ain him long in this country, unless his attention should be
kept fully occupied by a constant change of scene.

Mr. Slick expressed to me the same fear, and, knowing that I had been
talking of going to Scotland, entreated me not to be long absent, for he
felt convinced that as soon as he should be left alone, his thoughts and
wishes would at once revert to America.

"I will try to keep him up," said he, "as well as I can, but I can't do
it alone. If you do go, don't leave us long. Whenever I find him dull,
and can't cheer him up no how I can fix it, by talk, or fun, or sight
seein' or nothin', I make him vexed, and that excites him, stirs him up
with a pot stick, and is of great sarvice to him. I don't mean actilly
makin' him wrathy in airnest, but jist rilin of him for his own good, by
pokin' a mistake at him. I'll shew you, presently, how I do it."

As soon as Mr. Hopewell rejoined us, he began to inquire into the
probable duration of our visit to this country, and expressed a wish to
return, as soon as possible, to Slickville.

"Come, Minister," said Mr. Slick, tapping him on the shoulder, "as
father used to say, we must 'right about face' now. When we are at home
let us think of home, when we are here, let us think of this place. Let
us look a-head, don't let's look back, for we can't see nothin' there."

"Indeed, Sam," said he, with a sad and melancholy air, "it would be
better for us all if we looked back oftener than we do. From the errors
of the past, we might rectify our course for the future. Prospective sin
is often clothed in very alluring garments; past sin appears in all its
naked deformity. Looking back, therefore--"

"Is very well," said Mr. Slick, "in the way of preachin'; but lookin'
back when you can't see nothin', as you are now, is only a hurtin' of
your eyes. I never hear that word, 'lookin' back,' that I don't think of
that funny story of Lot's wife."

"Funny story of Lot's wife, Sir! Do you call that a funny story, Sir?"

"I do, Sir."

"You do, Sir?"

"Yes, I do, Sir; and I defy you or any other man to say it ain't a funny
story."

"Oh dear, dear," said Mr. Hopewell, "that I should have lived to see
the day when you, my son, would dare to speak of a Divine judgment as a
funny story, and that you should presume so to address me."

"A judgment, Sir?"

"Yes, a judgment, Sir."

"Do you call the story of Lot's wife a judgment?"

"Yes, I do call the story of Lot's wife a judgment; a