. And you, comrade, you are a traveller in these
parts, eh?"

"A kind of traveller; something in the way of your friend
Morley--connected with the press."

"Indeed! a reporter, eh? I thought you had something about you a little
more knowing than we provincials."

"Yes; a reporter; they want information in London as to the real state
of the country, and this time of the year, Parliament not sitting--Ah;
I understand, a flying commission and a summer tour. Well, I often wish
I were a penman; but I never could do it. I'll read any day as long as
you like, but that writing, I could never manage. My friend Morley is a
powerful hand at it. His journal circulates a good deal about here; and
if as I often tell him he would only sink his high-flying philosophy and
stick to old English politics, he might make a property of it. You'll
like to know him?"

"Much."

"And what first took you to the press, if I may ask!"

"Why--my father was a gentleman--", said Egremont in a hesitating tone,
"and I was a younger son."

"Ah!" said Gerard, "that is as bad as being a woman."

"I had no patrimony," continued Egremont, "and I was obliged to work; I
had no head I believe for the law; the church was not exactly in my way;
and as for the army, how was I to advance without money or connexions! I
had had some education, and so I thought I would turn it to account."

"Wisely done! you are one of the working classes, and will enlist I hope
in the great struggle against the drones. The natural friends of the
people are younger sons, though they are generally enlisted against us.
The more fools they; to devote their energies to the maintenance of a
system which is founded on selfishness and which leads to fraud; and
of which they are the first victims. But every man thinks he will be an
exception."

"And yet," said Egremont, "a great family rooted in the land, has been
deemed to be an element of political strength."

"I'll tell you what," said Gerard, "there is a great family in this
country and rooted in it, of which we have heard much less than they
deserved, but of which I suspect we shall hear very soon enough to make
us all think a bit."

"In this county?"

"Ay; in this county and every other one; I mean the PEOPLE."

"Ah!" said Egremont, "that family has existed for a long time."

"But it has taken to increase rapidly of late, my friend--how may I call
you?"

"They call me, Franklin."

"A good English name of a good E