his pedantry, "meditating upon the transparency of all human
events; but as for the beef and mutton, I advise you to boil the beef,
and roast the mutton, or vice versa, to boil the mutton, and roast the
beef. But I persave my mother has anticipated me, and boiled them both
with that flitch of bacon that's playing the vagrant in the big pot
there. _Tria juncla in uno_, as Horace says in the Epodes, when
expatiating upon the Roman Emperors--ehem!"

"Misther Denis," said one of those present, "maybe you'd tell us upon
the watch, what the hour is, if you plase, sir; myself never can know
right at all, except by the shadow of the sun from the corner of our own
gavel."

"Why," replied Denis, pulling it out with much pomp of manner, "it's
just half-past two to a quarter of a minute, and a few seconds."

"Why thin what a quare thing entirely a watch is," the other continued;
"now what makes you hould it to your ear, Misther Denis, if you plase?"

"The efficient cause of that, Larry, is, that the drum of the ear,
you persave--the drum of the ear--is enabled to catch the intonations
produced by the machinery of its internal operations--otherwise the fact
of applying it to the ear would be unnecessary--altogether unnecessary."

"Dear me! see what it is to have the knowledge, any way! But isn't it
quare how it moves of itself like a livin' crathur? How is that, Misther
Denis?"

"Why, Larry,--ehem--you see the motions of it are--that is--the works
or operations, are all continually going; and sure it is from that
explanation that we say a watch goes well. That's more than you ever
knew before, Larry."

"Indeed it surely is, sir, an' is much oblaged to you, Misther Denis;
sure if I ever come to wear a watch in my fob, I'll know something about
it, anyhow."

For the remainder of that day Denis was as learned and consequential
as ever; his friends, when their hearts were opened by his father's
hospitality, all promised him substantial aid in money, and in presents
of such articles as they supposed might be serviceable to him in
Maynooth. Denny received their proffers of support with suitable dignity
and gratitude. A scene of bustle and preparation now commenced among
them, nor was Denny himself the least engaged; for it somehow happened,
that notwithstanding his profound erudition, he felt it necessary to
read night or day in order to pass with more eclat the examination which
he had to stand before the bishop ere his appointm