'I suppose Lord Monmouth does not trouble himself much about the New Poor
Law?'

'Hardly,' said Coningsby. 'My grandfather's frequent absence from England,
which his health, I believe, renders quite necessary, deprives him of the
advantage of personal observation on a subject, than which I can myself
conceive none more deeply interesting.'

'I am glad to hear you say so,' said the Duke, 'and it does you great
credit, and Henry too, whose attention, I observe, is directed very much
to these subjects. In my time, the young men did not think so much of such
things, and we suffer consequently. By the bye, Everingham, you, who are a
Chairman of a Board of Guardians, can give me some information. Supposing
a case of out-door relief--'

'I could not suppose anything so absurd,' said the son-in-law.

'Well,' rejoined the Duke, 'I know your views on that subject, and it
certainly is a question on which there is a good deal to be said. But
would you under any circumstances give relief out of the Union, even if
the parish were to save a considerable sum?'

'I wish I knew the Union where such a system was followed,' said Lord
Everingham; and his Grace seemed to tremble under his son-in-law's glance.

The Duke had a good heart, and not a bad head. If he had not made in his
youth so many Latin and English verses, he might have acquired
considerable information, for he had a natural love of letters, though his
pack were the pride of England, his barrel seldom missed, and his fortune
on the turf, where he never betted, was a proverb. He was good, and he