'Have you read anything?'

'I am afraid I am very ignorant of modern books.'

'Have you read the ancient ones?' asked Laura.

'I've had nothing else to read.'

'Nothing to read but ancient books!' exclaimed Amabel, with a mixture
of pity and astonishment.

'Sanchoniathon, Manetho, Berosus, and Ocellus Lucanus!' said Guy,
smiling.

'There, Amy,' said Charles, 'if he has the Vicar of Wakefield among his
ancient books, you need not pity him.'

'It is like Philip,' said Laura; 'he was brought up on the old standard
books, instead of his time being frittered away on the host of idle
modern ones.'

'He was free to concentrate his attention on Sir Charles Grandison,'
said Charles.

'How could any one do so?' said Guy. 'How could any one have any
sympathy with such a piece of self-satisfaction?'

'Who could? Eh, Laura?' said Charles.