as such a thing as judgment to
come. If it were otherwise, it would be difficult to imagine how all the
scoundrels who seemed triumphant in this world, who broke innocent
hearts with impunity, abused unmerited privileges, were a scandal to
honourable callings, took the bread out of the mouths of the poor,
browbeat the humble, and truckled meanly to the rich and proud, were to
be properly paid off in such coin as they had earned. But," he added,
"whenever he got low-spirited about such-like goings-on, and their
seeming success in this mucky lump of a planet, he just reached down t'
owd book" (pointing to a great Bible in the bookcase), "opened it like
at a chance, and he was sure to light of a verse blazing wi' a blue
brimstone low that set all straight. He knew," he said, "where some folk
war bound for, just as weel as if an angel wi' great white wings had
come in ower t' door-stone and told him."

"Sir," said Mr. Helstone, collecting all his dignity--"sir, the great
knowledge of man is to know himself, and the bourne whither his own
steps tend."

"Ay, ay. You'll recollect, Mr. Helstone, that Ignorance was carried away
from the very gates of heaven, borne through the air, and thrust in at a
door in the side of the hill which led down to hell."

"Nor have I forgotten, Mr. Yorke, that Vain-Confidence, not seeing the
way before him, fell into a deep pit, which was on purpose there made by
the prince of the grounds, to catch vainglorious fools withal, and was
dashed to pieces with his fall."

"Now," interposed Mr. Moore, who had hitherto sat a silent but amused
spectator of this worldly combat, and whose indifference to the party
politics of the day, as well as to the gossip of the neighbourhood, made
him an impartial, if apathetic, judge of the merits of such an
encounter, "you have both sufficiently blackballed each other, and
proved how cordially you detest each other, and how wicked you think
each other. For my part, my hate is still running in such a strong
current against the fellows who have broken my frames that I have none
to spare for my private acquaintance, and still less for such a vague
thing as a sect or a government. But really, gentlemen, you both seem
very bad by your own showing--worse than ever I suspected you to be.--I
dare not stay all night with a rebel and blasphemer like you, Yorke; and
I hardly dare ride home with a cruel and tyrannical ecclesiastic like
Mr. Helstone."

"I am going, however,