"the country loses its effect on me when I live in it, as you
do; but it is exquisite as a zest. Visit it, do not live in it, if you
would enjoy it. Country air is a stimulus; stimulants, Mr. Reding,
should not be taken too often. You are of the country party. I am of no
party. I go here and there--like the bee--I taste of everything, I
depend on nothing."

Sheffield said that this was rather belonging to all parties than to
none.

"That is impossible," answered Vincent; "I hold it to be altogether
impossible. You can't belong to two parties; there's no fear of it; you
might as well attempt to be in two places at once. To be connected with
both is to be united with neither. Depend on it, my young friend,
antagonist principles correct each other. It's a piece of philosophy
which one day you will thank me for, when you are older."

"I have heard of an American illustration of this," said Sheffield,
"which certainly confirms what you say, sir. Professors in the United
States are sometimes of two or three religions at once, according as we
regard them historically, personally, or officially. In this way,
perhaps, they hit the mean."

Vincent, though he so often excited a smile in others, had no humour
himself, and never could make out the difference between irony and
earnest. Accordingly he was brought to a stand.

Charles came to his relief. "Before dinner," he said, "we were sporting
what you will consider a great paradox, I am afraid; that parties were
good things, or rather necessary things."

"You don't do me justice," answered Vincent, "if this is what you think
I deny. I halve your words; parties are not good, but necessary; like
snails, I neither envy them their small houses, nor try to lodge in them
myself."

"You mean," said Carlton, "that parties do our dirty work; they are our
beasts of burden; we could not get on without them, but we need not
identify ourselves with them; we may keep aloof."

"That," said Sheffield, "is something like those religious professors
who say that it is sinful to engage in worldly though necessary
occupations; but that the reprobate undertake them, and work for the
elect."

"There will always be persons enough in the world who like to be party
men, without being told to be so," said Vincent; "it's our business to
turn them to account, to use them, but to keep aloof. I take it, all
parties are partly right, only they go too far. I borrow from each, I
co-operate with each,