166 HIS SHOPMATES UNPERSUADED. CHAP. ix. 



entered. But one and all agreed, that though they 

 might have imagined that Edward had done some- 

 thing towards making the collection, they could not 

 believe that he had done it all by himself, whilst 

 working at his trade. They were working men them- 

 selves, and knew what they had to contend with, in 

 the form of want of time, want of means, and difficul- 

 ties of all sorts. These considerations only tended 

 to heighten their sense of astonishment the more. 



Some of Edward's other acquaintances also called, 

 and they, like the others, declared that it was perfectly 

 impossible for any working-man to have made such 

 a collection by himself without any extraneous aid. 

 One of his old shopmates called frequently, and 

 Edward endeavoured to convince him that the thing 

 was quite feasible ; but he insisted that he must 

 have got assistance or help in some way or another. 



"Well," said Edward, "you remember how I 

 worked beside you in the old garret in Shoe Lane, 

 how I was never idle, and was always busy at some- 

 thing, whether I had shoemaking to do or not. Very 

 well ! I continued the same practice after I left you ; 

 and when I got a wife, instead of growing lazier, I 

 became more ardent than ever. I squeezed the pith 

 and substance out of every moment to make the most 

 of it ; and raxed and drew every farthing out like a 

 piece of india-rubber, until I could neither rax nor 

 draw it any more. I have thus endeavoured to 

 make the most and the best of everything." 



