over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well housed, well warmed and well fed.

‘Blandmour,’ said I that evening, as after tea I sat on his comfortable sofa, before a blazing fire, with one of his two ruddy little children on my knee, ‘you are not what may rightly be called a rich man; you have a fair competence; no more. Is it not so? Well, then, I do not include you when I say that if ever a rich man speaks prosperously to me of a poor man, I shall set it down as—I won’t mention the word.’