BIRDS' NESTS. 205 



there are too many of those who disobey God's 

 commandments, both in that and other ways, 

 for us to fix on any one as the culprit. John- 

 son, I dare say, would not shrink from break- 

 ing into a garden, more than into an orchard 

 or a park ; but you must remember that he 

 has not been brought up to see any harm in 

 robbing birds' nests anywhere. It would be 

 unjust, however, to take it for granted that he 

 would steal ducks' and pheasants' eggs, which 

 are private property, because he does not 

 scruple to take the eggs of a thrush or black- 

 bird, which can scarcely be said to belong to 

 any one, or to which no one at least lays claim. 

 Therefore, though you may suspect Johnson, 

 in your own mind, you have no right to injure 

 him by naming your suspicions to a single 

 person, not even to me, unless indeed you have 

 a good reason, which you say you have not." 



Henry could not but see the justice of this 

 remark, and said no more, though his thoughts 

 still ran in the same direction ; and to tell the 



