138 A RETORT. 



viser that the two were endeavouring to 

 raise a laugh at my expense in conse- 

 quence of their having been disappointed 

 in their object, which was to disqualify 

 me " It is true," I said, " I have written 

 of Rome, but it does not follow that I 

 should have been there. You, I believe, 

 have written of Ten Thousand a- Year, but 

 it does not necessarily follow that you ever 

 did, or ever will, possess such an income, 

 either from your professional or your 

 literary exertions." 



This retort a thing in which I was by 

 no means an adept had the desired effect, 

 and put a stop to the impertinent allusions 

 of my querists. 



But it would be doing an injustice to the 

 town and to the profession were I to omit 

 due mention of the worthy. There are, no 

 doubt, men of high honour and principle 

 among them gentlemen in the real sense 

 of that word who would scorn to descend 

 to the machinations that are productive of 



