metaphysical poetry! And so it shall strike you--for though I am glad
that, since you _did_ misunderstand me, you said so, and have given me
an opportunity of doing by another way what I wished to do in
_that_,--yet, if you had _not_ alluded to my writing, as I meant you
should not, you would have certainly understood _something_ of its
drift when you found me next Tuesday precisely the same quiet (no, for
I feel I speak too loudly, in spite of your kind disclaimer, but--)
the same mild man-about-town you were gracious to, the other
morning--for, indeed, my own way of worldly life is marked out long
ago, as precisely as yours can be, and I am set going with a hand,
winker-wise, on each side of my head, and a directing finger before my
eyes, to say nothing of an instinctive dread I have that a certain
whip-lash is vibrating somewhere in the neighbourhood in playful
readiness! So 'I hope here be proofs,' Dogberry's satisfaction that,
first, I am but a very poor creature compared to you and entitled by
my wants to look up to you,--all I meant to say from the first of the
first--and that, next, I shall be too much punished if, for this piece
of mere inconsideration, you deprive me, more or less, or sooner or
later, of the pleasure of seeing you,--a little over boisterous
gratitude for which, perhaps, caused all the mischief! The reasons you
give for deferring my visits next week are too cogent for me to
dispute--that is too true--and, being now and henceforward 'on my good
behaviour,' I will at once cheerfully submit to them, if needs
must--but should your mere kindness and forethought, as I half
suspect, have induced you to take such a step, you will now smile with
me, at this new and very unnecessary addition to the 'fears of me' I
have got so triumphantly over in your case! Wise man, was I not, to
clench my first favourable impression so adroitly ... like a recent
Cambridge worthy, my sister heard of; who, being on his theological
(or rather, scripture-historical) examination, was asked by the Tutor,
who wished to let him off easily, 'who was the first King of
Israel?'--'Saul' answered the trembling youth. 'Good!' nodded
approvingly the Tutor. 'Otherwise called _Paul_,' subjoined the youth
in his elation! Now I have begged pardon, and blushingly assured you
_that_ was only a slip of the tongue, and that I did really _mean_ all
the while, (Paul or no Paul), the veritable son of Kish, he that owned
the asses, and found li