72 
THE EAT. 
I may say this was the first bold enterprise of my lite. 
Father was a shrewd arguer and a stern- countenanced man ; 
therefore no liberties would do ; but at the same time he pos- 
sessed feelings as kind and sensitive as Charity itself. I 
lost no time in making myself acquainted with all the rami- 
fications of a warrener's business, and ascertained all the 
best markets, as well as the wholesale and retail prices of 
everything in connection with my new project. Thus far I 
considered myself equipped for the struggle j but when 
should it take place ? that was the question ! I recollected 
once having heard my father say, if you have a favour to 
ask of a man, let it be after dinner, for then he is so composed 
and comfortable that he will grant you anything ; but if 
you ask him before dinner you might as well ask a wolf for 
its fangs. I therefore resolved upon taking his advice, and 
come down upon him after dinner. This I did ; and never 
did a hawk more keenly eye every movement of his in- 
tended victim than I did every muscle and feature of 
my father's countenance. With an apparent indifference I 
opened the budget by asking the following questions : first, 
what was his opinion of rabbits ? if he did not think that they 
were very pretty, healthy, and profitable creatures ? secondly, 
if he did not think that country gentlemen were very much to 
blame for not improving the breed of them in their warrens ? 
He turned and fixed his eyes upon me with an expression of 
wonder, almost amounting to bewilderment ; and then 
resumed his work without giving me an answer. After- 
wards my father, who either was, or appeared to be, more 
than usually absorbed in his business, without looking at me, 
asked me what I had been speaking about, when I renewed 
the questions, as to whether he did not think that rabbits 
were very pretty, healthy, and profitable creatures ; and 
whether he did not think also that country gentlemen were 
very much to blame for not trying to improve the breed 
of them in their warrens ? After another brief silence 
and a pinch of snuff, both of which were resorted to for 
time to gather his replies, he thus expressed himself As to 
rabbits, he thought them very pretty things where there 
was convenience for keeping them ; as to the healthiness 
of them in a house, he was not prepared to give an opinion. 
With regard to the profit of them, that required some cal- 
