THE SMUGGLER. 17 



tree should be a good way down. If all creatures had their 

 rights, man would not be the cock of the walk, as he is now; 

 a feeble, vain, self-sufficient, sensual monkey, who has no 

 farther advantages over other apes than being able to speak 

 and cook his dinner." 



"May I ask," inquired the livelier of the two young men, 

 " what is the gentlemanly beast you would put over his head?" 



" A great many, a great many," replied the other. " Dogs, 

 horses, elephants, certainly; I think elephants at the top. I 

 am not sure how I would class lions and tigers, who decidedly 

 have one advantage over man, that of being stronger and 

 nobler beasts of prey. He is only at the head of the tribe 

 Simia, and should be described by naturalists as the largest, 

 cunningest, and most gluttonous of baboons." 



The gay traveller laughed aloud ; and even his grave com- 

 panion smiled, saying, drily, " On my life, I believe there's 

 some truth in it!" 



" Truth, sir!" exclaimed the old gentleman. "It's as true 

 as we are living. How dare man compare himself to a dog? 

 An animal with greater sagacity, stronger affections, infinitely 

 more honour and honesty, a longer memory, and a truer heart. 

 I would not be a man if I could be a dog, I can assure you." 



" Many a man leads the life of a dog," said the gay travel- 

 ler. " I'm sure I have, for the last five or six years." 



" If you have led as honest a life, sir," rejoined the old man* 

 " you may be very proud of it." 



What the other would have answered cannot be told, for at 

 that moment the coach stopped to change horses, which was 

 an operation, in those days, occupying about a quarter of an 

 hour, and the whole party got out and went into the little inn 

 to obtain some breakfast ; for between London and Folkestone, 

 which was to be the ultimate resting-place of the vehicle, two 

 hours and a half, upon the whole, were consumed with break- 

 fast, dinner, tea, and supper. Thus any party of travellers 

 proceeding together throughout the entire journey, had a much 

 better opportunity of becoming thoroughly acquainted with 

 each other than many a man has before marriage with the 

 wife he takes to his bosom. 



Though the conversation of the old gentleman was, as the 

 reader has perceived, somewhat morose and misanthropical, he 

 showed himself very polite and courteous at the breakfast table ; 



