136 Four-in-Hand in Britain, 



" Shall there not be as good a ' Then ' as ' Now ' ? 

 Haply much better ! since one grain of rice 

 Shoots a green feather gemmed with fifty pearls, 

 And all the starry champak's white and gold 

 Lurks in those little, naked, gray spring-buds." 



I related an incident which happened in Rome. As 

 I entered the general drawing room one evening, an ex- 

 citing discussion was going fonvard on the very subject 

 which we were then considering, A lady of rank was 

 giving expression to very advanced ideas which others 

 were combatting. An old gentleman at last said : 

 " Ladies and gentlemen, all this reminds me of a discus- 

 sion we young men were having once in my good old 

 father's hall, when my father happened to enter. After 

 hstening to us a few minutes he said : * Young men, 

 you may as well cease your arguing. I'll tell you all 

 about it. In this life 



" Our ingress is naked and bare. 

 Our progress is trouble and care, 

 Our egress is — no one knows where. 



If you do well here, you'll do well there, — 



I could tell you no more if I preached for a year." 



The effect was instantaneous. Unanimous adhesion 

 was given to the old gentleman's conclusion, and the 

 party bid each other a cordial good night and went 

 reconciled to bed. I am happy to record that such was 

 also the effect upon the Charioteers. 



It will be taken for granted that while the Charioteers 



