anything else, when our
stupid, imbecile Government allows public meetings of 150,000 men, where
the most inflammatory language is used and the common people are called
on to arm, beginning, too, with solemn prayer. Their prayer will never
succeed. No, no, their solemn prayer is but a solemn mockery. They
seemed to have forgotten the name of the only Mediator, without whose
intercession all prayer is worse than useless. Well, well (said Mr.
Beckford), depend upon it we shall have a tremendous outbreak before
long. The ground we stand on is trembling, and gives signs of an
approaching earthquake. Then will come a volcanic eruption; you will
have fire, stones, and lava enough. Afterwards, when the lava has
cooled, there will be an inquiry for works of art. I assure you I expect
everything to be swept away." I ventured to differ from him in that
opinion, and said I was convinced that whatever political changes might
happen, property was perfectly secure. "Some reforms," I said, "would
take place, and many pensions perhaps be swept away, but such changes
would never affect him or his, and after all it was but a matter of
pounds, shillings, and pence." "There you are right," he exclaimed. "If
anything can save us 'twill be pounds, shillings, and pence," meaning, I
suppose, a union of all classes who possessed property, from the pound of
the peer to the penny of the plebeian. "But the present times are really
very critical. Have you time to go through the rooms with me?" he
demanded. I replied that nothing would give me greater pleasure. "But
perhaps you are going somewhere?" I answered that I was perfectly
disengaged. Passing along the landing of the stairs he paused before the
Alderman's portrait, and observed, "Had my father's advice been taken we
should not now be in danger of starvation." I ventured to say that in
those days there was more reciprocal feeling between the poor and the
rich than at present; now a-days classes are so divided by artificial
barriers that there is little or no sympathy between any. "You are
mistaken," he replied. "As long as I remember anything there was always
discontent, always heartburning; but at the time of my father's speech
dissatisfaction had risen to such a pitch that I assure you these people
were on the point of being sent back to the place they came from." (He
alluded to the present Royal Family).

Mr. Beckford opened the door of the great library, and on enteri