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Saunders。〃
〃Yes； my lord； I will order Robert to tell James to come for your
lordship's commands about your lordship's vehicles。 （What could he intend
by a recent observation of a discourteous character？）〃
His lordship soliloquized。
〃I never observed it before； but Saunders is an ass！ La Johnstone is one
of Nature's duchesses； and she has made me know some poor people that
will be richer than the rich one day； and she has taught me that honey is
to be got from bank…notesby merely giving them away。〃
Among the objects of charity Lord Ipsden discovered was one Thomas
Harvey； a maker and player of the violin。 This man was a person of great
intellect； he mastered every subject he attacked。 By a careful
examination of all the points that various fine…toned instruments had in
common； he had arrived at a theory of sound； he made violins to
correspond； and was remarkably successful in insuring that which had been
too hastily ascribed to accidenta fine tone。
This man； who was in needy circumstances； demonstrated to his lordship
that ten pounds would make his fortune； because with ten pounds he could
set up a shop； instead of working out of the world's sight in a room。
Lord Ipsden gave him ten pounds！
A week after； he met Harvey； more ragged and dirty than before。
Harvey had been robbed by a friend whom he had assisted。 Poor Harvey！
Lord Ipsden gave him ten pounds more！
Next week； Saunders； entering Harvey's house； found him in bed at noon；
because he had no clothes to wear。
Saunders suggested that it would be better to give his wife the next
money； with strict orders to apply it usefully。
This was done！
The next day； Harvey； finding his clothes upon a chair； his tools
redeemed from pawn； and a beefsteak ready for his dinner； accused his
wife of having money； and meanly refusing him the benefit of it。 She
acknowledged she had a little； and appealed to the improved state of
things as a proof that she knew better than he the use of money。 He
demanded the said money。 She refusedhe leathered hershe put him in
prison。
This was the best place for him。 The man was a drunkard； and all the
riches of Egypt would never have made him better off。
And here； gentlemen of the lower classes； a word with you。 How can you；
with your small incomes； hope to be well off； if you are more extravagant
than those who have large ones？
〃Us extravagant？〃 you reply。
Yes！ your income is ten shillings a week； out of that you spend three
shillings in drink； ay！ you； the sober ones。 You can't afford it； my
boys。 Find me a man whose income is a thousand a year； well； if he
imitates you； and spends three hundred upon sensuality； I bet you the odd
seven hundred he does not make both ends meet； the proportion is too
great。 And _two…thirds of the distress of the lower orders is owing to
thisthat they are more madly prodigal than the rich； in the worst；
lowest and most dangerous item of all human prodigality！_
Lord Ipsden went to see Mrs。 Harvey； it cost him much to go； she lived in
the Old Town； and he hated disagreeable smells； he also knew from
Saunders that she had two black eyes； and he hated women with black eyes
of that sort。 But this good creature did go； did relieve Mrs。 Harvey；
and； bare…headed； suffered himself to be bedewed ten minutes by her
tearful twaddle。
For once Virtue was rewarded。 Returning over the North Bridge； he met
somebody whom but for his charity he would not have met。
He came in one bright moment plump uponLady Barbara Sinclair。 She
flushed； he trembled； and in two minutes he had forgotten every human
event that had passed since he was by her side。
She seemed pleased to see him； too； she ignored entirely his obnoxious
proposal； he wisely took her cue； and so； on this secret understanding；
they were friends。 He made his arrangements； and dined with her family。
It was a family party。 In the evening Lady Barbara allowed it to
transpire that she had made inquiries about him。
（He was highly flattered。） And she had discovered he was lying hid
somewhere in the neighborhood。
〃Studying the guitar？〃 inquired she。
〃No；〃 said he； 〃studying a new class of the community。 Do you know any of
what they call the 'lower classes'？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Monstrous agreeable people； are they not？〃
〃No； very stupid！ I only know two old womenexcept the servants； who
have no characters。 They imitate us； I suspect； which does not say much
for their taste。〃
〃But some of my friends are young women； that makes all the difference。〃
〃It does！ and you ought to be ashamed。 If you want a low order of mind；
why desert our own circle？〃
〃My friends are only low in station； they have rather lofty minds； some
of them。〃
〃Well； amuse yourself with these lofty minds。 Amusement is the end of
being； you know； and the aim of all the men of this day。〃
〃We imitate the ladies；〃 said he； slyly。
〃You do；〃 answered she； very dryly； and so the dialogue went on； and Lord
Ipsden found the pleasure of being with his cousin compensate him fully
for the difference of their opinions； in fact； he found it simply amusing
that so keen a wit as his cousins s could be entrapped into the humor of
decrying the time one happens to live in； and admiring any epoch one
knows next to nothing about； and entrapped by the notion of its
originality； above all things； the idea being the stale commonplace of
asses in every age； and the manner of conveying the idea being a mere
imitation of the German writers； not the good ones； _bien entendu；_ but
the quill…drivers； the snobs of the Teutonic pen。
But he was to learn that follies are not always laughable； that _eadem
sentire_ is a bond； and that； when a clever and pretty woman chooses to
be a fool； her lover； if he is wise； will be a greaterif he can。
The next time they met； Lord Ipsden found Lady Barbara occupied with a
gentleman whose first sentence proclaimed him a pupil of Mr。 Thomas
Carlyle； and he had the mortification to find that she had neither an ear
nor an eye for him。
Human opinion has so many shades that it is rare to find two people
agree。
But two people may agree wonderfully； if they will but let a third think
for them both。
Thus it was that these two ran so smoothly in couples。
Antiquity； they agreed； was the time when the world was old； its hair
gray； its head wise。 Every one that said； 〃Lord； Lord！〃 two hundred years
ago was a Christian。 There were no earnest men now； Williams； the
missionary； who lived and died for the Gospel； was not earnest in
religion； but Cromwell； who packed a jury； and so murdered his
prisonerCromwell； in whose mouth was heaven； and in his heart temporal
sovereigntywas the pattern of earnest religion； or； at all events；
second in sincerity to Mahomet alone； in the absence of details
respecting Satan； of whom we know only that his mouth is a Scripture
concordance； and his hands the hands of Mr。 Carlyle's saints。
Then they went back a century or two； and were eloquent about the great
antique heart； and the beauty of an age whose samples were Abbot Sampson
and Joan of Arc。
Lord Ipsden hated argument； but jealousy is a brass spur； it made even
this man fluent