d forced his way; but that he now
really did wish to solicit an interview for a personage of great
literary pretensions, who sometimes dealt with him, and who had come
from the West End for the honour of an interview with Mr. Reding.
Charles groaned, but only one reply was possible; the day was already
wasted, and with a sort of dull resignation he gave permission for the
introduction of the stranger.

It was a pale-faced man of about thirty-five, who, when he spoke, arched
his eyebrows, and had a peculiar smile. He began by expressing his
apprehension that Mr. Reding must have been wearied by impertinent and
unnecessary visitors--visitors without intellect, who knew no better
than to obtrude their fanaticism on persons who did but despise it. "I
know more about the Universities," he continued, "than to suppose that
any congeniality can exist between their members and the mass of
religious sectarians. You have had very distinguished men among you,
sir, at Oxford, of very various schools, yet all able men, and
distinguished in the pursuit of Truth, though they have arrived at
contradictory opinions."

Not knowing what he was driving at, Reding remained in an attitude of
expectation.

"I belong," he continued, "to a Society which is devoted to the
extension among all classes of the pursuit of Truth. Any philosophical
mind, Mr. Reding, must have felt deep interest in your own party in the
University. Our Society, in fact, considers you to be distinguished
Confessors in that all-momentous occupation; and I have thought I could
not pay yourself individually, whose name has lately honourably appeared
in the papers, a better compliment than to get you elected a member of
our Truth Society. And here is your diploma," he added, handing a sheet
of paper to him. Charles glanced his eye over it; it was a paper, part
engraving, part print, part manuscript. An emblem of truth was in the
centre, represented, not by a radiating sun or star, as might be
expected, but as the moon under total eclipse, surrounded, as by cherub
faces, by the heads of Socrates, Cicero, Julian, Abelard, Luther,
Benjamin Franklin, and Lord Brougham. Then followed some sentences to
the effect that the London Branch Association of the British and Foreign
Truth Society, having evidence of the zeal in the pursuit of Truth of
Charles Reding, Esq., member of Oxford University, had unanimously
elected him into their number, and had assigned him the dignified and