r Brindley. 'Look there,
"Passengers are requested not to spit on the floor." Simply an
encouragement to lie on the seats and spit on the ceiling, isn't it?
"Wear only Noble's wonderful boots." Suppose we did! Unless they came
well up above the waist we should be prosecuted. But there's no sense
of humour in this district.'

Greengrocers' shops and public-houses were now flying past the windows
of the car. It began to climb a hill, and then halted.

'Here we are!' ejaculated Mr Brindley.

And he was out of the car almost before I had risen.

We strolled along a quiet street, and came to a large building with
many large lighted windows, evidently some result of public effort.

'What's that place?' I demanded.

'That's the Wedgwood Institution.'

'Oh! So that's the Wedgwood Institution, is it?'

'Yes. Commonly called the Wedgwood. Museum, reading-room, public
library--dirtiest books in the world, I mean physically--art school,
science school. I've never explained to you why I'm chairman of the
Management Committee, have I? Well, it's because the Institution is
meant to foster the arts, and I happen to know nothing about 'em. I
needn't tell you that architecture, literature, and music are not arts
within the meaning of the act. Not much! Like to come in and see the
museum for a minute? You'll have to see it in your official capacity
tomorrow.'

We crossed the road, and entered an imposing portico. Just as we did so
a thick stream of slouching men began to descend the steps, like a
waterfall of treacle. Mr Brindley they appeared to see, but evidently I
made no impression on their retinas. They bore down the steps, hands
deep in pockets, sweeping over me like Fate. Even when I bounced off
one of them to a lower step, he showed by no sign that the fact of my
existence had reached his consciousness--simply bore irresistibly
downwards. The crowd was absolutely silent. At last I gained the
entrance hall.

'It's closing-time for the reading room,' said Mr Brindley.

'I'm glad I survived it,' I said.

'The truth is,' said he, 'that people who can't look after themselves
don't flourish in these latitudes. But you'll be acclimatized by
tomorrow. See that?'

He pointed to an alabaster tablet on which was engraved a record of the
historical certainty that Mr Gladstone opened the Institution in 1868,
also an extract from the speech which he delivered on that occasion.

'What do you THINK of Gladstone down here?' I dem