plete, especially when dealing with matters that cannot be circumscribed by exact definitions. Otherwise, a code of wisdom might be made which the fool might apply as well as the wisest man. Even the best proverb, though often the expression of the widest experience in the choicest language, can be thoroughly misapplied. It cannot embrace the whole of the subject, and apply in all cases like a mathematical formula. Its wisdom lies in the ear of the hearer. ELLESMERE. Well, I do not know that there is anything more to say about the essay. I suppose you are aware, Dunsford, that Milverton does not intend to give us any more essays for some time. He is distressing his mind about some facts which he wants to ascertain before he will read any more to us. I imagine we are to have something historical next. MILVERTON. Something in which historical records are useful. ELLESMERE. Really it is wonderful to see how beautifully human nature accommodates itself to anything, even to the listening to essays. I shall miss them. MILVERTON. You may miss the talk before and after. ELLESMERE. Well, there is no knowing how much of that is provoked (provoked is a good word, is it not?) by the essays. DUNSFORD. Then, for the present, we have come to an end of our readings. MILVERTON. Yes; but I trust at no distant time to have something more to try your critical powers and patience upon. I hope that that old tower will yet see us meet together here on many a sunny day, discussing various things in friendly council. 'IT is good, in Discourse, and Speech of Conversation, to vary, and intermingle Speech of the present Occasion with Arguments; Tales with Reasons; Asking of Questions, with Telling of Opinions; and Jest with Earnest: For it is a dull Thing to Tire, and as we say now, to Jade, anything too far.'-BACON. Essay of Discourse. I CHAPTER I. AM again enabled to give some account of the readings and conversations at Worth-Ashton during another summer. I need not say much in the way of introduction, having before described our friendly council and the place of our meeting. There was but little alteration in the latter, except that Milverton had put up a sun-dial in the centre of the lawn, with the motto, 'Horas non numero nisi serenas,' which, I remember, gave occasion to Ellesmere to say, that for men the dial was either totally useless or utterly false. The only change about us was, that the animal part of our audience had greatly increased; for Milverton took much pleasure in observing the ways of animals, and Ellesmere, like some other great lawyers of past and present days, was very fond of live creatures of all kinds,-men, women, and children excepted, as I used to tell him. The most extraordinary packages marked 'with great care' and given into the espe |