well enough five hundred years ago," said Stangrave, who had that
filial reverence for English antiquity which sits so gracefully upon
many highly educated and far-sighted Americans.

"Worn to the stumps, now, too many of them, sir; and want new-hething,
as our broom-squires would say; and I doubt whether most of them are
worth the cost of a fresh bind. Not that I can say that of the young
lord. He's foremost in all that's good, if he had but money; and
when he hasn't, he gives brains. Gave a lecture, in our institute at
Whitford, last winter, on the four great Poets. Shot over my head a
little, and other people's too: but my Mary--my daughter, sir, thought
it beautiful; and there's nothing that she don't know."

"It is very hopeful, to see your aristocracy joining in the general
movement, and bringing their taste and knowledge to bear on the lower
classes."

"Yes, sir! We're going all right now, in the old country. Only have
to steer straight, and not put on too much steam. But give me the
new-comers, after all. They may be close men of business;--how else
could one live? But when it comes to giving, I'll back them against
the old ones for generosity, or taste either. They've their proper
pride, when they get hold of the land; and they like to show it, and
quite right they. You must see my little place too. It's not in such
bad order, though I say it, and am but a country banker: but I'll back
my flowers against half the squires round--my Mary's, that is--and my
fruit too.--See, there! There's my lord's new schools, and his model
cottages, with more comforts in them, saving the size, than my
father's house had; and there's his barrack, as he calls it, for the
unmarried men--reading-room, and dining-room, in common; and a library