

HOIIATIO SPARK1NS. 159 



" With the utmost pleasure, sir." 



" Happy to see you." 



" Thank you/' 



" We were talking the other evening," resumed the host, addressing 

 Horatio, partly with the view of displaying the conversational powers 

 of his new acquaintance, and partly in the hope of drowning the 

 grocer's stories ; " we were talking the other day about the nature of 

 man. Your argument struck me very forcibly." 



" And me," said Mr. Frederick. Horatio made a graceful incli- 

 nation of the head. 



" Pray what is your opinion of women, Mr. Sparkins ?" inquired 

 Mrs. Malderton. The young ladies simpered. 



" Man," replied Horatio, " man, whether he ranged the bright, 

 gay, flowery plains of a second Eden, or the more sterile, barren, and 

 I may say common-place regions, to which we are compelled to ac- 

 custom ourselves in times such as these ; man, I say, under any cir- 

 cumstances, or in any place whether he were bending beneath the 

 withering blasts of the frigid zone, or scorching under the rays of a 

 vertical sun, man, without woman would be alone." 



" I'm very happy to find you entertain such honourable opinions, 

 Mr. Sparkins," said Mrs. Malderton. 



" And I," added Miss Teresa. Horatio looked his delight, and 

 the young lady blushed like a full-blown peony. 



<( Now it's my opinion " said Mr. Barton 



" I know what you're going to say," interposed Malderton, deter- 

 mined not to give his relation another opportunity, " and I don't 

 agree with you." 



" What !" inquired the astonished grocer. 



ff I am sorry to differ from you, Barton," said the host, in as positive 

 a manner as if he really were contradicting a position which the other 

 had laid down, " but I cannot give my assent to what I consider a 

 very monstrous proposition." 



" But I meant to say " 



" You never can convince me," said Malderton, with an air of 

 obstinate determination. " Never." 



te And I," said Mr. Frederick, following up his father's attack, 

 " cannot entirely agree in Mr. Sparkins' argument." 



" What !" said Horatio, who became more metaphysical, and more 

 argumentative, as he saw the female part of the family listening in 

 wondering delight. " What ! is effect the consequence of cause ? Is 

 cause the precursor of effect ?" 



" That's the point," said Flamwell, in a tone of concurrence. 



" To be sure," said Mr. Malderton. 



(< Because if effect is the consequence of cause, and if cause does 

 precede effect, I apprehend you are decidedly wrong." added Ho- 

 ratio. 



" Decidedly," said the toad-eating Flamwell. 



" At least I apprehend that to be the just and logical deduction," 

 said Sparkins, in a tone of interrogation. 



"No doubt of it," chimed in Flamwell again. "It settles the 

 point." 



