education is universal in China, and so is the bastinado. I thought,
however, that you said the schoolmaster was abroad, and that the age
of enlightenment was in full progress."

"Yes, in the towns, but not in these obsolete rural districts; and
that brings me to the point. I feel lost, thrown away here. I have
something in me, sir, and it can only come out by collision with equal
minds. So do me a favour, will you?"

"With the greatest pleasure."

"Give the governor a hint that he can't expect me, after the education
I have had, to follow the plough and fatten pigs; and that Manchester
is the place for ME."

"Why Manchester?"

"Because I have a relation in business there who will give me a
clerkship if the governor will consent. And Manchester rules
England."

"Mr. Bob Saunderson, I will do my best to promote your wishes. This
is a land of liberty, and every man should choose his own walk in it,
so that, at the last, if he goes to the dogs, he goes to them without
that disturbance of temper which is naturally occasioned by the sense
of being driven to their jaws by another man against his own will. He
has then no one to blame but himself. And that, Mr. Bob, is a great
comfort. When, having got into a scrape, we blame others, we
unconsciously become unjust, spiteful, uncharitable, malignant,
perhaps revengeful. We indulge in feelings which tend to demoralize