I shall have discovered the great art of rectifying the mistakes of
nature, and giving an equality of organisation to the whole species, of
introducing all the finer organs of humanity, and of destroying the
baser. It is a splendid invention, Jack, very splendid. They may talk
of Gall and Spurzheim, and all those; but what have they done? nothing
but divided the brain into sections, classed the organs, and discovered
where they reside; but what good result has been gained from that? the
murderer by nature remained a murderer--the benevolent man, a benevolent
man--he could not alter his organisation. I have found out how to
change all that."

"Surely, sir, you would not interfere with the organ of benevolence?"

"But indeed I must, Jack. I myself am