160 SPRING-TIDE. 



the farmer is considered a Jboor ; and so, 

 indeed, he often is, but there are some, and 

 not a few, singular exceptions. I am some- 

 times reminded of the shrewd remark of 

 Fuller " The good yeoman is a gentleman 

 in ore whom the next generation may see 

 refined ; and is the wax, capable of a gentle 

 impression when the prince shall stamp it." 

 Many of these men have better and less 

 dubious pedigrees than thousands of those 

 who affect to despise them. You may test 

 this at the College of Arms, any day you 

 please, by examining the genealogy of a 

 respectable yeoman family. In such men 

 we have the Saxon blood with the least 

 possible alloy ; and it is no uncommon thing 

 to find them occupying the soil which their 

 forefathers have tilled from the days of the 

 Confessor. Good breeding is not always 

 inherent, while it may be found among some 

 in the humblest walks of life. 



J. Yes, I can readily believe that good 



