第15部分(第4/7 頁)

d〃？　Upon　that　depends　the　future　of　England。　In　days　gone　by；　our　very　Snob　bore　testimony　after　his　fashion　to　our　scorn　of　meanness；　he　at　all　events　imagined　himself　to　be　imitating　those　who　were　incapable　of　a　sordid　transaction；　of　a　plebeian　pliance。　But　the　Snob；　one　notes；　is　in　the　way　of　degeneracy；　he　has　new　exemplars；　he　speaks　a　ruder　language。　Him；　be　sure；　in　one　form　or　another；　we　shall　have　always　with　us；　and　to　observe　his　habits　is　to　note　the　tenor　of　the　time。　If　he　have　at　the　back　of　his　dim　mind　no　living　ideal　which　lends　his　foolishness　a　generous　significance；　then　indeed……videant　consules。

XXIII

A　visit　from　N…。　He　stayed　with　me　two　days；　and　I　wish　he　could　have　stayed　a　third。　（Beyond　the　third　day；　I　am　not　sure　that　any　man　would　be　wholly　wele。　My　strength　will　bear　but　a　certain　amount　of　conversation；　even　the　pleasantest；　and　before　long　I　desire　solitude；　which　is　rest。）

The　mere　sight　of　N…；　to　say　nothing　of　his　talk；　did　me　good。　If　appearances　can　ever　be　trusted；　there　are　few　men　who　get　more　enjoyment　out　of　life。　His　hardships　were　never　excessive；　they　did　not　affect　his　health　or　touch　his　spirits；　probably　he　is　in　every　way　a　better　man　for　having……as　he　says……〃gone　through　the　mill。〃　His　recollection　of　the　time　when　he　had　to　work　hard　for　a　five…　pound　note；　and　was　not　always　sure　of　getting　it；　obviously　lends　gusto　to　his　present　state　of　ease。　I　persuaded　him　to　talk　about　his　successes；　and　to　give　me　a　glimpse　of　their　meaning　in　solid　cash。　Last　Midsummer　day；　his　receipts　for　the　twelvemonth　were　more　than　two　thousand　pounds。　Nothing　wonderful；　of　course；　bearing　in　mind　what　some　men　are　making　by　their　pen；　but　very　good　for　a　writer　who　does　not　address　the　baser　throng。　Two　thousa