_Fiancée_. Well, she's gone off _since_, that's all; but I wonder at
old Mr. TEAK letting it go out of the family, instead of putting it on
his mantelpiece along with the lustres and the two chiny dogs.

_The I.A._ (_with ungallant candour_). 'Ark at you! Why, you ain't
much more sense nor a chiny dog yourself!

_Moralising Matron_ (_before the Venus of Ostia_). And to think of the
poor ignorant Greeks worshipping a shameless hussey like that; it's a
pity they hadn't someone to teach them more respectable notions! Well,
well! it ought to make us thankful _we_ don't live in those benighted
times, that it ought!

_A Connoisseur_ (_after staring at a colossal Greek lion_). A lion,
eh? Well, it's another proof to my mind that the ancients hadn't got
very far in the statuary line. Now, if you _want_ to see a stone lion
done true to Nature, you've only to walk any day along the Euston
Road.

_A Practical Man_. I dessay it's a fine collection enough, but it's
a pity the things ain't more perfect. _I_ should ha' thought, with so
many odds and ends and rubbish lying about as is no use to nobody at
present, they might ha' used it up in mending some that only requires
a arm 'ere, or a leg there, or a 'ed and what not, to make 'em as good
as ever. But ketch _them_ (_he means the Officials_) taking any extra
trouble if they can help it!

_His Companion_. Ah, but yer see it ain't so easy fitting on bits that
belonged to something different. You've got to look at it _that_ way!